Moabi is one of those woods that people fall for at first sight, often without knowing its name. A fine, silky texture, a warm pink to reddish-brown colour and, on some boards, a soft shimmering figure give it a quiet luxury that suits high-end interiors. If you are considering moabi wood for flooring, furniture or joinery, this guide covers what you need to know before you order.
We explain moabi’s properties, best uses, how it compares with similar woods, what it costs and how to source it responsibly. We supply moabi from Cameroon, Gabon and the Republic of Congo at Global Timber Trade Hub.
In short
- Moabi is a dense, very durable hardwood with a fine texture and warm reddish colour.
- It suits luxury flooring, furniture, stairs, joinery and veneer.
- Its fine grain gives a smooth, high-end finish with little effort.
- The dust can be irritating and the wood can blunt tools.
- Moabi trees matter to local communities, so legal, careful sourcing is vital.
- Our moabi starts from about $1,100 per m³, FOB Central Africa.
What is moabi?
Moabi (Baillonella toxisperma) is one of the giants of the Central African rainforest. Mature trees can reach great heights and very large diameters, producing long, wide, clear logs. It grows in southern Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo.
The heartwood is pinkish-brown when fresh, maturing to a warm reddish-brown. The grain is straight to slightly interlocked, and the texture is fine and even. Some boards show a mottled or wavy figure that adds a subtle shimmer under finish.
Moabi wood properties
| Property | Moabi |
|---|---|
| Density at 12% MC | about 800–870 kg/m³ |
| Hardness | Hard |
| Natural durability | Very durable |
| Stability | Good once dried |
| Texture | Fine and even |
| CITES | Not listed at the time of writing |
Why designers choose moabi
Moabi offers a rare mix of qualities:
- Luxury look: a warm, even colour that many compare with cherry or fine mahogany.
- Fine texture: surfaces finish smooth and glossy with minimal pore filling.
- Large, clear boards: big trees give long and wide clear stock, ideal for tabletops and panelling.
- Durability: suitable for demanding uses such as floors, stairs and even exterior joinery.
Best uses for moabi wood
Flooring and stairs
Moabi makes elegant, hard-wearing floors and staircases. Its fine texture gives a refined surface, and its density resists wear in busy areas. Read our tropical hardwood flooring guide for comparisons.
Luxury furniture and cabinetry
Dining tables, desks, sideboards and cabinet doors in moabi have a rich, calm character. The wood takes stain evenly and polishes well.
Interior joinery and panelling
Doors, wall panels, mouldings and reception desks in moabi bring warmth to hotels, offices and homes.
Veneer
Large moabi logs produce beautiful sliced veneer, often with figure, used in yacht interiors and high-end furniture.
Exterior joinery
Thanks to its durability, moabi can be used for exterior doors and windows, especially where a fine, natural-finish look is wanted.
Turning and small items
Its fine texture makes moabi pleasant to turn and carve, with crisp details and a smooth finish.
Working with moabi
- Tooling: moabi contains some silica, which can blunt steel tools. Use carbide.
- Machining: it planes and moulds cleanly; interlocked grain may tear slightly on quartersawn faces.
- Gluing: glues well with standard adhesives.
- Finishing: takes oil, lacquer and stain very well; fine pores need little filling.
- Dust: moabi dust is known to irritate the nose and throat. Always use good extraction and a mask.
Moabi vs similar woods
| Species | Colour | Texture | Durability | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moabi | Pinkish to reddish-brown | Fine | Very durable | Medium-high |
| Makore | Pinkish-brown, often figured | Fine | Very durable | Medium-high |
| Sapele | Reddish-brown, ribbon stripe | Medium | Moderately durable | Medium |
| African mahogany | Pinkish to reddish-brown | Medium | Moderately durable | Medium |
| Bubinga | Pink-red with purple veins | Fine | Durable | High |
Moabi and Makore belong to the same botanical family and look quite similar. Our Makore wood guide covers that species.
Sustainability: why moabi deserves care
Moabi is more than a timber tree. Local communities value its fruit and the oil pressed from its seeds, used for cooking and traditional purposes. The tree also grows slowly and regenerates poorly in some areas. Moabi is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, and some forest management plans set special rules for its harvest, such as higher minimum felling diameters or protection of trees near villages.
We buy moabi only from concessions with valid harvesting permits and management plans, and we provide legality and chain-of-custody documents with every shipment. Read more on our sustainability page.
Moabi wood price
Our moabi starts from about $1,100 per m³ for standard sawn grade, FOB Central Africa. Kiln-dried FAS stock, wide boards, figured pieces and thick sections cost more. See how it compares with 29 other species in our African hardwood prices guide.
