Bubinga

Overview

Bubinga (Guibourtia spp.) is a pinkish-red to dark reddish-brown wood with purple or black streaks, often with figure such as pommele or flame. It is dense, strong and gets a high polish. It is also called kevazingo (usually for veneer) and African rosewood.

Pros

• Pinkish red to reddish brown with purple or black streaks; frequently figured.
• Janka 2,410 lbf, about 890 kg/m3.
• Easy to work overall; turns and finishes well.
• Moderately to very durable, and resistant to termites and marine borers.
• Unfigured wood is mid-range in price, with decent availability in North America.

Cons

• CITES Appendix II, with finished products also covered; two of its three species are Endangered.
• Silica in some species dulls cutters; tear-out on figured or interlocked grain.
• Gluing can be problematic because of density and natural oils.
• Wood Database reports skin irritation and, in some individuals, skin lesions.
• Figured grain is much more expensive.

Variants and subspecies

• Guibourtia demeusei, G. pellegriniana and G. tessmannii: the three principal species. G. demeusei is Near Threatened; the other two are Endangered.
• Kevazingo: a name usually applied to decorative rotary-cut veneer.
• Ovangkol (G. ehie): a different species in the same genus, not CITES-listed; see Ovangkol (shedua).
• Substitutes: Jatoba for hard red-brown wood.

Working and finishing

Wipe glue faces with solvent and test the joint. Carbide tools hold up better on silica-bearing pieces. Take light cuts on figured stock. It turns and finishes well.

Staining and finishing colour

Normally finished clear to show the figure. Colour ranges from pinkish red to dark reddish brown and tends to deepen.

Sustainability and handling

CITES: G. demeusei, G. pellegriniana and G. tessmannii are in Appendix II, covering all parts and derivatives except leaves, flowers, pollen, fruits, seeds and finished musical instruments, accessories and parts; non-commercial finished items under 10 kg per shipment are exempt (APHIS CITES Timber Species Manual; checked 2026-09-30). IUCN: G. pellegriniana and G. tessmannii are Endangered; G. demeusei is Near Threatened (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: a poor choice without documentation; for a hard red-brown wood consider Jatoba. Wood Database notes the wood remains available despite being endangered. Health: skin irritation and lesions 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, tabletops, veneered panels, guitar bodies and instruments, cabinetry, turned objects and flooring.

Buying notes

Bell lists 5/4 at $22.50 and Woodworkers Source lists 4/4 at $24.99 per board foot; figured 8/4 is $46.00 at Bell (September 2026). Ask for CITES paperwork and species.