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What is bilinga wood?

The Wood Guide · The wood register

Tropical hardwood · reference

Bilinga wood

Golden yellow when sawn, orange-red over time. A West African hardwood that pulls off a rare trick: withstanding seawater.

  • Nauclea diderrichii
  • Use class 5
  • Tree up to 40 m
Nauclea diderrichii
Bilinga veneer: even orange-yellow wood with fine grain (Nauclea diderrichii)
Bilinga veneer: even orange-yellow wood with fine grainNauclea diderrichii
Bilinga with a warmer, orange-red tint and wavy figure (Nauclea diderrichii)
Bilinga with a warmer, orange-red tint and wavy figureNauclea diderrichii
In pictures · Bilinga wood1 / 6
Chapter 1 · The species

Bilinga wood

Golden yellow when sawn, orange-red over time. A West African hardwood that pulls off a rare trick: withstanding seawater.

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Summary

Bilinga in brief

Called aloma in Germany and opepe in Britain. A hardwood from tropical West Africa, family Rubiaceae — the same family as the coffee plant.

The colour is the first thing you notice: golden yellow to orange-yellow when freshly sawn, darkening over the years to orange-red and golden brown. The sapwood is pale yellow to white and clearly distinguishable, which makes sorting easy.

On the quarter-sawn face you see a characteristic striped figure, caused by the interlocked grain: successive growth layers that alternate in grain direction. Beautiful to look at, tricky to plane.

Resistant to seawater

Bilinga is one of the few tropical wood species that is naturally suitable for use class 5 — permanent contact with salt water. That is why you find it in lock gates, fender works and bridge decks.

Botanical
Nauclea diderrichii or N. gilletii
Family
Rubiaceae — the coffee family
Origin
tropical West Africa
Tree
30 to 40 m tall, trunk up to 1.20 m in diameter
Density
comparable to hickory, slightly less strong
Use class
up to 5 — including seawater

To be fair: bilinga deck boards warp easily if they have not been kiln-dried and do not have the right profile. Ask explicitly for both; undried boards from a cheap batch will be cupped after one summer.

Identification

A straight giant with edible fruit

Thirty to forty metres

With a trunk diameter of up to 1.20 metres. The trunk is cylindrical, slender and remarkably straight, without buttresses — which yields long, straight boards.

Flaky bark

Greyish brown and flaky, sometimes discoloured orange-yellow and often cracked.

Edible fruit

With a fleshy, fragrant pulp. Unusual for a timber species.

Interlocked grain

Successive layers grow in alternating grain directions, which gives quarter-sawn wood its distinctive striped figure.

Uses

What bilinga is used for

Field of use Examples Why bilinga
Civil and hydraulic engineering Bridges, jetties, railings Strong, durable, resistant to permanent moisture
Hydraulic engineering Lock gates, fender works, bridge decks Use class 5 — including seawater
Outdoor furniture Park benches, fences, gates, pergolas Weather-resistant and strong
Decking Decking and jetty boards Provided it is kiln-dried and profiled
Shipbuilding Ship planking and floors Traditional use
Construction Indoors and outdoors High strength
Where you actually come across it

Bilinga is above all a wood for public spaces: the bridge railing along the canal, the jetty at the marina, the bench in the park. Rarely in private gardens, where teak and acacia take its place.

Quick answer

Frequently asked questions about bilinga wood

Can bilinga stand in water?

Yes, that is its strongest property. It is one of the few tropical species that naturally reaches use class 5 — permanent contact with both fresh and salt water.

What else is bilinga called?

Aloma in Germany, opepe in Britain. Botanically it is Nauclea diderrichii or Nauclea gilletii.

Why does bilinga warp?

Because of the interlocked grain and a high moisture content on delivery. Kiln-dried boards with the right profile — grooves on the underside — hold their shape much better.

Is bilinga suitable for garden furniture?

Technically fine, but it is heavy and is mainly used in public applications. For garden furniture, teak and acacia are more common.

More in The Wood Guide

Bilinga in perspective

A reference species in our register — the wood of bridges and jetties.

To The Wood Guide Tropical hardwood Durability classes

Have a question about your project? Just ask — we're happy to help.

Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Nauclea diderrichii — Philipp Zinger, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nauclea diderrichii — Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0

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