Sizes and product forms
- sawn boards 27–100 mm thick, random widths and long lengths;
- kiln-dried FAS for furniture and joinery;
- flooring strips, stair treads and lamellas;
- wide boards for tabletops and panels;
- selected figured boards on request.
How to order moabi
- Tell us the use and the finish you plan.
- Give thicknesses, minimum widths and length range.
- State grade and moisture content.
- Say if you want figured boards or plain, even grain.
- Give volume and destination port.
We send photos and moisture readings before loading. Our export process page explains the steps.
Moabi in luxury flooring: a closer look
For flooring, moabi offers something unusual: a hard, very durable floor with the fine look of a furniture wood. It suits living rooms, hotel suites, boardrooms and boutique shops. Wide boards of 150–200 mm show off the colour beautifully. For engineered floors, a 4–6 mm moabi top layer on a stable core gives the same look with less wood and better stability over underfloor heating. A hard-wax oil finish brings out the warmth of the wood and is easy to repair.
How moabi ages
Fresh moabi is pinkish-brown. With light, it darkens over months to a deeper reddish-brown, similar to aged cherry. The change is gradual and even. Outdoors, unfinished moabi turns silver-grey like most woods. Indoors, a finish with UV filters slows the darkening if you want to keep a lighter tone.
Common mistakes with moabi
- Working without dust extraction: the dust is a known irritant.
- Using steel tools only: silica dulls them quickly; carbide saves time.
- Ignoring sourcing: insist on documents showing legal, managed harvest.
- Mixing batches without checking colour: compare boards before cutting visible parts.
Moabi for hospitality and commercial interiors
Hotels, restaurants and offices use moabi for reception desks, bar tops, wall panels, doors and stair handrails. It looks expensive without being flashy, and it stands up to daily wear. For commercial projects, we can reserve stock from the same logs so that all visible elements match in colour. Let us know the total volume and delivery schedule early in the design phase.
Moabi and Makore: which to choose?
Moabi and Makore are close cousins, and both are excellent. Moabi is usually a little denser, with a slightly redder tone and very long clear boards. Makore is famous for its figure and is a classic veneer wood. For floors and large solid surfaces, moabi is often the first choice. For figured veneers and fine cabinetry, Makore is hard to beat. Many projects use both: moabi for solid parts and Makore veneer for panels.
Finishing moabi for the best result
Because moabi has such a fine texture, it rewards a careful finish. Sand progressively to 180 or 220 grit, remove all dust, and apply a thin first coat. For a natural, low-sheen look, a hard-wax oil is the simplest choice and is easy to repair later. For tabletops and bar tops that will see spills, a two-component lacquer gives more protection. Moabi takes stain evenly, so it can be toned darker to match existing furniture, though most clients prefer its natural colour. Always test the full finishing system on an offcut from the same batch before you start on the real piece.
Moisture content and acclimatisation
For indoor furniture and flooring, order moabi kiln dried to 8–12% moisture content. When the boards arrive, stack them with stickers in the room or workshop where they will be used, and let them rest for one to two weeks before final machining. This step is especially important for wide boards and tabletops. It lets the wood settle to local conditions and greatly reduces the risk of cupping or small cracks after installation.
Who buys moabi from us?
Our moabi customers include flooring producers, stair makers, high-end furniture workshops, interior fit-out companies and veneer mills. Many order it together with Sapele or Iroko in a mixed container, using moabi for the most visible, premium parts of a project and the other species for frames and hidden structure.
Lead times for moabi
Standard sawn moabi can often be prepared in a few weeks. Kiln-dried FAS stock, wide boards and selected figured boards usually take 4–8 weeks before loading. Sea transit adds 3–7 weeks depending on your port. Our guide on how to import timber from Africa explains the full timeline.
Sources
- Baillonella toxisperma (moabi) on Wikipedia
- CIRAD Tropix for technical data.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Related guides
- Makore wood
- Tropical hardwood flooring
- Sapele vs mahogany
- Furniture and joinery hardwoods
- African hardwood prices per m³
Frequently asked questions about moabi wood
What is moabi wood used for?
Luxury flooring, stairs, furniture, cabinetry, interior and exterior joinery, veneer and turned items.
Is moabi durable?
Yes. It is rated very durable and resists decay well, even in demanding uses.
Is moabi CITES listed?
Not at the time of writing, but it is IUCN Vulnerable and carefully regulated. Always buy it with full legality documents.
How much does moabi cost?
Our moabi starts from about $1,100 per m³, FOB Central Africa. Selected and kiln-dried grades cost more.
Get a quote for moabi
Send your use, sizes and volume through our quote form. We will reply with a firm price, stock photos and lead time to your port.