Wholesale African Okoume Wood: The World’s Favourite Wood for Marine Plywood and Veneer
Looking to buy African Okoume Wood direct from the source? Okoume (Aucoumea klaineana) is the signature timber of Gabon and the most important plywood species in Africa. It is light, easy to peel and very uniform, which is why it became the global standard for BS 1088 marine plywood.
At only about 440 kg/m³, African Okoume wood gives an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio. Boat builders, kayak and canoe makers, plywood mills, cabinet makers and door manufacturers rely on it for light, stable panels with an attractive pinkish face.
We supply African Okoume wood as sawn lumber, rotary and sliced veneer, plywood and, where export is legally permitted, peeler logs from legally managed, ethically harvested forest concessions in Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo and southern Cameroon. Every order is inspected, documented and shipped in containers to your port, warehouse or job site.
Technical Specifications of African Okoume Wood
The figures below are typical values for African Okoume wood and help engineers, architects and buyers check that the timber meets their project requirements. Independent species data is also available from the CIRAD Tropix tropical timber database.
| Property | African Okoume Wood |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aucoumea klaineana |
| Botanical Family | Burseraceae |
| Other Trade Names | Okoumé, Gaboon, Angouma, Mofoumou, Okoumé Mahogany |
| Origin (Central Africa) | Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo and southern Cameroon |
| Density | 430–450 kg/m³ (27–28 lbs/ft³) at 12% MC |
| Janka Hardness | 400 lbf (1,780 N) |
| Natural Durability | Non-durable (EN 350 class 4); needs treatment or coating outdoors |
| Stability | Medium movement; very stable as plywood |
| Colour and Grain | Salmon-pink to light pinkish-brown with a uniform, fine texture and a soft lustre |
| CITES / Legal Status | Not listed under CITES. Gabon bans the export of raw logs, so Gabonese Okoume ships as sawn timber, veneer or plywood. |
| Price Unit | Per cubic metre (m³) |
Why Buyers Choose African Okoume Wood
Importers, manufacturers and contractors choose African Okoume wood for a clear set of practical reasons:
- Excellent Strength-to-Weight Ratio: Light weight with good strength makes Okoume ideal for boats, kayaks, vehicle interiors and lightweight panels.
- Perfect for Peeling: Large, round, straight logs peel cleanly into continuous veneer sheets with very little waste.
- Uniform Appearance: Its even pinkish colour gives clean plywood faces for furniture, doors and cabinets.
- Glues and Bonds Well: Okoume bonds reliably with phenolic and epoxy adhesives, which is essential for marine plywood.
Buy African Okoume Wood for Marine Plywood, Veneer and Boat Building
When you buy African Okoume Wood from Global Timber Trade Hub, you can order stock graded and dimensioned for the following applications:
1. Marine Plywood (BS 1088)
Okoume veneer is the face and core species of choice for high-grade marine plywood.
2. Boat, Kayak and Canoe Building
Builders use Okoume plywood and lumber for hulls, decks and bulkheads in stitch-and-glue boats.
3. Furniture, Doors and Panels
Okoume plywood and blockboard are used for door skins, cabinet carcasses and furniture panels.
4. Mouldings and Cigar Boxes
Solid Okoume is used for interior mouldings, packaging, cigar boxes and light joinery.
Available African Okoume Wood Sizes, Grades and Product Forms
We hold standard Okoume specifications and can cut to your project list. Typical product forms include:
| Product Form | Typical Sizes | Main Uses | Drying & Packing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawn Lumber | 27–75 mm thick, random widths and lengths | Joinery, mouldings, furniture parts | KD 10–12% or AD, strapped bundles |
| Rotary Veneer | 0.6–3.0 mm | Plywood faces and cores | Bundled sheets, palletised |
| Plywood and Blockboard | Standard 2,440 × 1,220 mm sheets, to order | Boats, furniture, doors, panels | Palletised, wrapped |
| Peeler Logs (where permitted) | Diameter 60 cm and above | Veneer and plywood mills | Loose in containers or break-bulk |
Custom thicknesses, widths, lengths and cut-to-size orders are available on request. Log exports are supplied only from countries and concessions where national law allows them.
