Shop Khaya

Khaya plywood features Khaya wood, often called African mahogany, which is prized for its excellent working properties and beautiful appearance. It serves as a superior, cost-effective substitute for traditional true mahogany. Here are key characteristics of the Khaya wood used in the face veneer of Khaya plywood:

• Janka Rating: $900 lbf (pounds-force). This places it in a similar range to genuine mahogany, offering good dent resistance.
  
  
• Color/Appearance: Typically ranges from a pale pinkish-brown to a darker reddish-brown, deepening with age and exposure. It exhibits a uniform color, which makes it ideal for cabinetry and finishing.
  
  
• Grain/Texture: The grain is usually interlocked or straight, with a medium-to-coarse texture. It often displays a natural luster, enhancing its visual appeal.
  
  
• Rot Resistance: Moderately durable to perishable. The heartwood is generally rated as moderately resistant to decay, though it is susceptible to termite attack. For marine or exterior use, proper finishing is essential.
  
  
• Workability: Excellent. Khaya works, glues, and finishes very well, making it a favorite for cabinetry and furniture makers. It holds screws and nails adequately, and its straight grain allows for smooth planing and sanding.
  
  
• Odor: Distinctive, but mild or virtually odorless when worked.
  
  
• Sustainability: Listed in CITES Appendix II and on the IUCN Red List as vulnerable (VU). While not an immediate ban, this classification highlights the importance of sourcing from responsible, certified suppliers.
  
  
• Common Uses: Marine plywood, cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, boat building, and veneer.
  
  

Why Choose Khaya Plywood for Cabinetry and Marine Projects? Khaya is a highly valued wood for specialized projects, offering several key advantages over common domestic species:

• Cost-Effective Mahogany Look: Khaya provides the rich, reddish-brown hue and classic grain patterns associated with genuine mahogany, but at a more accessible price point. This allows professional builders and hobbyists to achieve a high-end, traditional aesthetic without the premium cost.
  
  
• Superior Stability: Plywood is inherently dimensionally stable, and Khaya’s properties, combined with the multiple cross-banded layers, make Khaya plywood highly resistant to warping, twisting, and cracking. This stability is critical for marine bulkheads, cabinet doors, and large furniture panels in variable humidity environments like the Pacific Northwest.
  
  
• Excellent Finishing Surface: Khaya’s natural luster and tight grain structure mean it takes stains and clear coats exceptionally well, resulting in a deep, beautiful finish. It's an ideal choice for yacht interiors and high-visibility architectural woodwork.
  
  
• Common Marine Applications: Due to its workability and appearance, Khaya plywood is frequently used for:
  
  
  • Boat Interior Cabinetry: Galley cabinets, storage lockers, and berths.
    
    
  • Marine Bulkheads: Interior dividing walls within a vessel (ensure marine grade).
    
    
  • Doors and Trim: Interior passage doors and decorative accent trim.
    
    
  
  

As the leading local domestic and exotic lumber supplier and marine and cabinet grade plywood supplier in the Seattle-Port Townsend-Tacoma area, Edensaw Woods (Edensaw.com) ensures premium materials for your project. Specializing in rough sawn and surfaced lumber, marine grade plywood, and hardwood flooring, we proudly serve the entire nearby Pacific Northwest region from our Port Townsend-Tacoma, Washington location.

We stock a wide selection of top-quality wood panels and plywood, featuring species essential for fine cabinetry and marine applications, including Khaya plywood. Our extensive inventory boasts: Alder, Ash, Beech, Birch, Birch (Prefin), Cherry, Cherry (Prefin), Fir, Khaya, Maple, Poplar, Red Oak, Sapele, Shop, Tennessee Cedar, Walnut, and White Oak plywood, along with various assorted plywood and panels. Review our full line of products and available services, or contact us for expert assistance with your wood needs. We love seeing your work - share it with us through our tell us about your completed project! form.