Characteristics

  • Origin: Africa, ranging from the Ivory Coast to the Cameroons and eastward through Zaire to Uganda
  • Other Names: Sapele Mahogany, Sapelle, Sapelli, Sapelii
  • Appearance: Heartwood is dark reddish brown or purplish brown; sapwood white to pale yellow. Texture rather fine; Grain is sometimes wavy in plain sawn material. Uniform grain on quarter sawn material.
  • Density: Janka scale hardness is 1,500 for kiln dry material
  • Weight: 3.5 lbs. per board foot
  • Drying: Dries rapidly with tendency to warp. Requires careful stacking when storing.
  • Workability: Works well with hand and machine tools. Tendancy to tear when surfacing. Cuts easily. Glues easily. Nails easily.
  • Durability: Heartwood is moderately durable and relatively resistance to termite attac. Sapwood liable to powder-post beetle attack.
  • Finishing: Finishes well; Absorbent to stains and lacquers.

Quality & Grade

  • First and Second Quality – FAS / Select
  • Plain Sawn / Quarter Sawn – Usually Mixed Grain
  • Ribbon Grain Available in Limited Quantities
  • Minimal to No Sapwood
  • Minimal to No Defects
  • Pinkish Brown Color Wavy Grain
  • Kiln Dry to 9-11% Moisture Content

Interesting Sapele Hardwood Facts

  • Sapele Hardwood Lumber is twice as hard as Maple and has a strength similar to oak.
  • Sapele Hardwood Lumber is commonly used to manufacture guitars and ukeleles.
  • Sapele is derived in Central Africa and is a very common hardwood in Europe, especially Germany.

Surfaced Sapele Hardwood

We can surface your Sapele Hardwood order in two different ways.

  • S2S (Surfaced Two Sides) – The Sapele Wood board(s) will be surfaced on both sides/faces to a smooth finish. Both edges remain rough and will need to be straightened by the customer or woodworker.
  • S4S (Surfaced Four Sides) – The Sapele Wood Board(s) will be surfaced on all four sides to a smooth finish. The board will be straight and ready for glue up.

Light sanding on surfaced sides/faces will be required by the customer or woodworker once the project is near complete.

Additional lead time may be required if your order requires surfacing.

ROUGH CUT SAPELE HARDWOOD

Our Rough Sawn Sapele Hardwood Lumber is readily available for shipment within 24 to 48 hours of placing your order depending on our workload. The surfacing, edging, and finishing is completed by the customer or woodworker. The material has not been machined in anyway aside from being ripped on the band saw. The cost of this material is less than S2S or S4S Sapele Wood Lumber.

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