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Kambala
Wood Flooring Species
Scientific Name:
Chlorophora excelsa
Other Names and Species:
Abang
Iroko
Lusagna
Moreira
Molundu
Odum
Semli
Origin:
Tropical Africa
Appearance:
The sapwood of kambala is yellowish-white, while the heartwood is golden-orange and almost brown in color. The species has an interlocked grain, is moderately lusterous, and is moderately coarse yet even in texture.
Properties:
Kambala has a natural resistance to decay. Its sapwood has been reported to be highly resistant to termites. Kambala dries very easily.
Janka Hardness: 1540
As a flooring option, kambala is a relatively hearty and durable wood. It is slightly harder than hard maple, roughly twenty percent harder than red oak, about twenty-five percent harder than heart pine, and is close to sixty-five percent as hard as Brazilian cherry’s ranking of 2350.
Workability:
Kambala puts up little resistance to sawing, yet deposits in the wood can dull cutting blades. This species has good nailing properties. Glue holds well with kambala flooring, but certain varieties can produce a noticable glue line. Although it requires a decent amount of filling at times, kambala sands to a beautifully lusterous polish.
Principal Uses:
Kambala’s uses include millwork, sub-flooring, parquet, fine furniture, interior trim, and boat building.
