Wood Species Guide

Zebrawood

Microberlinia brazzavillensis

Also called: Zebrano, Zebra Wood, Zingana, Allene, Amouk

Zebrawood is the striped one: light gold wood with bold dark bands that nobody mistakes for anything else. It is fairly hard and heavy, works with some patience, and is best used as an accent rather than a whole tabletop.
ImportHardwoodColorful Import Hardwoods
Good forTurning

What Zebrawood looks like

A pale tan to light gold background crossed by bold dark brown to nearly black stripes. Quartersawn boards give tight, straight pinstripes; flatsawn boards wander into waves and arrows. The contrast softens a little and the light areas warm toward honey as it ages.

Grain and texture

Coarse, open texture with grain that is often interlocked or wavy. The pores are big enough that you can see them across a room on an unfilled surface.

Working Zebrawood: planing, cutting and gluing

It cuts cleanly enough on the saw, but the interlocked grain tears out on the jointer and planer, especially on flatsawn stock. Take light passes with sharp knives or use a helical head, and plan on a drum sander or scraper for the final surface. It glues well with ordinary PVA once the surface is fresh. Expect the striping to make tearout look worse than it is, so check under raking light before you sand.

Finishing Zebrawood: oil, film finishes and epoxy

An oil or hardwax oil brings out the stripes but leaves the open pores visible; for a glassy look, grain-fill first. Under epoxy, seal-coat the surface before the flood or pour, because the open pores will release air and leave pinholes. The dark stripes can bleed fine dust into light-colored fills, so blow off and vacuum well before coating.

Durability, stability and Florida humidity

Moderately durable against decay but not something we would leave outdoors. It moves more than most furniture woods and can warp if it is dried or stored carelessly. In Florida, let boards acclimate in an air-conditioned space for a week or two and finish all faces equally.

Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop

Zebrawood is an accent wood. A little goes a long way: drawer fronts, box lids, an inlay strip in a walnut top, or a door panel. Quartersawn boards are the most stable and show the classic pinstripe, so pay for them if the piece matters. It has a strong smell when cut that some people find unpleasant, so run good dust collection. We don't keep it on the rack every day, but ask us and we can often source it.

Common uses for Zebrawood

Veneer, accent panels, boxes, cabinet doors, guitar bodies and tops, turned items, inlay.

Sustainability and CITES status

Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Supply is limited and mostly sold as veneer or small dimensional stock, so buy from dealers who can tell you where it came from.

Safety and toxicity

Our toxicity rating ModerateWhat the ratings mean
  • Sensitizer (allergy builds with exposure)
  • Skin irritation
  • Eye irritation
  • Respiratory / asthma

Zebrawood can cause allergy over time, with skin and eye irritation the most common complaints. Asthma-type reactions have also been reported, though strong reactions are uncommon.

In the shop
Dust collection + respirator when sanding; gloves for sensitive skin
Food contact
Not recommended for cutting boards, bowls and utensils

General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.

Reported as a sensitizer; skin and eye irritation are the usual complaints. Use dust collection and a respirator when sanding.

Wood toxicity and dust safety guide: every species compared

Zebrawood in stock now

Ask us. We can often source it.

We don't have Zebrawood listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.

Call (239) 331-5925 Book a slab & lumber visit

Similar woods: Colorful Import Hardwoods

See the Colorful Import Hardwoods group guide

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