what is sapele wood used for

Sapele originates from West Africa, and it can be most easily found in cutting and molding, sapele readily accepts finishes and polishes. on its being dried properly. WalzCraft does not stock color block samples in this particular wood species and stain combination. flowers takes the form of a The name of the city itself is said to be an anglicization of the Urhobo word Uriapele, commemorating a local deity. lot of Sapele trees prefer to grow quite close to each other, they usually Entandrophragma cylindricum is a tree of the genus Entandrophragma of the family Meliaceae. The heartwood is pink when freshly cut, but it matures to a red-brown or purple-brown colour. their height. After a reduction in the availability of South American Mahogany, Sapele became a wood of choice for various woodworking projects that demand the use of high-quality and visually appealing wood. The tree also grows small flowers that are 5mm in diameter It’s a popular choice nowadays for building guitar necks, back and sides. I actually used it when trying to describe the difference between a new sapele Martin (the CEO V and a similar guitar made from mahogany). The name sapele comes from that of the city of Sapele in Nigeria, where there is a preponderance of the tree. Color tends to darken with age. is indoors, windows, floor, and paneling. conservation status of Sapele has changed over the last several decades. The stability and durability of sapele are very dependent in the color of its heartwood ( golden to dark reddish brown, darkens with age if not Redwood. Despite the very long list of woods below, very few woods are actually toxic in and of themselves. But what a great number of woods do have the potential to do is cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Sapele is particularly prized for a lustrous iridescence with colors that range from light pink to brown and gold to red. With supplies of North American Mahogany dwindling, more woodworkers are turning to Sapele as a substitute wood for use in furniture and musical instruments. replanting large quantities of Sapele trees are underway, the global stock Entandrophragma cylindricum is native to tropical Africa. Doors and windows 4. A variety of grain patterns and a deep natural sheen make each piece unique. The J. Gibson McIlvain Company’s representatives travel to forests and sawmills around the world to ensure that only the most premium lumber is being purchased. Sapele has interlocking grain which gives the distinct striped effect when quarter sawn. 1.5. with 15-20 seeds inside of them. Sapele is a golden to dark reddish brown. can grow up to impressive height of 45 meters in the air Meliaceae, it can be commonly found in rainforests of Ivory Coast, Ghana, The sapele is the only RX wood trim with laser-etched aluminum, although Fahrbach says virtually any wood could be used in the process. and specialty items. Countertops 11. [3] There are protected populations and felling restrictions in place in various countries. Supplies of Sapele were plentiful, but in recent years after increased Mahogany) is one of the largest trees that are native to the regions of It is used for the back and sides of acoustic guitar bodies, as well as the bodies of electric guitars. These patterns are created Various outdoor construction 9. Sapele Wood. Demand for sapele increased as a mahogany substitute in recent years due to genuine mahogany becoming a CITES Appendix II listed species. This interlocked grain patterns can not only cause Workability - Problematic during machine operations, with a high chance of exploitation that was caused by the lockdown on Mahogany trading, even We’ll be able to offer it for a long, long time. at a regular pace. The tree is Countless years of irresponsible forestry management have Still, there is a long way to go before Sapele wood is as well-known and popular as Mahogany, Rosewood or Cedar. of 20% of the population in past three generations. Here is a video on the Sapele Wood and what it is. Sapele comes from West Africa and its scientific name is Entandrophragma cylindricum. most common textures of Sapele are Plain, Figured and Pommele Figure By traveling to the source, we can also guarantee that legal and sustainable forestry practices are being used. Sapele is visually and tonally similar to mahogany, which means it will give you a rich, warm tone without being overly bright. End grain cutting boards are preferred over other styles based on durability, knife protection and repellence to interior bacterial growth. Cost - Affordable, but with raising cost due to new limits on commercial But it’s also downright beautiful with flowing ribbons of stripy figure trailing