Drying, Grading and Quality Control
Lumber is kiln dried to 10–12% moisture content or air dried to order. Veneer and plywood are produced to the mill’s grade standard (for example BS 1088 or EN 636 for plywood). Before loading, each parcel of Okoume is checked for moisture content, dimensions, heartwood, grain and defects, and you receive loading photos and a packing list with the volume of every bundle.
Working With African Okoume Wood: Practical Tips
- Sharp Tools Needed: Okoume contains silica, which dulls steel tools. Use carbide blades and cutters.
- Easy to Glue: It glues very well, including with marine epoxies.
- Protect Outdoors: Okoume is not durable outdoors on its own. Seal it with epoxy, paint or marine varnish.
- Fuzzy Surfaces: Sand with fine grits to remove fuzzy grain before finishing.
Ethically Harvested African Okoume Wood From the Central African Forest Zone
All of our Okoume comes from the Congo Basin forest zone, the second-largest tropical forest on earth. We buy only from operators that hold valid forest management or harvesting permits and follow national minimum felling diameters, so mature trees are selected and younger trees are left to grow.
Legal status: Not listed under CITES. Gabon bans the export of raw logs, so Gabonese Okoume ships as sawn timber, veneer or plywood. You can check any species on the official CITES Checklist.
Each shipment can include a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, legality and chain-of-custody documents, fumigation certificate where required, and a CITES export permit for listed species. This supports your due diligence under the EU Timber and Deforestation Regulations (EUTR/EUDR), the UK Timber Regulation and the US Lacey Act. FSC or PEFC certified volumes can be quoted on request, subject to availability.
How to Buy African Okoume Wood in Bulk
- Send your enquiry: Tell us the product form, sizes, grade, volume and destination port for your Okoume order.
- Receive a quotation: We confirm price, availability, lead time and Incoterms (FOB Douala, Kribi, Owendo or Pointe-Noire, or CFR/CIF to your port).
- Approve specifications: We share stock photos, moisture readings and, for larger orders, samples.
- Production and loading: Timber is cut, dried, inspected and loaded, with photos and container numbers sent to you.
- Shipping and documents: You receive the bill of lading and all export documents for customs clearance.
About the price: the price shown on this page is an indicative starting price per cubic metre (m³) for standard sawn Okoume. Final pricing depends on grade, dimensions, drying, volume and destination. Typical container loads are 18–25 m³ of sawn timber per 20 ft container and 40–50 m³ per 40 ft container, and smaller trial orders are welcome.
Compare African Okoume Wood With Other African Hardwoods
Not sure if Okoume is the right species? Compare it with these related timbers from our catalogue:
Browse more species in Best Selling African Timber, Plywood & Lightweight Timber, or view the full African timber catalogue.
Frequently Asked Questions About African Okoume Wood
Why is Okoume used for marine plywood?
Okoume is light, peels easily into veneer, bonds well with waterproof glues and has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, which makes it ideal for BS 1088 marine plywood.
Can I buy Okoume logs?
Gabon does not allow raw log exports, so most Okoume ships as sawn timber, veneer or plywood. Logs can be supplied only from countries and concessions where export is legally allowed.
Is Okoume a hardwood?
Yes. Okoume is botanically a hardwood, although it is light and soft compared to most African species.
What is the minimum order for Okoume?
Most buyers order one 20 ft or 40 ft container. We also accept mixed-species containers and smaller trial orders for Okoume, so you can test the quality before scaling up.
Which documents come with Okoume shipments?
Every shipment includes a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and phytosanitary certificate, plus legality documents and a CITES permit where the species requires it.
Get African Okoume Wood for Your Next Project
Ready to buy African Okoume Wood? Send us your sizes, grade and volume, and our timber team will reply with a clear quotation, available stock photos and shipping options.
Request a quote or contact our sales team today to place your order.
Wood sample photo: Philipp Zinger, Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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