Sapele Wood is a beautiful and durable hardwood that is native to tropical West Africa. It is a member of the mahogany family and is known for its rich, reddish-brown color, intricate grain pattern, and excellent workability. This wood is not only similar to Mahogany in terms of properties such as color and durability, but it is also more affordable, making it a perfect choice for many interior and exterior industries.
In the following article, let’s explore with K-TIMBER the outstanding features of Sapele wood as well as the great uses of this type of wood.
Table of Contents
Sapele Wood General information
Sapele Wood (Entandrophragma cylindricum) also known as Aboudikro, Sapelli, or Sapele Mahogany, is a large African hardwood prized for its beautiful reddish-brown heartwood and its durability. Sapele is found in the tropical rainforests and jungles of western Africa, from Sierra Leone to Angola. This is a slow-growing tree and can take up to 100 years to mature. Sapele trees can grow up to 200 feet tall and 6 feet (2 meters) in diameter. They have straight cylindrical stems and dense foliage.
The conservation status of Sapele wood has changed significantly in recent decades due to the increasing levels of commercial exploitation. Sapele wood now listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List due to the loss of over 20% of its population in the past three growth generations.
Eucalyptus Wood Properties
As mentioned above, Sapele wood has similar characteristics to mahogany and is often marketed as a premium African mahogany.
Color and Texture
Sapele heartwood is a rich, dark reddish-brown with striking stripes of lighter brown and black. The color of the wood darkens with age, due to oxidation of the tannins in the wood. The sapwood is pale yellow to cream-colored. Sapele has a fine, even grain, with occasional waves or curls. The grain pattern is straight or slightly interlocked. The wood is also known for its beautiful “flash figure,” which is caused by the light reflecting off of the wood’s interlocking grain pattern.
Density and strength
Sapele has a higher density than African and American mahogany, reaching 0.64 g/cm³ (41 lbs/ft³) at 12% moisture content. This gives sapele much higher hardness and strength properties than mahogany.
In terms of dent resistance, bending strength, hardness, and impact resistance, Sapele is almost equivalent to English oak. This makes Sapele an ideal choice for applications that require high durability, such as furniture, flooring, doors, and windows.
Workability
Sapele is a hard, strong wood that makes it a popular choice for many woodworking projects, though it can be prone to tear-out, especially if the grain is interlocked. In addition, Sapele can be polished to a high gloss. It can also be machine-shaped without cracking or breaking.
However, Sapele can wear more quickly than some other hardwoods, and it can also react when exposed to iron, causing the wood to discolor or yellow. This can cause a dulling effect on cutting tools, so it is important to use sharp tools and care for them properly. Freshly cut or sawn sapele has a distinctive scent that resembles cedar.
Sapele Wood Technical Properties
| TECHNICAL PROPERTIES | VALUE |
| Average Dried Weight | 42 lbs/ft3 (670 kg/m3) |
| Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC) | 0. 50, 0.67 |
| Janka Hardness | 1,410 lbf (6,280 N) |
| Modulus of Rupture | 15,930 lbf/in2 (109.9 MPa) |
| Elastic Modulus | 1,746,000 lbf/in2 (12.04 GPa) |
| Crushing Strength | 8,750 lbf/in2 (60.4 MPa) |
| Shrinkage | Radial – 4.8%
Tangential: 7.2% Volumetric: 12.8% T/R Ratio: 1.5 |
Sapele Wood Advantages
- Sapele is a solid and durable hardwood, ranking between mahogany and oak in terms of hardness.
- Sapele wood has a unique dark reddish brown color that makes it look like mahogany. The wood grain of Sapele wood comes in many unique shapes, including quilted, ribbon, wavy, sphere, etc.
- Sapele wood is renowned for its distinctive grain patterns, often featuring interlocked waves or curly swirling patterns.
- Sapele wood is very durable and can be used for both outdoor and indoor applications. It is naturally resistant to decomposition, water, and fire.
Sapele Wood Disadvantages
- Sapele wood is a relatively expensive hardwood, especially when compared to more common domestic hardwoods like oak or pine. This higher cost is driven by the limited availability of Sapele trees and the labor-intensive process of harvesting and processing the wood.
- Due to its hard nature and interlocked grain, sapele wood can be difficult to work with. Sapele is a very dense wood, which can make it difficult to cut, sand, and shape with hand tools.
Sapele Lumber Uses
Sapele wood is most commonly used as a substitute for mahogany due to its lower cost and many similarities to other high-end woods. Here are some indoor and outdoor applications of Sapele wood:
Furniture
Sapele wood is a popular choice for making furniture because of its sturdiness, durability, and beautiful patterns. It is often used as dining tables, cabinets, bedroom sets, and office furniture. Sapele wood can be polished to a high shine and is also a good choice for veneers.
Floor
Sapele floors are known for their durability, beauty, and ability to withstand heavy traffic. Sapele flooring is also a good choice for environments with high humidity such as bathrooms and kitchens.
Cabinetry
Sapele cabinets are a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms, offering a combination of strength, durability, and aesthetics. They are well suited to high-humidity environments and can withstand the rigors of daily use.
Musical Instrument
Sapele wood is a popular choice for making high-quality musical instruments, including guitars, drums, and harps. Its strong resonant properties and beautiful grain patterns make it ideal for creating rich, warm tones. Sapele wood is also used for the necks and bodies of violins, cellos, and other stringed instruments.
Shipbuilding
With its shatterproof and heat-resistant properties, Sapele Wood is often used for boat hulls, floors, and interior decoration. It is capable of withstanding great water pressure without any change in properties.
Learn more: Eucalyptus Wood: Properties, Characteristics & Uses
Where to buy Sapele Wood in bulk at the best price?
Sapele is a great wood for your woodworking projects. However, finding a quality, reputable Sapele supplier is not easy when there are hundreds of wood suppliers on the market.
And we are here to help you. K-TIMBER is proud to be a leading supplier of quality wood, specializing in the distribution and supply of hardwoods and softwoods worldwide, including some of Europe’s most famous furniture brands.
We offer high-quality Sapele wood at competitive prices.
Our Sapele wood is imported directly from virgin forests in Africa. We have a strict team of quality control experts to ensure that our wood always meets the highest standards. K-TIMBER is confident that we offer you a 20% lower import price than the market.
We offer Sapele wood in a variety of sizes and thicknesses
All wood products at K-TIMBER have undergone standard moisture checking and processing procedures. We offer Sapele wood in a variety of sizes and thicknesses, meeting all your needs.
We have a close relationship with the Angolan government
This is one of the factors that makes K-TIMBER a leading reputable supplier of Sapele wood on the market. The close relationship with the Angolan government helps K-TIMBER to have a stable and high-quality wood supply from sustainable forests in Angola.
In addition, this relationship also helps K-TIMBER to receive the support of the Angolan government in customs and import-export procedures. We ensure all orders are processed and delivered as quickly as possible.
Contact us today for a consultation and detailed quotation!
K-TIMBER – A reliable and quality supplier of African wood
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