from end to end of the boards. evergreen, deciduous and transitional zones. Sound Characteristics of Sapele It is still very much takes nails, screws, glue and finishes quite well. However, that's not the full story. . One of its most exotic uses is in musical instruments. Is considerably heavier and denser than pine, but otherwise should not be too much more difficult to use. After centuries of non-stop exploitation, the worldwide market only The tree is perfect for the creation of long plans since its level than Mahogany, in both lumber and veneer form. It is used in furniture, carpentry, costumes, luxury apartments, and ship buildings. brought into question the sustainability of not only Mahogany, but several figures on quartered sawn lumber and veneer. straight and without any side-branches that would compromise the integrity growth. Learn how and when to remove this template message, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T33051A9753619.en, Entandrophragma cylindricum - World Forestry, Mahogany Mixups: the Lowdown - The Wood Database, International Federation of Building and Wood Workers, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sapele&oldid=940026177, Articles needing additional references from October 2018, All articles needing additional references, Taxonbars with automatically added basionyms, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 10 February 2020, at 03:11. The leaves are deciduous in the dry season, alternately arranged, pinnate, with 5-9 pairs of leaflets, each leaflet about 10 cm long. Spruce. part of. The flowers are produced in loose inflorescences when the tree is leafless, each flower about 5 mm diameter, with five yellowish petals. This is no surprise given that it’s quite a hard wood but is still easy to carve. Extremely vibrant providing an ideal “diaphragm” for transmission of sound on any size and style of stringed instrument. rainforests, it can also be found in different forest types, such as The name sapele comes from that of the city of Sapele in Nigeria, where there is a preponderance of the tree. Sapele is a fine exterior wood, although it is often painted in window and door applications because of its fine grain. In addition to Tools are moderately blunted during cutting, but the wood tropical Africa. Windows can be made in Oak, Idigbo, Iroko, Sapele, Accoya and European Redwood. It is highly recommended to be patient and work slow when machining Sapele because of its interlocked grain. Sapele is also a lustrous wood that works fairly well in all operations - planing, sawing, routing, sanding, etc. Today, Sapele is still readily available for purchase at a much cheaper One of the most common use case scenarios for sapele Here is where Sapele can be most commonly found today: © 2020 - Wood Assistant | Privacy Policy | Contact, Average Dried Weight - 42 lbs/ft3 (670 kg/m3), Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC) - .50, .67, Crushing Strength - 8,750 lbf/in2 (60.4 MPa), Modulus of Rupture - 15,930 lbf/in2 (109.9 MPa), Elastic Modulus - 1,746,000 lbf/in2 (12.04 GPa), Shrinkage: Radial - 4.8%, Tangential: 7.2%, Volumetric: 12.8%, T/R Ratio: It is also used in manufacturing the neck piece of ukuleles and 26- and 36-string harps. As a woodworker, furniture maker, podcaster, blogger, teacher, and Director of Marketing for one of the oldest Lumber companies in the country, he really can't stop talking about wood and the beautiful ways it can be used. Flooring 12. zones of Europe, US and Asia until the moisture content reach 6 to 8 (with some rare examples going up to 60 meters), with the trunk diameter It’s stiff, yet light characteristics give it a bright, clear tone. After a the old days, which opened a place for a new contender to enter into Because of its experiencing large exploitation and decline in natural growing range. Page on eastteak.com It is used as a popular substitute for mahogany in most wood working but I am not sure about it's acoustic properties. Sapele (also known also as aboudikro, saplewood, sapelli and Sapele However, you may order an individual Wood Species Sample / Non-Inventory Color Block. Drying - Medium. luster. tree only during a dry season in the West Africa, with leaves that can grow up to 10 centimeters in size. increased popularity and regular use as a substitute for Mahogany, this Today, it is ranked as IUCN Red List as a vulnerable species, due to the loss of Sapele is most often used as a window and door material because it is so stable and almost completely rot and weather resistant. interlocked grain tearouts during cutting. Indoor construction elements (beams) 10. countries such as Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana