Genuine Mahogany Wood
Swietenia macrophylla
Central & South American Mahogany Lumber
The species commonly known as “Genuine Mahogany” refers to Swietenia macrophylla, a type of wood that grows in Central and South America. The term “Genuine” is mainly a way of separating this species from the more recent market entrants which come from Africa and Asia.
When Mahogany first became popular in the western world, it was sourced exclusively from Central and South America, but as supplies began to dwindle due to poorly managed logging practices, manufacturers began to search for alternatives. Today we find Mahogany still as a primary species used in fine furniture making but also so much more. It is a great exterior wood option with a much lighter weight than many of its contempories. Its stability makes it a great option for windows and doors, and the clear quality and easy workability of the species makes for outstanding millwork where fine details are needed.
Mahogany is an outstanding wood to work with, as it is easy to machine and carve. Mahogany lumber has experienced recent popularity as an exterior wood, and it is used extensively by window and door manufacturers due to its exceptional moisture and rot resistance.
Many cabinet shops and furniture makers prize the wood not only for its durability, but also for its ease of machining and its deep, rich color. The clear nature of the species lends itself well to millwork, where knots can tear out while running a moulding profile or joinery. As it was prized hundreds of years ago, Mahogany still remains a hallmark of fine work.
Genuine Mahogany Characteristics
| Character | Green | Dry | Units |
| Bending Strength | 8844 | 11514 | psi |
| Crushing Strength | 923 | 1580 | psi |
| Max Crushing Strength | 4425 | 6465 | psi |
| Static Bending | 5001 | 6927 | psi |
| Impact Strength | 30 | 23 | inches |
| Stiffness | 1305 | 1426 | 1000 psi |
| Work to Maximum Load | 9 | 8 | in-lbs/in3 |
| Hardness (Janka) | – | 801 | lbs |
| Shearing Strength | – | 1230 | psi |
| Toughness | – | 212 | in-lbs |
| Specific Gravity | 0.54 | 0.59 | – |
| Weight | 47 | 31 | lbs/ft3 |
| Density | – | 36 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | – | 3 | % |
| Tangential Shrinkage | – | 5 | % |
| Volumetric Shrinkage | – | 8 | % |
Mahogany Wood and Sustainability
J. Gibson McIlvain always has a large supply of Genuine Mahogany in stock in a variety of widths, thicknesses, and lengths to suit any project’s needs. Our inventory also includes some very wide boards (in the 20-35″ range). We work hard to maintain top grade Mahogany, but it can be hard due to severe import regulations imposed by Mahogany’s CITES listing. In the last several years we have pulled back a bit from stocking the species as the grade could not always meet our customers’ standards. But we are excited to see a dramatic increase in quality and better line of sight in the sourcing since the initial listing of Mahogany on CITES appendix II. It is exciting to see the process working and a bright future for Mahogany lumber. For questions concerning the sustainability of our Mahogany wood, please let us know and we can talk with you about the appropriate CITES permits and fill you in on our verification process for all our Mahogany sawmills and suppliers.
