Sapele
(Click on an Item Photo for the net sizes)
DESCRIPTION : Reddish-brown wood that in many ways is very similar to Mahogany. A remarkable feature of sapele is that the grain is interlocked & changes direction in frequent, irregular intervals. It is a great alternative to genuine Mahogany. Heartwood ranges in color from that of medium to a dark reddish- or purplish-brown. Sapwood is whitish or pale yellow, distinct. Fine texture and interlocked grain produces a narrow and uniform stripe pattern on quartered surfaces. It has a cedar-like scent when cut.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: A large African tree ranging from Sierra Leone to Angola and eastward through the Congo to Uganda.
BOTANICAL NAME: Entandrophragma Cylindricum
WORKING PROPERTIES: Fairly easy with hand & machine tools, and it saws and finishes easily, although interlocked grain offers difficulties in planning & molding. Sapele has good nailing & gluing properties, and it finishes well.
USES: Used extensively, primarily as flooring, furniture, cabinetwork, decorative moldings, paneling, doors & windows, and anything mahogany is used for.
