Makore Wood: Properties, Figure, Uses and Price of African Cherry

If you have admired a yacht interior or a boardroom table with a deep pinkish-red sheen that seems to move as you walk past, you may have been looking at makore wood. Sometimes called African cherry or cherry mahogany, makore is famous for its fine texture, rich colour and, on selected logs, a shimmering mottled figure that veneer mills prize.

In this guide we explain what makore is, its key properties, where it performs best, what to watch out for when working it and how much it costs. We supply makore, also known as douka, from Cameroon and Gabon at Global Timber Trade Hub.

What is makore?

Makore comes from Tieghemella heckelii in West Africa and Tieghemella africana, known as douka, in Central Africa. Both are large rainforest trees in the Sapotaceae family, the same family as moabi. The trees grow tall with straight, cylindrical trunks, producing long, clear logs.

The heartwood is pinkish-red when fresh, maturing to a deep reddish-brown. The texture is fine and even, and the grain is straight to slightly interlocked. Some logs show a mottled, wavy or moire figure with a strong chatoyance, a three-dimensional shimmer under finish.

Makore wood properties

Why makore is so valued

• Colour: a warm, cherry-like red-brown that suits classic and modern interiors.
• Fine texture: surfaces finish to a deep gloss with little pore filling.
• Figure: selected logs give spectacular mottled veneer.
• Durability: unusual for a wood this fine, making it suitable for exterior joinery and boats.
• Large clear logs: long, wide clear boards and veneer sheets.

Best uses for makore wood

Veneer for luxury interiors

Much of the world’s makore becomes sliced veneer for yacht interiors, private jets, boardrooms, hotel lobbies and high-end furniture. Figured makore veneer is especially sought after.

Fine furniture and cabinetry

Solid makore makes elegant tables, cabinets and chairs with a refined surface and warm colour.

Exterior joinery

Thanks to its durability, makore is used for high-quality doors, windows and conservatories, often with a clear finish to show the colour. See our guide to the best wood for exterior doors.

Boat building

Makore is used for interior joinery, trim and even some structural parts on boats, and as a face veneer on marine plywood. See our best wood for boat building guide.

Musical instruments

Some guitar makers use makore for backs, sides and necks, where it offers a warm tone and a striking look.

Turning and small items

Its fine texture makes makore pleasant to turn, carve and polish.

Working with makore: important safety notes

Makore is easy to machine in terms of grain and texture, but it has two known challenges.

• Silica: makore contains silica, which dulls steel tools quickly. Use carbide tooling for all machining.
• Dust: makore dust is a strong irritant to the nose, throat and eyes, and some people are very sensitive to it. Always use effective dust extraction, a well-fitting dust mask or respirator and eye protection. Clean the workshop thoroughly.

With these precautions, makore is a pleasure to work. It glues well, takes stain evenly and finishes to a beautiful lustre.

Makore vs moabi

Makore and Moabi are close relatives with a similar look. Makore is usually a little lighter in weight and is the classic choice for figured veneer. Moabi is denser, slightly redder and preferred for floors and large solid surfaces. Our Moabi wood guide explains the differences.

Makore vs other reddish woods

Makore wood price

Our makore starts from about $1,000 per m³ for standard sawn grade, FOB Central Africa. Kiln-dried FAS stock, wide boards and figured logs or veneer cost more, sometimes much more for exceptional figure. See our full African hardwood prices list.

Sizes and product forms

• sawn boards 27–100 mm thick, random widths and long lengths;
• kiln-dried FAS for furniture and joinery;
• selected figured boards on request;
• veneer, plain and figured, in flitches;
• instrument blanks.

Sustainability and legality

Makore is not CITES listed at the time of writing, but both Tieghemella species are considered threatened by the IUCN. Like moabi, makore also has value for local communities, whose people use the seeds for oil. We source only from concessions with valid harvesting permits and management plans and provide legality and chain-of-custody documents with every shipment. Read more on our sustainability page.

