What Is Bubinga Wood? Properties, Uses, Pros & Cons

Last Updated on July 3, 2026 by Sam Wood Worker

Quick Answer: Bubinga is a hard, heavy exotic wood from Africa. It has a reddish-brown color with dark purple streaks, and it’s known for being very strong and good-looking. Woodworkers use it for furniture, tabletops, and even guitars. It costs more than regular wood, but it lasts a long time and looks amazing when you finish it.

I still remember the first time I touched a piece of bubinga. A friend of mine was building a coffee table and he had this slab sitting in his garage. I picked it up and thought, “Man, this is heavy.”

Then I looked closer at the color — deep red-brown with these wild purple lines running through it, almost like someone painted them on. I asked him what wood it was, and he said “bubinga.”

I had never heard that name before, and I remember thinking it sounded like some kind of fruit, not wood.

Since then I have worked with bubinga on a few small projects — a jewelry box and a set of coasters — and I want to share what I learned. If you are thinking about using this wood for your next project, this guide will tell you everything in plain, simple words.

What Is Bubinga Wood ?

Bubinga is a tropical hardwood that grows in Central and West Africa, mostly in countries like Cameroon, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The trees are huge — some grow over 100 feet tall — and the trunk can be really wide, which is why you can sometimes find bubinga in big, single-piece slabs.

Some people also call it “African rosewood,” but that name is a little misleading. Bubinga is not a true rosewood, even though it looks similar and has a comparable price range. It comes from the Guibourtia family of trees, not the Dalbergia family that true rosewoods belong to.

What Does Bubinga Wood Look Like?

This is the part that gets people excited. Bubinga usually has a reddish-brown to pinkish-red color when it’s fresh cut, and it darkens to a deeper reddish-brown as it ages and gets exposed to light. What makes it stand out is the streaking — thin purple, black, or dark red lines running through the grain, almost like marble.

The grain itself can be straight, but a lot of bubinga has an interlocked or wavy grain, which creates a shimmering, three-dimensional look called “figure.” Some pieces even have a “waterfall” or “pommele” pattern that looks like bubbles or ripples. If you have seen a really expensive electric guitar with a wild-looking top, there is a good chance it was bubinga.

Bubinga Wood Properties

Here is where I want to slow down, because these numbers matter if you are deciding whether this wood fits your project.

• Hardness: Bubinga has a Janka hardness rating of around 1,980 to 2,410 lbf, depending on the specific tree and region it came from. To put that in perspective, that is almost double the hardness of red oak. If you want to understand hardness ratings better and how they compare across different woods, I wrote a full breakdown you can check out at the Janka hardness guide.

• Density and weight: This wood is heavy. It weighs around 51-56 lbs per cubic foot when dry. My friend’s coffee table slab needed two people just to move it across the garage.

• Workability: Because it’s so hard and dense, bubinga can be tough on tools. It dulls blades faster than softer woods, and the interlocked grain can cause tear-out if you’re not careful with the direction you’re cutting. I learned this the hard way on my jewelry box — I went against the grain on one edge and ended up with a rough patch I had to sand out completely.

• Durability: Bubinga is naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insects, which is one reason it’s popular for outdoor furniture and boat building.

• Stability: Once it’s dried properly, bubinga holds its shape well and doesn’t warp or shrink much, even with changes in humidity.

10 Facts About Bubinga Wood

I’ve worked with bubinga on a few small projects now, and every time someone sees it they ask the same thing: “What wood is that?” Here’s what I’ve learned about it, kept short and simple.

1. It comes from Africa. Bubinga grows in Central and West Africa — mostly Cameroon, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
2. The trees are massive. Some grow over 100 feet tall, which is why you can find bubinga in huge single-piece slabs.
3. It’s often called “African rosewood” — but that’s a bit misleading. It’s not a true rosewood at all. It comes from the Guibourtia family, not Dalbergia.
4. The color is unforgettable. Reddish-brown to pinkish-red when freshly cut, darkening over time, with wild purple or black streaks running through it like marble.
5. It’s seriously hard. Janka hardness of around 1,980–2,410 lbf — almost double that of red oak.
6. It’s heavy. Around 51–56 lbs per cubic foot dry. I remember my friend needing two people just to move his slab across the garage.
7. It’s tough on tools. The density and interlocked grain dull blades fast and can cause tear-out if you cut against the grain — I learned that one the hard way on a jewelry box.
8. It resists rot and bugs naturally, which makes it a solid pick for outdoor furniture and even boat building.
9. It’s used in guitars. Its tone and figure make it popular for guitar backs, sides, and even drum shells.
10. It’s not cheap. Expect to pay $15–$40 per board foot for standard boards, more for wide, highly-figured slabs.

