Iroko (Milicia excelsa) is a West African hardwood often marketed as “African teak” because it combines a golden-brown colour, strong outdoor durability and a slightly oily feel. Fresh boards are typically yellow to medium brown, darkening with age into a deeper, richer tone, with a clear contrast between pale sapwood and the durable heartwood.
In the workshop iroko is generally cooperative, but it has two traits that define the experience: interlocked grain (which can tear if you plane aggressively) and occasional mineral deposits that can blunt cutters faster than you’d expect. With sharp tooling and attention to grain direction, it finishes well and develops a classic, warm lustre under oils and clear coats.
Because it resists decay and many insects, iroko is a staple for exterior joinery, decking and boatbuilding where you want durable hardwood performance without paying teak prices. It’s a “real-world exterior hardwood”: tough, stable enough, and widely used in demanding environments — with just enough quirks to keep you honest at the planer.