How to order makore

1. Tell us whether you need lumber, figured boards or veneer.
2. Give thicknesses, widths and length range.
3. State grade and moisture content.
4. Describe the figure you want, if any, ideally with a photo.
5. Give volume and destination port.

For figured stock, we send photos of the actual boards or flitches before you commit. Our export process page explains the rest.

How makore ages

Fresh makore is pinkish-red. With light it darkens to a deep reddish-brown within months, much like American cherry. The figure becomes more visible as the colour deepens. A finish with UV filters slows the change if you want to keep a lighter tone.

Finishing makore

Makore’s fine texture makes finishing straightforward. Sand to 180–220 grit, remove dust thoroughly and apply your chosen finish. Oil brings out the depth of the figure. Lacquer gives a durable, high-gloss surface for tabletops and yacht interiors. For exterior joinery, use a microporous coating with UV protection.

Common mistakes with makore

• Working without dust protection: the dust is a serious irritant.
• Using steel blades: silica dulls them fast; carbide is essential.
• Expecting figure in every board: figured makore is selected and priced separately.
• Skipping legality documents: makore is threatened; always insist on full paperwork.

Makore in yacht and aviation interiors

Superyacht builders and private jet outfitters have long used makore veneer for panelling, cabinetry and tables. It offers a warm, luxurious look, takes high-gloss finishes beautifully and is available in large, consistent flitches, so whole interiors can be book-matched from a single log. For these projects, consistency matters more than price, and we can reserve flitches for a specific build. For solid parts such as edges, handrails and frames, we supply matching makore lumber from similar logs.

Lead times for makore

Standard sawn makore can often be prepared in a few weeks. Kiln-dried FAS stock usually takes 4–8 weeks before loading. Figured boards and veneer flitches depend on what is available from current logs, so contact us early if your project needs a specific figure. Because makore is not CITES listed, there is no permit delay, but we still prepare full legality documents for every shipment.

Is makore right for your project?

Makore is ideal when you need a fine, warm-coloured, durable wood for visible, high-value work: luxury furniture, natural-finish doors, boat interiors and veneered panels. It is less suited to very large volumes on a tight budget, or to projects where the team cannot manage dust safely. For economical reddish joinery, Sapele or Sipo may be the better choice.

How figured makore is selected

Figure is not visible on the outside of a log. Experienced graders look for clues on the log ends and in test cuts, then open the log carefully to reveal the pattern. The best figured logs go to veneer mills, which slice them into thin sheets so that one log can cover a large area. Boards with good figure are set aside, graded and priced separately from plain stock. When you order figured makore from us, we photograph each board or flitch under even light, wet with a little spirit to show the figure as it will look under finish. You approve the pieces before they are packed.

Moisture content and acclimatisation

For furniture, cabinetry and interior joinery, order makore kiln dried to 8–12% moisture content. For exterior doors and windows, 12–14% is usual. When boards arrive, stack them with stickers in the room where they will be used and let them settle for one to two weeks before final machining. This simple step prevents most cupping and small cracks.

Who buys makore from us?

Our makore customers include veneer mills, yacht builders, high-end furniture workshops, door manufacturers and instrument makers. Many combine makore with Moabi or Sapele in one container, using makore for the most visible parts and the other species for structure and frames.

Sources

• Tieghemella heckelii on Wikipedia
• CIRAD Tropix for technical data.
• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Related guides

• Moabi wood
• Bubinga wood price
• Best wood for boat building
• Furniture and joinery hardwoods
• African hardwood prices per m³

Frequently asked questions about makore wood

Is makore the same as douka?

Douka is the Central African species, Tieghemella africana, and is traded as makore together with the West African T. heckelii.

Is makore durable outdoors?

Yes. It is rated very durable and is used for exterior doors, windows and boat joinery.

Is makore dust dangerous?

It is a strong irritant. Always use dust extraction, a good mask and eye protection.

How much does makore cost?

Our makore starts from about $1,000 per m³, FOB Central Africa. Figured stock costs more.

Get a quote for makore

Send your sizes, grade and any figure requirements through our quote form. We will reply with a firm price, photos of available stock and lead time.