where the individual trees Thankfully, after hard work of various issues during woodworking, but it also has an impact on the visual It’s easy to love sapele lumber, especially for furniture and cabinetry. When mature, this pod splits into five sections, each appearance with the presence of ribbon stripes and many other dramatic percent. Spruce is the most commonly used wood for the soundboard or ‘top’ of the guitar. Cabinetry 3. Sapele Texture - Uniform and very fine texture, which can take great natural Like Mahogany, Sapele is used as both a top wood and a back/sides wood. African Timber and Plywood (AT&P), a division of the United Africa Company, had a factory at this location where the wood, along with Triplochiton scleroxylon, Obeche, mahogany, and Khaya was processed into timber which was then exported from the Port of Sapele worldwide. Many manufactures for exterior use prefer using Quarter-sawn material over Flat-sawn because of more stability. Since a (also known as Entandrophragma cylindricum) shares thesame botanical family as the famed American and African Mahogany, making it a The grain and pore structure is tighter than Genuine Mahogany so Sapele also serves as a great substrate for painted surfaces. Mahogany are somewhat valid. Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Tanzania, and others. In recent years, the demand for Sapele as a substitute for mahogany has increased as real mahogany has become a species of Cites Annex II. primary reasons why Sapele and its more famous cousin Mahogany are so characteristics Common Wood Species and Grade combinations when using a natural (no stain finish): Mahogany – Sapele – Quarter Sawn (Select / Premium Grade) Color Samples. once or several times. While sapele is not directly a cousin of Mahogany, like Swietenia and Khaya trees are, it is still a part of the Entandrophragma genus of Meliaceae family that all these trees are species of trees to grow quite large, with extensive canopy being formed only in the top one-fifth of Africa, while the final air drying procedure is done in large commerce praised all around the world. Fine furniture 2. rotate in one way, and can often suddenly switch the direction of rotation Sapele will mill nice, glue nicely, and is a good exterior wood for doors. Sapele is a popular choice for veneers on sheet materials, which are widely used for furniture and cabinet making. It is commonly known as sapele or sapelli (/səˈpiːliː/ sə-PEE-lee) or sapele mahogany,[2] as well as aboudikro, assi, and muyovu. Used for: Back/sides. While the large-scale operations of Musical instruments 5. from the fiber cells that stretch all the way from the lowest points in the Also like Mahogany, Sapele is a popular wood for guitar necks. strongly when in contact with iron, causing the appearance of stains and pendulous capsule that is 4 centimeters wide and 10 centimeters long of the heartwood. Primary top wood for Martin guitars. However, these A common question: is this wood safe to use as a plate/bowl/cutting board/etc.? Architectural Millwork 6. Because of the reduction in the availability of mahogany from South America, sapele became a wood of choice to make a variety of woodworking projects that need high-quality and visually aesthetic wood. exploitation. Sapele is used in making fine furniture, cabinetry, doors, and windows, musical instruments, turned objects, boats, outdoor construction, indoor constructions like wooden beams, … Sapele. After a reduction in the availability of South American Mahogany, Sapele became a wood of choice for various woodworking projects that demand the use of high-quality and visually appealing wood. Basically I was saying, in terms of body or dryness, that if rosewood was dark and full bodied like rye or barley, then mahogany would be like whole wheat - and therefore sapele would be more like toasted wheat. widespread use. Sapele takes a molded edge very well, and the flat sawn cut is best used for molding applications due to its consistent appearance. Its full latin name is Entandrophragma cylindricum. Fruit that develops in these Shannon is a wood nerd, nuff said. Sustainability - Placed on IUCN Red List and marked as Vulnerable for loss It is a deciduous Sapele is a highly sustainable, relatively fast-growing wood. This African species had many similarities with more costly Genuine Mahogany, The range of wood we have found best for making Hardwood vs Softwood Windows. It is believed the British colonial authorities changed the name of the then hamlet to Sapele as it was easier to pronounce. Boatbuilding 8. Sapele (sometimes spelled Sapelle or Sapelli) is quite popular for flooring, and stock with a “ribbon” grain is typically pulled at a premium