SAPELE - Entandrophragma cylindricum

​Common Name(s): Sapele, Sapeli, Sapelli
Scientific Name: Entandropharma cylindricum
Distribution:  Tropical and Central Africa
Tree Size: 100-150 ft (30-45 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 42 lbs/ft3 (670 kg/m3)
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 is the African Mahogany like hardwoods in performance, stability, attractiveness and appearance. It is quite popular for flooring decorative finishes. This wood is medium to dark reddish brown. Cadillac uses Sapele wood for interior wood trim on its vehicles.

Common Uses: ​​​​​Furniture, veneer, flooring, cabinets, plywood, boat-building, turned objects, musical instruments, tool handles, and other small specialty wood objects.

Color/Appearance: ​​Heartwood is a golden to dark reddish brown. Color tends to darken with age. Besides the common ribbon pattern seen on the quatersawn boards, Sapele is also known for wide variety of other figured gran patterns, such as: pommele, quilted, mottled, wavy, bee-swing, and fiddle back.

Grain/Texture: ​​​​Grain is interlocked, and sometimes wavy. Fine uniform texture and good natural luster.

​​Rot Resistance: ​​Heartwood ranges from moderately durable to very durable in regards to decay resistance. Moderate insect/borer resistance.