Makoré in Epoxy River Table Construction
Makoré (Tieghemella heckelii), also traded under the name Douka, is an African hardwood native to countries such as Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. For woodworkers building custom epoxy river tables and solid resin tops, Makoré offers a striking appearance, excellent decay resistance, and balanced dimensional movement. According to data published in the CIRAD Tropix technical sheet, mature logs reach 90 to 110 cm in diameter with sapwood measuring 4 to 8 cm thick, providing sizable widths for single slabs or bookmatched builds.
Appearance, Figure, and Grain Characteristics
The heartwood of Makoré exhibits a red brown coloration, ranging from dark pinkish brown to deep reddish brown. Slabs may feature purplish glints and subtle, indistinct pale veins. CIRAD Tropix notes that the wood is often moiré, producing an attractive undulating shimmer under a finish. The sapwood is whitish to pinkish and clearly demarcated from the heartwood, which creates a distinct natural contrast if you choose to preserve the live edge along an epoxy channel.
Makoré has a medium texture and grain that runs straight or interlocked. While interlocked grain is marked, it is not frequent. The combination of saturated reddish-brown tones and moiré figure pairs well with both transparent tinted resin and solid, opaque epoxy fills.
Weight, Hardness, and Mechanical Strength
Makoré has an average specific gravity of 0.67 at 12% moisture content, which corresponds to a density of about 41.8 lb/ft³. A 2-inch-thick tabletop slab weighs approximately 7.0 lb per sq ft. This places it solidly in the mid-to-heavy class of furniture hardwoods, giving a finished dining table or conference table substantial heft without being unmanageable during shop handling.
The wood registers a 3.9 on the Monnin hardness scale at 12% moisture content. The Monnin test is an established French hardness scale based on cylinder indentation, where higher values represent greater surface hardness (this value is not equivalent to a Janka measurement). Mechanically, Makoré demonstrates a crushing strength of 56 MPa (about 8,120 psi), a static bending strength of 92 MPa (about 13,340 psi), and a modulus of elasticity of 13,450 MPa (about 1,951,000 psi). These figures indicate a strong, rigid substrate capable of resisting sag over long unsupported spans.
Shrinkage, Stability, and the Epoxy Bond Line
In wood-and-epoxy designs, internal stress at the glue line depends heavily on shrinkage rates. Makoré has a total tangential shrinkage of 7.5% and a total radial shrinkage of 5.8%, with a fibre saturation point of 28%. Its coefficient of volumetric shrinkage is 0.40% per % change in moisture content.
Crucially, Makoré has a tangential-to-radial shrinkage ratio (St/Sr) of 1.3. A ratio close to 1 indicates that the wood moves similarly in both directions as it gains or sheds moisture, substantially lowering the risk of cupping or warping. Along a rigid epoxy bond line, this low ratio minimizes differential movement stresses that could otherwise promote edge separation or glue-line failure over seasonal humidity cycles.
Drying Behavior and Kiln Schedules
Makoré features a normal drying rate. The CIRAD Tropix sheet reports a slight risk of distortion and a slight risk of checking, with no known specific risk of collapse or casehardening. When kiln-drying Makoré, CIRAD Tropix recommends operating temperatures between 55 °C and 65 °C (about 131 °F to 149 °F) as the timber dries below fibre saturation down to target shop levels.
Machining, Tool Wear, and Fastener Assembly
Working Makoré requires proper shop preparation:
- Tooling: Due to a high blunting effect, stellite-tipped sawteeth and tungsten carbide cutting edges are specifically recommended.
- Dust safety: The sawdust of Makoré is very irritant, and sawblades can sometimes experience clogging. Reliable dust collection and proper personal protective equipment are mandatory when cutting and sanding slabs.
- Fasteners: Nailing and screwing properties are good, but pre-boring is strictly necessary because the wood tends to split when nailed without pilot holes.
Natural Durability, Treatability, and CITES Status
Makoré heartwood is classified as Durability Class 1 (very durable) against wood-decay fungi, Class D (durable) against termites, and Class D against dry-wood borers (with borer risks limited to the sapwood). Its heartwood treatability is Class 4 (not permeable). In terms of regulatory oversight, Makoré is not listed in the CITES Appendices (Washington Convention 2025). CIRAD Tropix lists its end-uses in high-class cabinetwork, interior joinery, carpentry, ship building, and flooring.
| Property | CIRAD Tropix value | What it means / US units |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical name(s) | Tieghemella heckelii | |
| Other trade names | Douka | |
| Colour / texture / grain | Red brown; texture medium; grain straight or interlocked; interlocked grain marked but not frequent | |
| Specific gravity (12% MC) | 0.67 | about 41.8 lb/ft³; a 2-inch-thick slab weighs about 7.0 lb per sq ft |
| Monnin hardness (12% MC) | 3.9 | French hardness scale; higher = harder (not a Janka value) |
| Total tangential shrinkage | 7.5 % | green to oven-dry |
| Total radial shrinkage | 5.8 % | green to oven-dry |
| Ratio St/Sr | 1.3 | closer to 1 = less cupping tendency |
| Coefficient of volumetric shrinkage | 0.40 % per % MC | volume change per 1% change in moisture content |
| Fibre saturation point | 28 % | |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.22 W/(m·K) | |
| Crushing strength (12% MC) | 56 MPa | about 8,120 psi |
| Static bending strength (12% MC) | 92 MPa | about 13,340 psi |
| Modulus of elasticity (12% MC) | 13,450 MPa | about 1,951,000 psi |
| Decay (fungi) resistance | Durability class 1 – very durable | |
| Termite resistance | Class D – durable | |
| Dry-wood borer resistance | Class D – durable (sapwood demarcated, risk limited | |
| Heartwood treatability | Class 4 – not permeable | |
| Use class from natural durability | Class 4 – in ground or fresh water contact | |
| Drying | rate normal; distortion: slight risk; checking: slight risk; collapse: no known specific risk; casehardening: no known specific risk | |
| Suggested kiln program temperatures | 55–65 °C | about 131–149 °F |
| Machining | blunting high; saw teeth: stellite-tipped; cutting tools: tungsten carbide | |
| Nailing and screwing | Good but pre-boring necessary | |
| CITES status | This species is not listed in the CITES Appendices (Washington Convention 2025). |
Values from the CIRAD Tropix technical sheet (average values for mature wood, 12% moisture content where noted). US-unit conversions are calculated by BigEpoxy (1 MPa = 145.04 psi; density = specific gravity × 62.43 lb/ft³).
Is Makoré a Good Wood for Epoxy Tables?
Makoré is an outstanding choice for epoxy river tables and custom tabletops. Its 1.3 shrinkage ratio provides predictable stability next to cured epoxy, while its Class 1 decay resistance and 3.9 Monnin hardness ensure a durable, scratch-resistant surface. Woodworkers must plan ahead for its high tool blunting and very irritant dust by using carbide-tipped cutters and strict respiratory controls. When properly machined and sealed, Makoré produces a stable, lustrous, moiré-figured tabletop that performs reliably over years of interior use.
Sources
Published October 30, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original graphic by BigEpoxy.com.
Staff note: CIRAD Tropix documents that Makoré contains a high natural silica content, which explains its severe blunting effect on steel blades and allows it to naturally satisfy European use class 5 standards for marine submersion. (Source: CIRAD Tropix 7 technical sheet: Makoré.)