Solid Sapele is generally stable when dry, making it ideal for use in doors. Published: November 18, 2011 | Author: Shannon Rogers25 Comments. Is it hard enough? So applying a single coat of an exterior finish, preferably oil based, might be a good idea just to ease the wood into its new environment. Cypress holds resins and glues very well. So concentrate on UV resistance in whatever finish you choose. Acacia wood requires a high level of maintenance to keep its appearance. But in your application there could be substantially more moistures for longer periods of time. Caring for Sapele. He said that sometimes it is the same, but that SA mahogany is a seldom used name by most suppliers selling the genuine stuff. Europe is a bit higher around 12-15% due to a wetter climate. By 1629, supplies in Cuba and surrounding islands dwindled so much that the Spanish began moving their shipyards to Mexico where trees were still available. Sapele is a large hardwood tree naturally that has a widespread growth range across Africa. Whether you buy Sapele lumber from J. Gibson McIlvain or another supplier, pay close attention to the provenance documentation to ensure that you are in fact getting Sapele as compared to another similar species. The funny thing is that the botanical definition of hardwood and softwood has nothing to do with how hard the wood actually is; but rather it denotes the structure of the tree and in general whether or not it loses its leaves. Is there any alternative species that is FSC certified and has similar look of sapele any chance? Your email address will not be published. If you don’t mind a few knots in your outdoor work, common-grade cherry is very affordable. Green is a relative term too as there is just cut where most trees will run upwards of 80% moisture and then there is green as in wood that was cut months ago but has not been sawn. It turned some pretty nice looking benches into works of art. When quarter sawn, the interlocking grain pattern aligns to form beautiful ribbon striping that is often seen in door panels and plywood veneer. I wonder about Honduran for rot resistance. On another note, Gene mentioned sapele as an equal to mahogany. I can’t tell you how many people we sell Sapele to who intend to use it for furniture. In fact, as the reputation and demand for Cuban mahogany grew, the supply of wood shrank. African mahogany is in the Khaya genus. Even if you slather on the finish, a wood that doesn’t fare well outside is likely going to fail early and often. Different oils are an option, applying protective coats are also a preferred method, and it is very easy to order products that include both stain and sealing compounds to waterproof your wood. Question Then talk to your installer or do some research on dog friendly durable polyurethane finishes. Shannon is a wood nerd, nuff said. FSC is usually obtainable but it will drive up the cost and decrease the availability. In my limited experience it is not as stable in use … However, this isn’t to say that it’s a perfect choice. This article is an attempt to highlight some of the pluses of using Sapele and in many cases introduce it to the builder or contractor that may have only heard of it. Cuban Mahogany, Swietenia mahogani (genus and species names), the Wood of Kings, has been among the most prized and valuable timbers since the late 16th century. Use this table to find the right decay-resistant species for your project. The stain will actually reduce the shimmer in the ribbon figure, making it dull because it mainly stays on top of the wood. With supplies of North American Mahogany dwindling, more woodworkers are turning to Sapele as a substitute wood for use in furniture and musical instruments. Mahogany can be the ideal hardwood for floors as it is so durable and can take heavy traffic. I have a customer that wanted one of my custom flintlock rifles made from a wood from Zimbabwe since he spent lot of time there, the closest I could come to that was Sapele. Sapele is another type of Mahogany Decking. Much of Western Africa ran into this problem and Sapele is still recovering. Instead, if you want to color the wood, use this simple process. A good marine varnish will do great even over top of a wood that isn’t a good exterior product. If so, which species are the easiest to access and competitive priced with FSC or PEFC certified? I have built and installed sapele handrails on the exterior of my boat. Will it scratch and show a lot of nicks. For most outdoor projects, naturally rot-resistant wood is a good idea. I do think the wood will handle it well, but it is really more about the finish you choose in this case. Sadly I am told changes in logging policy make it very difficult to procure Khaya logs so the 4mm veneer we used in boat building has been replaced in the market by sapele ….just not the same, weights, density, and especially shrinkage and movement. Philippine Mahogany is synonymous with boat building, thanks to the iconic Chris Craft boats from the 1930-60s. Indoor construction elements (beams) 10. Jim, it is possible to get FSC Sapele though a lot of mills in Africa prefer TLTV and/or VLO certifications. 