SAPELE : Liotatis Timber & DIY

Description

Sapele (scientific name: Entandrophragma cylindricum) is a tropical African hardwood native to the rainforests of West Africa. Sapele is a type of timber whose colour darkens with age. The heartwood deepens to an elegant, rich and magnificent dark reddish-brown. Expect to see an iridescent mixture of light pinks, reds, browns and golds, too.Sapele’s grain pattern is close, woven and interlocking — its fibres twist tightly as they grow, aligning in opposite directions. This often produces eye-catching ribbon-like patterns on sawn boards. It’s also common to find sapele with figuring. These are special markings produced in the wood grain. Fiddleback, quilted, wavy, beeswing, swirl, mottled and pommel figuring can all occur in sapele. The cause of wood figuring is much debated, but it’s believed to be the result of genetic deviation, bacterial infection or environmental stresses.

Sapele: uses

Furniture and cabinetry: Coffee tables, chairs, drawers, bed frames, desks — sapele’s workability, scratch-resistance and elegant, mahogany-esque appearance make it a time-honoured favourite for all types of high-end joinery. Sapele is also used in the manufacture of veneers.
Flooring: For a luxury project, sapele steps up superbly. Its reddish-brown tones provide opulence, with sapele’s superior density making it best placed to withstand the inevitable knocks, bumps and scrapes.
Decking: Although there are more popular species for decking — hello, Iroko — sapele’s good looks, scratch resistance and outdoor durability make it equally well equipped to act as an exterior decking timber.
Outdoor construction and furniture: This species can be used for exterior elements like window frames and doors, where the wood might be expected to withstand the elements to some degree. It’s also suitable for outdoor benches, tables, chairs, loungers, planters — you name it.
Boatbuilding: Sapele’s natural water resistance and receptiveness to treatment means it takes to water with effortless ease and elegance.
Musical instruments: Undoubtedly a more niche use, sapele’s acoustic properties nevertheless make it a popular choice for instruments. It is sometimes used for the back, sides and top of acoustic and electric guitars and for the neck piece of ukuleles and harps.