Bilinga

Names and distribution: Botanically, Bilinga(Nauclea diderrichii) belongs to the Rubiaceae family. The species is widespread in West and Central Africa. Bilinga, sometimes also called Kusia, is a well-known wood that has been on the European market for years. Lots with FSC verification currently come from the PR Congo & Cameroon.

Wood appearance: heartwood ochre-yellow, later darkening to fawn-brown. Sapwood white, clearly demarcated from the core. Pores medium coarse, scattered. Homogeneous wood with an unobtrusive, simple texture (grain). The grain is mostly straight, with occasional alternating twists.

Properties: Density at 12% moisture content averages 0.76 tons/m³, which is roughly the same as the density of oak. The shrinkage is specified as 8.0 % tangential and 4.7 % radial, both average values. Bilinga shows good dimensional stability in practice, provided the wood has been sufficiently pre-dried. If fresh wood is used, there is a risk of warping and twisting when installed.
Drying should be slow and gentle. Due to the high silicate content, the wood should only be processed with stellited tools (sawing, planing). Pre-drilling is required. Decorative and smooth surfaces can be created. Bilinga is weatherproof (class 2). There are no known reports of bleeding of superficially dissolved ingredients.

Use: Bridges and terrace construction, fences, parquet, floorboards

Replaces: Garapa, Iroko-Kambala, etc.