Scientific name:
Distemonanthus benthamianus

Other names:
Ayan
Eyen
Barre
Bonsamdua
Ayanran
Distemonanthus

Movingui or ayan, as it is sometimes called, is a hardwood from tropical West Africa. Its range extends from the Ivory Coast to Nigeria, Gabon and Zaire.The wood from this tree has many utilitarian uses in the countries where it grows because of its strength, resilience and moderates Its durability. Movingui generally resists termites. It is a popular choice for residential as well as gym floors because it stands up well to heavy use.

Weight:
Density at 12 % moisture content: 0.73 g/cm3

Use:
veneer, paneling, flooring, stairs, high class furniture, sliced veneer, joinery, light carpentry; wood frame house, joinery, vehicle and container flooring road and railway construction, interior joinery, parquet, doors, and sills.

The wood is lemon-yellow to yellow brown. Some logs present a highly figured wood. Possible presence of internal stresses and wind shakes. It has clearly demarcated sapwood. The grain is interlocked and the texture is medium.

Working properties:
Movingui is relatively easy to cut. The wood has only a slight tendency to split under nailing, so pre-boring is suggested. Glue holds well with movingui flooring. This species is reported to take a good stain and polish.

Drying and shrinkage:
Air-dries well, though slowly, with little degrade. Kiln schedule T6-D4 is suggested for 4/4 stock and T3-D3 for 8/4. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 3.1%; tangential 5.2%; volumetric 10.7%. Movement in service is rated as small.

Durability:
Movingui is moderately durable to fungi and is durable to dry wood borers; sapwood demarcated (risk limited to sapwood). The Movingui cannot be used without appropriate preservative treatment for end-uses under biological hazard class 3, except for some parts of a work such as windows, less exposed than others (entrance doors, shutters,etc).

This species is used for exterior joinery in tropical areas but its use in temperate area is limited as it is prone to Coriolus versicolor fungi attacks.