Zebrawood is impossible to ignore. Its golden background and bold dark stripes turn a plain box, a guitar or a cabinet door into a statement piece. If you are looking for zebrawood lumber in volume, though, you will find that quality and price vary a lot, and that not every board shows the clean stripe you saw in the catalogue photos.
In this guide we explain how zebrawood is cut, graded and priced, how to work with it without frustration, and how to buy it legally. We supply zebrawood, also called zebrano, from Gabon and Cameroon at Global Timber Trade Hub.
In short
- Our zebrawood lumber starts from about $2,200 per m³, FOB Central Africa.
- Quartersawn boards show the classic straight stripe and cost more.
- Flatsawn boards show a wavier, more irregular pattern.
- Zebrawood is hard, heavy and can be unstable if not dried carefully.
- Most zebrawood is used as veneer or for accent pieces, not whole rooms.
- Supply is limited, so legal, documented sourcing matters.
What is zebrawood?
The zebrawood we supply comes mainly from Microberlinia brazzavillensis and Microberlinia bisulcata. These trees grow in a limited area of Gabon, Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. In the trade, the wood is also known as zebrano, zingana or African zebrawood.
The heartwood is light gold to cream with sharp dark brown to black stripes. It is fairly heavy, at around 750–830 kg/m³, and hard, with a Janka rating around 1,800 lbf. The grain is often interlocked or wavy, which makes the figure lively but also makes the wood more demanding to work.
Zebrawood lumber prices at a glance
| Product | Indicative level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sawn lumber, mixed cut | from about $2,200 per m³ | FOB Central Africa |
| Quartersawn, straight stripe | higher | Most requested by designers |
| Kiln-dried FAS boards | higher | For furniture and joinery |
| Instrument blanks and tops | per piece | Selected for stripe and stability |
| Veneer | per m² | Most efficient use of the log |
Compare zebrawood with other exotics in our African hardwood prices guide.
Quartersawn vs flatsawn zebrawood
How the log is cut decides the look of the board:
- Quartersawn: the classic zebra look, with straight, parallel stripes. It is also the more stable cut. Yield is lower, so it costs more.
- Flatsawn: the stripes become wavy and irregular, sometimes with a flame-like figure. It is cheaper, but more prone to cupping.
If you need a uniform look across many doors or panels, ask specifically for quartersawn stock and tell us how many pieces must match.
Why zebrawood is expensive
- Limited natural range: the trees grow only in a small part of Central Africa.
- Low yield of perfect stripe: only part of each log gives the straight, high-contrast stripe buyers want.
- Difficult drying: zebrawood can warp and split if dried too quickly.
- Export rules: Gabon does not allow raw log exports, so the wood must be processed locally.
- Strong demand: designers, instrument makers and veneer mills all compete for it.
Drying and stability
Zebrawood is one of the more temperamental African woods. Its interlocked grain and alternating hard and soft bands mean it can twist or cup as it dries. Well-dried, quartersawn stock behaves much better. We dry zebrawood slowly and check moisture before loading. For furniture and instruments, ask for 8–12% moisture content and let boards rest in your workshop before final machining.
Working with zebrawood lumber
- Planing: interlocked grain tears out easily. Use a helical cutterhead or very sharp knives with light passes.
- Sanding: the soft and hard stripes sand at different rates; use a sanding block to keep surfaces flat.
- Gluing: glues well with standard wood glues.
- Finishing: the open pores benefit from a grain filler for a high-gloss finish. Clear oil brings out the stripe beautifully.
- Smell: fresh-cut zebrawood has a strong, unpleasant odour that fades as it dries.
- Dust: use extraction and a mask; some people find the dust irritating.
Best uses for zebrawood
- accent panels, cabinet doors and drawer fronts;
- guitar tops, bass bodies and instrument parts;
- small boxes, pens, knife handles and turned items;
- luxury car and yacht interiors, usually as veneer;
- inlay and contrast strips in furniture.
Because the pattern is so strong, zebrawood works best in moderation. A full room in zebrawood can feel overwhelming. A single feature wall or a set of cabinet doors usually looks better.
Solid lumber or veneer?
Much of the world’s zebrawood ends up as veneer, and for good reason. Veneer uses the log far more efficiently, is more stable on large panels and gives consistent stripe across many pieces. Solid lumber makes sense for small items, edges, instrument parts and pieces that will be handled and shaped. Many furniture makers combine both: veneered panels with solid zebrawood edges.
Legal status and sustainability
Zebrawood is not CITES listed at the time of writing, but both main species are considered threatened on the IUCN Red List. That makes legal, controlled supply important. We source only from concessions with valid permits and supply legality and chain-of-custody documents with every shipment, ready for EUDR, UK Timber Regulation or Lacey Act due diligence. More on our sustainability page.
