Searching for African hardwood prices and finding nothing but “contact us for a quote”? We understand the frustration. Price lists for tropical timber are rare because the cost depends on so many details: species, grade, size, drying, volume and destination. Still, you need a starting point to plan a project or a budget.
So here it is. Below you will find our indicative starting prices per cubic metre for all 30 species we supply, followed by a plain explanation of what pushes the final price up or down. These are the same prices shown on the Global Timber Trade Hub catalogue.
In short
- African hardwood is priced per cubic metre (m³), usually FOB a Central African port.
- Volume species such as Ayous, Okoume and Ilomba start around $400–$520 per m³.
- Popular joinery woods such as Sapele and Iroko start around $850–$950 per m³.
- Exotics such as Wenge, Zebrawood and Bubinga start from about $1,600 per m³.
- Grade, drying, dimensions and volume can move the price a lot.
- Freight, insurance and duties come on top of FOB prices.
How African hardwood is priced
Almost all export timber from Central Africa is sold per cubic metre. A cubic metre is a block one metre wide, one metre high and one metre long, about 424 board feet. Prices are usually quoted FOB (Free On Board), which means the price covers the timber loaded on the ship at the export port, such as Douala or Kribi in Cameroon, Owendo in Gabon or Pointe-Noire in Congo.
If you prefer, we can quote CFR or CIF, which add sea freight and, for CIF, insurance to your port. Our export process page explains these terms in detail.
Indicative African hardwood prices per m³
These are starting prices for standard sawn grade, FOB Central Africa. They are a guide for budgeting, not a fixed offer.
Volume and lightweight species
| Species | From (USD per m³) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Ilomba | $400 | Plywood, veneer, mouldings |
| Ayous (Obeche) | $420 | Saunas, mouldings, interior joinery |
| Frake (Limba) | $480 | Furniture, plywood, guitars |
| Okoume | $520 | Marine plywood, boats |
Heavy construction and marine species
| Species | From (USD per m³) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Dabema | $550 | Construction, truck floors |
| Azobe (Ekki) | $650 | Marine works, bridges, sleepers |
| Okan | $650 | Bridges, heavy decking |
| Tali | $650 | Sleepers, piling, boardwalks |
| Bilinga | $700 | Jetties, decking, cladding |
| Mukulungu | $700 | Marine works, heavy floors |
| Doussie | $1,350 | Windows, flooring, decking |
Furniture and joinery species
| Species | From (USD per m³) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Tiama | $700 | Furniture, panelling |
| Kossipo | $750 | Furniture, joinery |
| Movingui | $750 | Flooring, stairs |
| Beli | $750 | Flooring, furniture |
| Bosse | $800 | Furniture, boat interiors |
| Sapele | $850 | Furniture, doors, flooring |
| Sipo | $900 | Windows, doors |
| Dibetou | $900 | Furniture, panelling |
| Iroko | $950 | Decking, exterior joinery |
| African mahogany | $950 | Furniture, boats |
| Aniegre | $950 | Veneer, yacht interiors |
| Makore | $1,000 | Veneer, exterior joinery |
| Moabi | $1,100 | Fine furniture, flooring |
| Afrormosia | $1,500 | Boats, joinery |
Exotic and decorative species
| Species | From (USD per m³) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Padouk | $1,300 | Flooring, turnery |
| Wenge | $1,600 | Luxury flooring, furniture |
| Zebrawood | $2,200 | Veneer, accent furniture |
| Bubinga | $2,400 | Table slabs, instruments |
| African black ebony | $9,500 | Fingerboards, turning, inlay |
The 9 factors that change African hardwood prices
1. Species
The biggest factor. Common, fast-selling species with large supply cost less. Rare, slow-growing or heavily regulated species cost more. Ebony and Bubinga sit at the top because supply is limited and controlled.
2. Grade
FAS (First and Seconds) boards are long, wide and mostly clear, and they cost more than common grades with more knots and shorter clear cuttings. For components cut into short pieces, a lower grade can save a lot.
3. Drying
Kiln-dried timber costs more than air-dried or fresh-sawn timber because kiln time, energy and handling add up. For furniture and joinery, kiln drying to 10–12% is usually worth it. For heavy structural beams, fresh-sawn or air-dried is normal.
4. Thickness and dimensions
Thick boards, wide boards and long lengths are harder to produce and cost more per m³. Very large beams or slabs need big logs, which also pushes the price up.
5. Cut-to-size work
Custom cutting lists, planing, profiling and end sealing add labour. They also reduce waste on your side, so the total project cost can still be lower.
6. Volume
A full 40 ft container usually gets a better price per m³ than a small trial order. Mixed-species containers are possible, but each extra species adds a little handling.
7. CITES and documentation
For CITES-listed species such as African mahogany, Padouk, Doussie, Afrormosia and Bubinga, permits and quotas add time and cost. Our guide to CITES timber species explains this.