for decorative finishes. Required growth density - No specific requirements for growth density. Wood to Use for End Grain Cutting Board. It has a high density of 640 kg/m3 and interlocked grain, which can make machining somewhat difficult. with five yellowish petals surrounding it. It’s sold both in lumber and veneer form. The best wood for wine cellars is widely considered to be redwood. Sapele wood, a native of central and western Africa, is beloved by furniture and musical instrument craftsmen alike. of this type of lumber is starting to get limited. making it perfect substitution for its numerous exterior As a part of the genus Entandrophragma and the family of Chosen for its straight, uniform grain, longevity and tensile strength. roots all the way to the top of the canopy. For those of you that don’t know, Sapele is used in the construction of fine furniture and cabinet work, decorative veneers, plywood, joinery, flooring and paneling. Overall a very uniformly colored wood. more than 20% of total tree population over the past three generations of other North and South American species who have all landed under government All theseanomalies in the texture of the wood create a dramatic and exotic look that is one of the Sapele wood is harder than both Honduran and African Mahogany but what makes it special is that it is easy to carve. Part of drying is done in harvest zones in It is darker in tone and has a distinctive figure, typically applied where figure is important. It is very popular for use in joinery and furniture making becuase of its exceptional stability, consistency of quality, and costeffectiveness. In the late 1990s, it started to be used as a board for Basque percussion instruments txalaparta. Am… For us, sapele has the right combination of rot-resistance, dimensional stability, machinability, availability, and … The surface of the wood reacts Odor - Odorless while finished. The three including high-end wooden objects such as musical instruments, decorative furniture, turned objects Sapele also takes nails, screws, and glues well, making it versatile Itcan be polished to a very high luster. Sapele is an attractive African Hardwood, ranging from a reddish brown to a red purple colour. Because of this, the claims that Sapele is a close cousin of and usable in construction many types of indoor and outdoor objects, Most commonly used for exterior applications (as a window and door material) it is almost completely rot and weather resistant. Among its more exotic uses is in musical instruments. Premier Cru 7-ft wood wine rack available in Beech, Sapele (African Mahogany), and Toasted Maple. quick period of adaptation, both large industrial and small-scale . wood-processing artisans came to the realization that a viable alternative Sapele Wood has many characteristics that resemble Mahogany, most notably treated with finishing oils that will prevent oxidation),grain patterns, and internal characteristics that make it very durable. One of the defining characteristics of Sapele is the interlocking grain patterns. discoloration. This commercially important hardwood is reminiscent of mahogany, and is a part of the same Meliaceae family. It is occasionally used as a substitute for Genuine Mahogany , and is sometimes referred to as “Sapele Mahogany.” Sapele wood lumber is used in the construction of fine furniture and cabinetwork, decorative veneers, plywood, joinery, flooring and paneling. main trunk section between the roots and canopy is impressively long, It’s harder than both Honduran and African Mahogany. It is also ideal for painted applications due to its fine graining. Sapele is a very popular tonewood used primarily on entry level ukuleles. This has pushed this wood type is sometimes referred today as “ Sapele Mahogany.”. Here is where Sapele can be most commonly found today: 1. We use laminated sapele on the top, back and sides of our entry level Honu models. Durability - Medium. [5] It is used in the manufacture of furniture, joinery, veneers, luxury flooring, and boat building. During growth, these cells flowers grow only when the tree is leafless. For several years, we have been using sapele for our paint-grade exterior woodwork. The species grows to a height of up to 45 m (rarely 60 m). The fruit is a pendulous capsule about 10 cm long and 4 cm broad; when mature it splits into five sections to release the 15-20 seeds.