Afzelia (doussie)

Overview

Afzelia (Afzelia spp.), or doussie, is a reddish-brown wood that darkens with age and compares with mahogany and teak for its look, durability and stability. It is very durable and used in decks, docks and joinery. Most is African.

Pros

• Very durable.
• Very stable: 2.3% radial and 3.9% tangential shrinkage.
• Janka 1,810 lbf, about 805 kg/m3.
• Suits flooring, docks, boatbuilding and exterior millwork.
• Moderate price for clear lumber.

Cons

• Somewhat difficult to work: interlocked grain, tear-out and a pronounced dulling effect on cutters.
• Gluing and finishing can be variable.
• Water-soluble yellow deposits in the pores can be a problem for water-based finishes.
• Reported to cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation, and sneezing.
• African Afzelia is in CITES Appendix II.

Variants and subspecies

• Afzelia africana, A. bipindensis and A. pachyloba: Vulnerable.
• A. bella and A. parviflora: Least Concern.
• Doussie: the common trade name. Asian afzelia, called xylay or xylay lace, is a figured species and appears with burls.
• Substitute: Iroko for a durable outdoor wood.

Working and finishing

Carbide tools, light cuts. Test glue and finish on offcuts, and use solvent-based finishes where the yellow deposits are present.

Staining and finishing colour

Colour darkens with age. Water-soluble yellow deposits in the pores can interfere with water-based stains, so test first.

Sustainability and handling

CITES: Afzelia species from African countries are in Appendix II, covering logs, lumber, veneer, plywood and transformed wood (further-processed wood), but not finished goods (APHIS CITES Timber Species Manual; checked 2026-09-30). IUCN: A. africana, A. bipindensis and A. pachyloba are Vulnerable; A. bella and A. parviflora are Least Concern (Wood Database). FSC availability is not verified here. The US Lacey Act makes it unlawful to trade wood taken or exported in breach of the source country's laws (fws.gov/law/lacey-act), so buy from dealers who can name the country and species. If a piece will be exported to or sold in the EU, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (the EUDR) requires due-diligence evidence that wood products are deforestation-free and legally produced; check its current application date with your buyer.

Ethical call: acceptable with documentation; Iroko is a non-CITES outdoor alternative. Health: skin, eye and respiratory irritation and sneezing reported. The US National Cancer Institute reports strong, consistent associations between wood-dust exposure and cancers of the nasal cavity and sinuses, so use extraction and a respirator when sanding.

Popular projects

Furniture, flooring, docks, boatbuilding, exterior millwork, turned objects and inlay.

Buying notes

No retail price was found; the front-matter figure is an estimate. Ask for CITES paperwork and species.