Zebrawood vs other striped and decorative woods
- Wenge: dark with fine black veins, more subtle stripe. See our wenge wood price guide.
- Bubinga: reddish with purple veins and occasional spectacular figure.
- Movingui: golden yellow with a subtle stripe, more economical and stable.
- Sapele: reddish-brown with a regular ribbon stripe when quartersawn.
Sizes we supply
- sawn boards 27–52 mm thick, random widths and lengths;
- quartersawn and flatsawn stock;
- instrument blanks for tops, bodies and fingerboards;
- turning squares and small dimension stock.
How to order zebrawood lumber
- Say whether you need quartersawn or flatsawn, or both.
- Give thicknesses, minimum widths and length range.
- State grade and moisture content.
- Tell us if pieces must match in colour and stripe.
- Give volume and destination port.
We send photos of the actual boards before loading, so you can check the stripe. Our export process page explains the rest.
Common mistakes with zebrawood
- Expecting every board to look like the catalogue: stripe varies from log to log.
- Buying flatsawn for wide panels: it moves more; choose quartersawn or veneer.
- Rushing acclimatisation: let boards settle before final cuts.
- Over-using it: the strong pattern works best as an accent.
A note on colour change
Over time, the light background of zebrawood tends to darken to a warmer gold, and the contrast with the dark stripes softens a little. A finish with UV filters slows this process. If you need several batches to match over the years, keep a reference sample and ask us to select stock against it.
Zebrawood in guitar making
Zebrawood is used for guitar tops, backs and sides, bass bodies and decorative laminates. It is hard and fairly stiff, giving a bright, articulate tone. Builders choose quartersawn, well-dried stock to avoid movement in thin plates. Our guide to African tonewood for guitars compares it with other species.
Pricing tips for designers and architects
If you are specifying zebrawood for a project, include a sample of the stripe you want and the quantity that must match. Ask whether veneer would meet the design goal; it often does, at a fraction of the cost of solid wood. For solid elements such as handles, edges and frames, a small volume of quartersawn lumber goes a long way.
How we select zebrawood for each order
Zebrawood is a wood you need to see before you buy. When we prepare an order, our team at the yard sorts boards by cut, stripe width and contrast. Boards with wide, bold stripes are kept apart from boards with fine, tight stripes, because they look very different side by side in a finished piece. We then photograph a sample of each bundle, on both faces, and measure moisture on several boards. You approve the selection before anything is loaded. This simple step avoids the most common complaint in the zebrawood trade: a shipment that is technically correct but does not match the design.
Matching zebrawood across a project
For hotels, offices and furniture collections, matching matters. If you need 40 cabinet doors with a consistent look, tell us at the start. We can reserve boards from the same logs, keep them together through drying and ship them as one lot. For very large projects, veneer from a single log, known as a flitch, gives the best match. Plan an extra 10–15% for selection and waste, so you can reject the odd board that does not fit.
Lead times for zebrawood
Because supply is limited and drying must be slow, zebrawood lead times are longer than for common species. Stock boards may be ready in a few weeks. Selected quartersawn stock, matched lots and kiln-dried FAS can take 6–10 weeks before loading. Add sea transit to your port. If your project has a fixed opening date, contact us early, ideally while the design is still being finalised.
Caring for zebrawood furniture
Zebrawood furniture is easy to look after. Dust it with a soft cloth, wipe spills quickly and avoid placing it next to radiators or in strong sunlight. Refresh an oiled finish once a year with a thin coat of the same oil. A stable indoor climate keeps joints tight and surfaces flat for many years.
Sources
- Microberlinia (zebrawood) on Wikipedia
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- The Wood Database for density and hardness data.
Related guides
- Bubinga wood price
- Wenge wood price
- African tonewood for guitars
- Exotic and decorative hardwoods
- African hardwood prices per m³
Frequently asked questions about zebrawood lumber
How much does zebrawood cost?
Our zebrawood lumber starts from about $2,200 per m³, FOB Central Africa. Quartersawn and kiln-dried FAS stock cost more.
Is zebrawood the same as zebrano?
Yes. Zebrano is the common European trade name for African zebrawood.
Is zebrawood hard to work?
It is manageable with sharp tools and light passes, but interlocked grain can tear out and boards can move if not well dried.
Is zebrawood CITES listed?
Not at the time of writing, but it is considered threatened, so always buy it with full legality documents.
Get a quote for zebrawood
Send your cut, sizes and quantity through our quote form. We will reply with a firm price, photos of the actual stock and lead time to your port.