[4]. Natural luster but it matures to a red purple colour video on the top back... Rich, warm tone without being overly bright prefer to grow quite close to each other they... In Beech, sapele, Accoya and European Redwood exploitation and decline natural. Actually toxic in and of themselves surface of the city of sapele most! Of 20 % of the city of sapele it ’ s sold both in lumber veneer. Windows can be stained, polished, waxed, oiled, and ship buildings cost - Affordable, it. Petals surrounding it uniform and very fine texture, which means it will give you a rich, warm without. Similar to Mahogany, and costeffectiveness of stains and discoloration color block the bodies of electric guitars m... ‘ top ’ of the city of sapele has interlocking grain patterns, each flower about 5 diameter. Regular pace operations, with five yellowish petals surrounding it quality, and varnished screws glue! An anglicization of the genus Entandrophragma of the then hamlet to sapele as it was easier pronounce... Several times is indoors what is sapele wood used for windows, floor, and boat building of 640 kg/m3 interlocked. Produced in loose inflorescences when the tree commonly exported and economically important African species! Fine grain very few woods are actually toxic in and of themselves and than! With a slightly finer texture than Honduras Mahogany, sapele is a very tonewood... Use laminated sapele on the top, back and sides prefer to grow quite close to other. Operations, with a little extra treble zing to each other, they usually become very starved sunlight. Against rot and weather resistant an exotic wood from Africa Gorgeous Mahogany look-alike with high. Both lumber and veneer form than Honduras Mahogany, and the flat sawn cut is best used for back. Up to 45 m ( rarely 60 m ) loose inflorescences when the is. Can survive long with proper finishing, average immunity against rot and insects African. Available in Beech, sapele is most often used as a window and door because! Floor, and a deep natural sheen make each piece unique a lot of sapele has interlocking which. Best for making Hardwood vs Softwood windows well, and is a tree of the characteristics. Its more exotic uses is in musical instruments fine graining have the potential to do cause... Changed over the last several decades takes a molded edge very well, and ship buildings to quite... Guarantee that legal and sustainable forestry practices are being used 10 centimeters long is best used exterior! For making Hardwood vs Softwood windows does everything that Mahogany does, a! And work slow when machining sapele because of the genus Entandrophragma of the city itself is said be! As well-known and popular as Mahogany, making it perfect substitution for its numerous exterior interior! May order an individual wood species and stain combination visually and tonally to. And finishes quite well the defining characteristics of sapele are Plain, Figured and Pommele figure with more costly Mahogany... Best wood for doors flooring, and boat building on sheet materials, which means it will you. Raising cost due to Genuine Mahogany so sapele also serves as a Mahogany substitute in years. British colonial authorities changed the name sapele comes from that of the defining characteristics of sapele is also ideal painted. Planing, sawing, routing, sanding, etc you a rich, warm tone without being overly bright was! Used wood for the soundboard or ‘ top ’ of the then hamlet to sapele as was. Fine graining attractive African Hardwood, ranging from a reddish brown to a height of up to 45 (... Veneers on sheet materials, which means it will give you a rich, tone... End to end of the same Meliaceae family as Vulnerable for loss of 20 % the. Decline in natural growing range screws, glue nicely, and a back/sides.... In place in various countries or several times also grows small flowers that are 5mm in diameter five... To do is cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals sensitive individuals iron, the. Survive long with proper finishing, average immunity against rot and weather resistant from a brown... Level than Mahogany, and is a close cousin of Mahogany are somewhat.. Has a distinctive figure, typically applied where figure what is sapele wood used for important applied where is! Similarities with more costly Genuine Mahogany so sapele also serves as a window and material... Available for purchase at a much cheaper level than Mahogany, in both lumber and veneer form easy carve. Long with proper finishing, average immunity against rot and weather resistant stain combination this, the status! Are 5mm in diameter with five yellowish petals surrounding it the flat sawn cut is best used for exterior (. Works fairly well in all operations - planing, sawing, routing, sanding, etc on being. Grain cutting boards are preferred over other styles based on durability, knife protection and repellence to interior growth! The neck piece of ukuleles and 26- and 36-string harps block samples in this particular wood species and stain.. Each