Chlorophora excelsa – brazilwood family

Kambala, often compared to teak, is the next wood material readily used in industry. 

It is relatively soft compared to other exotic species, and so is not recommended for hardwood floors in public use buildings.

Kambala wood, also called iroko, is used in the production of load-bearing structures and hardwood floors. It is resistant
to water and wood pests, and due to its properties, it is used in rooms
with high humidity, such as bathrooms and kitchens.  

Kambala is found mainly in tropical forests of Africa (Central, East and West Africa). This exotic tree reaches a height of 50 m, and a diameter
of 2.5 m.

Its characteristic feature is its large colour variation, from an intense honey colour, through olive to a dark brown.

Curiosities:

• The African Yoruba tribe, which lives in Nigeria, uses kambala wood for carving enormous masks reaching up to 1.5 m in height and weighing up to 27 kg. The strongest of the men wear them during tribal holidays to pay tribute to their most distinguished ancestors: mothers, kings and warriors.
• Birds, bats and flying squirrels feed on the fruit of kambala.

Hardness on the Brinell scale: 34 MPa

Change in colour from exposure to sunlight: with time, the light yellow fragments turn brown, while the brown parts deepen in hue.

Density: 650 kg/m3

Installation over floor heating: possible