Figured Andiroba Offers a Mahogany-Like Look.

PEOPLE LOOKING FOR a mahogany-like wood sometimes find what they seek in andiroba, a wood that grows throughout tropical South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Andiroba's heartwood varies in color from reddish brown to dark red brown with texture and pore size comparable to the Swietenia mahoganies, although andiroba is heavier than mahogany.

In the countries where it grows, plain andiroba has some utilitarian uses such as frame construction, boat and ship decking and plywood. It is also used for furniture cabinets, flooring, turnery and millwork. The finely figured material is also a popular choice for decorative veneers and architectural paneling.

Widespread Range, Varied Names

Carapa guianensis, is known by a variety of names. Commercially it is frequently called andiroba and sometimes crabwood, and it is also sometimes marketed as a mahogany on the world market, according to the book "World Timbers."

Andiroba is the term that seems to dominate the U.S. market. However, "because of the variation in the character of the wood it has been suggested that the name andiroba should be used for the finer-textured, denser material and the name crabwood for the coarser-textured wood of medium density," according to "World Timbers."

The authors of "The Encyclopedia of Wood" believe that the widespread distribution of andiroba in tropical America accounts for the wide variety of names. The wood is also known as krappa in Surname; figueroa in Ecuador; carapote in Guadeloupe; carapa in Guiana; camacari in Brazil and masabalo in Columbia. Other names include cedro marcha, carapa, crabwood and tangare, according to "The Encyclopedia of Wood," but these names are also applied to the related species Carapa nicaraguensis, whose properties are considered "generally inferior to those of C. guianensis."

A Dramatic Look

Cam Gantz, sales manager for Interwood Forest Products Inc. in Shelbyville, KY, says he's seen andiroba veneer that resembles quartered African khaya in color, although the grain and pores also resembled makore. "I think andiroba offers an alternative to a customer looking at khaya mahogany," Gantz says. He adds that andiroba offers a variety of figures, including an attractive crossfire. He has seen several requests for the veneer in the last six months.