Iroko: The African Teak Alternative Buyers Actually Switch To
Iroko earns the nickname "African teak" for a practical reason: natural durability and outdoor performance at a price well below plantation teak. Furniture shops, boatbuilders and decking suppliers switch every year. Here is what the trade knows about buying it.
Why the comparison exists
Like teak, iroko is durable in ground/coastal exposure and handles weathering with little fuss — it is used for boat decking, exterior doors and frames, garden furniture and cladding. It is lighter than teak and machines easily, though its sawdust is a known irritant — factories run extraction, which any competent sawmill already handles.
One quirk buyers should know: freshly cut iroko can bleed an oily residue that stains; let coatings cure properly on designs that account for it. This is normal behaviour for the species, not a quality defect.
Iroko vs. teak pricing logic
Teak pricing is driven by plantation rotation cycles and speculation; iroko pricing tracks African logging and export costs, so it sits in a different lane. For projects where teak is specified for durability rather than prestige, iroko routinely delivers the same service life at a materially lower material cost.
We supply iroko in logs, sawn timber and related African durable species like azobe for heavy marine work.
What to specify
Dimensions and tolerance, grade (FAS or agreed commercial), AD or KD (KD moisture target per use), quantity in containers. Sawn iroko ships from 1 container; logs and square timber minimums depend on species and production — ask for current terms.
Cargo photos, video and stuffing documents go out before every shipment. Request an iroko quote with your sizes and destination port.