What Is Bubinga Wood Used For ?

Bubinga shows up in a lot of places once you start looking for it:

• Furniture: Tables, cabinets, and chairs, especially high-end pieces. If you’re comparing wood options for a tabletop project, I put together a list of the best choices, including bubinga, in my top wood choices for table tops guide.
• Veneer: Because of its striking figure, thin sheets of bubinga are glued onto cheaper wood to give furniture that expensive look without using solid bubinga throughout.
• Musical instruments: Guitar backs, sides, and even some drum shells use bubinga because of its tone and its beauty.
• Knife and tool handles: Its density and grip-friendly grain make it a favorite for handles. I cover more handle wood options in my best wood for knife handles article.
• Turned items: Bowls, pens, and small decorative pieces, since the color and figure really pop once it’s turned and finished.
• Flooring: Less common, but its hardness makes it a durable option for high-traffic areas.

Bubinga Wood Pros & Cons

Pros

• Beautiful color and figure — that reddish-purple streaking is hard to match with any other wood.
• Extremely durable — resists rot, decay, and bugs naturally.
• Very hard and strong — holds up to daily wear better than most hardwoods.
• Dimensionally stable — doesn’t move around much once dried.
• Takes a finish beautifully — the grain really shows off under oil or lacquer.

Cons

• Expensive — this is not a budget wood. Expect to pay a premium, especially for wide, figured slabs.
• Hard on tools — dulls blades and bits faster, and you’ll go through sandpaper quicker too.
• Can cause skin irritation — some people get a mild allergic reaction to the dust, similar to rosewood. Always wear a mask when cutting or sanding it.
• Heavy — not ideal if you’re building something that needs to be moved often.
• Sourcing concerns — some bubinga species are listed under CITES protections, so it’s worth buying from a supplier who can confirm where the wood came from.

Bubinga vs Other Exotic Woods

I get asked a lot how bubinga compares to other reddish or dark exotic woods. Here’s a simple table:

If padauk’s bright color interests you more than bubinga’s darker tone, I break it down fully in my padauk wood guide. And if you want something even harder and darker, take a look at my purpleheart wood pros and cons article. For a wood that’s often compared to bubinga in the exotic hardwood category, I also wrote about why cocobolo wood is worth choosing.

How to Finish Bubinga Wood

Because bubinga has natural oils in it, similar to teak or rosewood, you need to wipe the surface with a solvent like acetone before gluing or finishing, or your glue and finish might not stick properly.

For the finish itself, I usually go with a simple oil finish to bring out the grain, since bubinga doesn’t really need much help — it’s already got the color and figure built in. If you want a step-by-step comparison of finish options, my wood finishes guide walks through the choices, and my oil-based vs water-based stain comparison can help if you’re deciding between the two.

A practical scenario: say you’re building a small side table out of bubinga. After sanding through 220 grit, wipe the surface clean, then apply two to three thin coats of a wipe-on oil finish, letting each coat dry fully before the next. This lets the purple streaking really glow without hiding it under a thick film.

How Much Does Bubinga Wood Cost?

Prices vary a lot depending on the cut and figure, but you can generally expect bubinga to run somewhere between $15 and $40 per board foot for standard boards, and significantly more for wide, highly-figured slabs used in tabletops.

It sits in the same general price range as other premium exotics. If you’re curious how it stacks up against some of the priciest options out there, I ranked several in my most expensive woods in the world article.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is bubinga wood good for furniture?

Yes. It’s hard, durable, and looks great, making it a strong choice for tables, cabinets, and other furniture that needs to last.

Is bubinga wood expensive?

Yes, it’s considered a premium exotic hardwood, priced higher than common domestic woods like oak or maple.

Is bubinga the same as rosewood?

No. Bubinga looks similar and is sometimes called “African rosewood,” but it comes from a different tree family than true rosewoods.

Is bubinga good for outdoor use?

Yes, its natural rot and insect resistance make it suitable for outdoor furniture, though it should still be sealed to protect the color from fading in the sun.

Does bubinga wood dust cause allergies?

Some people are sensitive to it, similar to reactions people have with rosewood dust. Wearing a dust mask when cutting or sanding is a good habit either way.

Final Thoughts

Bubinga is one of those woods that earns its price tag. It’s not for every project — it’s heavy, it’s tough on tools, and it costs more than most woods you’ll find at a regular lumber yard. But if you want something that looks unlike anything else on the shelf, with that deep red color and purple streaking, it’s hard to beat.

If you’re curious about more unique wood species with striking looks, I’ve also covered ten interesting details in my 10 facts about bubinga wood article — worth a read if you want to go even deeper on this one.