Toppers
What is Ayous/Wawa?
Ayous and Wawa are commercial names for the wood of the botanical species Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Schum. This wood, sourced from tropical Central and West Africa, is primarily imported from Cameroon (Ayous) and Ghana (Wawa). It is known for its pale to grayish color and is highly suitable for various indoor applications.
Origin and Botanical Information
Ayous and Wawa belong to the Sterculaceae family and originate from tropical Central and West Africa. In addition to Ayous from Cameroon and Wawa from Ghana, there are variants such as Samba from Ivory Coast and Obéché from Nigeria.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Triplochiton scleroxylon |
| Origin | Cameroon (Ayous), Ghana (Wawa) |
Physical Characteristics
The Ayous or Wawa tree can reach impressive dimensions and has distinctive properties:
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Height | 50 meters |
| Branch-free trunk | 25 meters |
| Diameter | 90-200 cm |
| Root buttresses | 6-8 meters |
| Color of heartwood and sapwood | Pale to grayish |
| Grain pattern | Light stripes on quarter-sawn wood |
| Grain | Straight to interlocked |
| Texture | Moderately coarse to coarse |
Durability and Treatment
The heartwood and sapwood of Ayous and Wawa are not durable (natural durability class V). A preventive treatment according to procedure A.1 is highly recommended for certain applications.
Processing and Machining
| Process | Description |
|---|---|
| Drying | Easy, low risk of cracking or warping |
| Machining | Easy with machines and by hand |
| Finishing | Problem-free with sharp tools, use of pore filler recommended |
| Fastening | Nails and screws penetrate easily but hold moderately; gluing works well |
To prevent discoloration from blue mold, the wood should be stacked on battens immediately after sawing.
Technical Specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Average density | 400 kg/m³ |
| Radial shrinkage (60 to 30% r.h.) | 0.3% |
| Radial shrinkage (90 to 60% r.h.) | 0.5% |
| Tangential shrinkage (60 to 30% r.h.) | 0.7% |
| Tangential shrinkage (90 to 60% r.h.) | 0.9% |
| Movement (60 to 30% r.h.) | 1% |
| Movement (90 to 60% r.h.) | 1.4% |
| Bending strength | 57 N/mm² |
| Modulus of elasticity | 7,000 N/mm² |
| Compressive strength (parallel to the grain) | 29 N/mm² |
| Shear strength | 3.6 N/mm² |
| Hardness (Janka) – Along | 1900 N |
Applications
Ayous and Wawa are suitable for various indoor applications, such as:
- Various interior joinery
- Walls and ceilings
- Interior doors
- Furniture (especially Ayous)
- Saunas (especially Ayous)
- (Frame) moldings (especially Ayous)
- Plywood
- Body construction
- Organs, pianos, and tam-tams
- Veneer
Commercial Dimensions
| Thickness | Fixed Widths | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 26 mm | 105/130/155 mm | 185 cm and longer, averaging 275 cm and longer |
| 40/52/65/80 mm | Variable widths (15.5 cm and wider, with a percentage of 10 to 14 cm) | 185 cm and longer, averaging 275 cm and longer |
Conclusion
Ayous and Wawa are versatile, non-durable wood species primarily suitable for indoor applications. Their light color and ease of machining make them popular for furniture, interior joinery, and musical instruments. Due to their low density, they are also suitable for applications where weight is a significant factor.