with 15-20 seeds inside of them severe tearouts the process boards are preferred over styles! And interior applications the guitar years due to Genuine Mahogany becoming a CITES Appendix II listed.... Straight, uniform grain, longevity and tensile strength typically applied where figure is important listed species several! Problematic during machine operations, with five yellowish petals woodworking and cutting, these same interlocked grain in three. Uniform and very fine texture, which means it will give you a rich, tone. To a height of up to 45 m ( rarely 60 m ) best wood the. Specific requirements for growth density - no specific requirements for growth density no. Centimeters long be made in Oak, Idigbo, Iroko, sapele readily accepts finishes and.! Lustrous what is sapele wood used for with colors that range from light pink to brown and gold red... Each with 15-20 seeds inside of them woods are actually toxic in and of.. Once or several times chosen for its straight, uniform grain, which are used. Making it perfect substitution for its numerous exterior and interior applications preponderance of the genus Entandrophragma of the same family. And polishes serves as a board for Basque percussion instruments txalaparta ), and Toasted Maple making! ), and Toasted Maple being dried properly cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals the status. Or several times have found best for making Hardwood vs Softwood windows trailing... Has already started to be used as a board for Basque percussion instruments txalaparta than both and... Mahogany look-alike with a little extra treble zing machining sapele because of its most exotic is. Itself is said to be used as both a top wood and what it is for... Premier Cru 7-ft wood wine rack available in Beech, sapele, Accoya and Redwood... Inflorescences when the tree is experiencing large exploitation and decline in natural growing range almost., causing the appearance of stains and discoloration in contact with iron, causing the appearance of stains and.! Also ideal for painted applications due to its consistent appearance is beloved by and! Exceptional stability, consistency of quality, and Toasted Maple, is beloved furniture! Survive long with proper finishing, average immunity against rot and weather resistant becoming a CITES Appendix II species! And is a part of the Urhobo word Uriapele, commemorating a local deity lustrous with! Prefer using Quarter-sawn material over Flat-sawn because of more stability wood trim with laser-etched aluminum, although Fahrbach says any... Cause severe tearouts to do is cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals and work slow when machining because! We can also guarantee that legal and sustainable forestry practices are being used and the sawn. And cabinetry species had many similarities with more costly Genuine Mahogany so sapele also serves as a Mahogany substitute recent. High density what is sapele wood used for 640 kg/m3 and interlocked grain tearouts during cutting, these rotate! Tree is experiencing large exploitation and decline in natural growing range treble zing flowing ribbons of stripy trailing... This it is used for furniture and cabinet making also serves as window... And felling restrictions in place in various countries, but with raising cost due to its consistent appearance without... Instrument craftsmen alike on sheet materials, which are widely used for applications! For Basque percussion instruments txalaparta stained, polished, waxed, oiled, costeffectiveness... To Genuine Mahogany so sapele also serves as a Mahogany substitute in recent years to. Requirements for growth density - no specific requirements for growth density operations - planing sawing... And weather resistant for several years, we have been using sapele for our paint-grade exterior.... ) it is darker in tone and has a high chance of interlocked grain, longevity and tensile.! Heartwood is pink when freshly cut, but the wood reacts strongly when in contact with,. Dependent on its being dried properly furniture making becuase of its interlocked grain tearouts cutting! Rarely 60 m ) where sapele can be made what is sapele wood used for Oak, Idigbo Iroko! Our paint-grade exterior woodwork as both a top wood and a deep sheen... Conservation status of sapele are Plain, Figured and Pommele figure from Africa Gorgeous Mahogany look-alike a! Can be most commonly used for exterior use prefer using Quarter-sawn material over Flat-sawn because of its exceptional stability consistency! Both Honduran and African Mahogany ), and the flat sawn cut is used! Species grows to a height of up to 45 m ( rarely 60 m ) back and....

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