8. Freight and port
Sea freight depends on the shipping line, the season and your destination. Europe is usually cheaper than the Americas or Asia from Central Africa.
9. Market conditions
Fuel costs, exchange rates, rainy-season logging slowdowns and changes in export rules all move prices over the year.
What a container of African hardwood costs
A 20 ft container holds about 18–25 m³ of sawn timber and a 40 ft container about 40–50 m³, depending on the species’ density and the dimensions. To estimate the timber value, multiply the volume by the price per m³.
For example, 45 m³ of sapele at $850 per m³ is about $38,250 FOB. Add sea freight, insurance if you buy CIF, and your local duties and clearance.
How to get the best price
- Be precise: give species, grade, sizes, moisture content and volume.
- Be flexible on lengths: random lengths cost less than fixed lengths.
- Consider alternatives: Sipo or Kossipo instead of mahogany, Iroko instead of teak, Okan instead of Azobe.
- Order full containers when you can.
- Plan ahead: rush orders limit the logs and kilns we can use.
Why cheap timber can cost more
A very low quote can hide problems: wet timber sold as kiln dried, mixed species, short measure, or no legal documents. Wet timber can warp after delivery. Missing documents can block your shipment at customs under EUDR or the Lacey Act. Always ask for moisture readings, loading photos and the full document list before you pay.
Payment terms
Most container orders are paid with a deposit by bank transfer and the balance against copy shipping documents, or with an irrevocable letter of credit. Terms are confirmed on the pro-forma invoice before production starts.
Price per m³ vs price per board foot
We quote in cubic metres, which is the standard in Africa, Europe and most of Asia. North American buyers often think in board feet. One cubic metre equals about 424 board feet. So a price of $1,000 per m³ works out at roughly $2.36 per board foot. Keep this conversion handy when you compare our quotes with prices from domestic lumber yards.
How to read a timber quotation
A good quote is more than a number. Before you compare two offers, check that each one states:
- the species, with its scientific name;
- the grade and the grading rules used;
- thickness, width and length ranges;
- moisture content, and whether the timber is kiln dried, air dried or fresh sawn;
- the volume and how it is measured, nominal or actual;
- the Incoterm, for example FOB Douala or CIF Rotterdam;
- the documents included, especially CITES permits for listed species;
- lead time and how long the price is valid.
If one of these lines is missing, ask for it. Two quotes that look $100 apart can turn out to describe very different timber.
Do African hardwood prices change with the seasons?
Yes, a little. During the main rainy seasons, forest roads become hard to use and log supply slows down. Prices for some species can rise, and lead times get longer. The dry season usually brings steadier supply. If your project has a fixed start date, place your order early and we will plan production around the weather.
How freight affects your landed cost
Sea freight from Central Africa changes with fuel prices, demand and the route. A container to Northern Europe usually costs less than one to the Far East or the US West Coast. Heavy species such as Azobe fill a container by weight before they fill it by volume, so you ship fewer cubic metres per box. Light species such as Ayous fill by volume. That is why the freight cost per m³ can be very different for two species going to the same port.
Price trends to watch
Three trends are pushing prices in our market. First, stricter legality rules such as the EU Deforestation Regulation add paperwork and favour suppliers with full traceability. Second, more local processing in producer countries means fewer raw logs and more sawn and dried timber. Third, demand for durable alternatives to Ipe and teak has lifted prices for species like Okan and Iroko. We update our price ranges regularly, so check back before a large purchase.
Price examples for common orders
To give you a feel for real budgets, here are three typical orders we quote often. A furniture workshop ordering one 20 ft container of kiln-dried Sapele boards in FAS grade will usually load about 20–22 m³. A contractor ordering a 40 ft container of Tali decking will load about 25–28 m³, limited by weight. A sauna producer ordering clear kiln-dried Ayous can load more volume because the wood is light. Multiply the volume by the price per m³ in the table above and add freight to estimate your landed cost.
Sources
- International Tropical Timber Organization for market reports on tropical timber.
- CIRAD Tropix for technical data on African species.
Related guides
- How to import timber from Africa
- Sapele vs mahogany
- Iroko vs teak
- Full African timber catalogue
- Timber buying FAQ
Frequently asked questions about African hardwood prices
Why are African hardwood prices quoted per m³?
Because export timber is measured by volume. One cubic metre equals about 424 board feet.
Do the prices include shipping?
No. Our listed prices are FOB Central Africa. We can quote CFR or CIF to your port on request.
What is the cheapest African hardwood?
Light volume species such as Ilomba and Ayous are the most economical, starting around $400–$420 per m³.
How often do prices change?
Prices can move with freight, exchange rates and supply. Your written quotation fixes the price for its validity period, usually 14 days.
Get an exact price
Ready to turn a budget into a real number? Send species, sizes, grade and volume through our quote form and we will reply within one business day with a firm price and shipping options.