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. Sapele will mill nice, glue nicely, and is a good exterior wood for doors. Fine furniture 2. Any Suggestion? Additionally Sapele grows with an interlocking grain pattern where the fibers twist around the tree as they grow. We love the look of it, but we are concerned about how it would cope with water, especially around the sink. I'll break down the pros and cons, based on our experience, so you have a better idea of why these have become our favoured choices. When quartersawn or rift sawn, the face of the resulting lumber has a ribbon stripe appearance; often such lumber is sold as ribbon-stripe mahogany. However, that's not the full story. Yes sanding will return the color, though I would suggest sanding the entire deck or you may have trouble blending the two halves. By the mid 1700�s, Cuban mahogany was becoming quite scarce. I've never known either sapele or any mahogany to resemble 2 x 4's at Home Depot. How to Treat Untreated Wood for Outdoor Use. All these species have many local names. We feel certain that the popularity will continue to grow as other industries begin to recognize it’s potential. Hi. Redwood garden bench The timber from the stately sequoia is not a good choice for the ecologically minded, since redwood trees grow slowly and are in limited supply. Would it be O.K. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Can it be used in a high traffic area? Sapele is one of my favorite woods. I would love to see a picture of that rifle John; sounds beautiful! I talked to one supplier of tropical woods and he stated that SA mahogany often is not of the same genus and species as genuine. This is a disservice to the average buyer however because when you look at Sapele vs Mahogany (the genuine, South American stuff) there is really no comparison. Today there are still a few trees, but they are extremely rare and should not be used as such usage will encourage harvesting and the ultimate end of this species. You will want to wipe down your outdoor patio furniture with a slightly damp rag every day to remove any accumulated dust. South American mahogany or SA mahogany is not given, probably because the species goes from Mexico southward into Brazil. Engineer says sapele for strength and stability. HI – I am thinking about using the African Sapele in a dining room, living room entry hall. It should not be used where the lumber can be in permanent contact with animals or humans. Besides solid wood, here are some other types of wood available for decking and other outdoor living spaces: Pressure-treated wood is the most common type of decking material because it’s the most readily available and cheapest choice. Just like outdoor furniture, the types of material that an outdoor deck is made from will have a large impact on overall lifetime and durability.Therefore, it is important to choose the right type of wood from the start. To add color to sapele with a stain, you don’t want to apply an oil pigment stain straight to the raw wood. Wood is primarily used for Pergola and Gazebo construction since it tends to be readily available, easy to work with and durable when exposed to outdoor conditions. Required fields are marked *. Different types of woods have different levels of resistance to the elements. This availability will keep costs down as well as make it a species you can consistently rely on getting for your projects. From contributor X: When finished, I applied some Watco Danish Oil for Teak. Redwood. Famous furniture builders Thomas Sheraton, Thomas Chippendale, and Duncan Phyfe chose Cuban mahogany for their fine furniture. 10 years later the floor looks great despite what my 100+ pound dogs can do to it. I'm under the impression that true Honduras mahogany is commercially endangered, and what is being sold may be poached (according to HPVA). We are so certain in fact that at any given moment you will find 400-600,000 board feet in stock on our yard with a constant stream of inbound stock to be carefully dried by us and prepared for sale in North America. This attention to detail will keep the good suppliers, importers, and sawyers in business and only serve to close the market on those that abuse the resource. I would look at marine varnishes that are designed to deal with lots of moisture. When I had my floors refinished about 10 years ago I specifically used a contractor that had 4 Rottweilers and had a finish he recommended. A beautiful wood. The best option to treat untreated wood for outdoor use is through these sealing options. I think one of the best things you can do to protect your hardwood floor from claws is a good finish. You wouldn’t leave the wood raw regardless of the species used so a good finish will take up the slack. Ipe is found in South America. Just beautiful! Native to Africa, Sapele is a reddish-brown wood of closely interlocking grain. But to answer to more common question it is also a quite hard wood when you compare it to the typical North American species, and much harder than much of the typical exterior woods like Cedar and Cypress. The best way to get it is through micro mills that will saw a log you bring to them. The natural superior stability means that there is much less waste over this journey as well as reliability once the wood is installed in it’s final project. Sapele, I believe, is rated as moderately resistant to decay, as are Honduras mahogany and Spanish cedar. It is common for the trunk to exceed 6 feet in diameter and it has a very straight trunk with little to no branching below 80 feet. There is always a risk of some minor surface checking for the stuff that gets a lot of sun baking on it all day, but that is pretty much the same with any species out there. The NHLA uses the name tropical American mahogany. If you have an acacia chair, pull it up and let Captain Patio tell you about the virtues (and pitfalls) of owning acacia wood patio furniture. So I’d start with good outdoor-friendly wood and go from there. I see you correct it later with “mahogany like hardwoods” Make no mistake is is a very attractive timber and takes numerous stains and finishes well, it is not a mahogany and does not display any similar physical characteristics other than looks.. Plastic composites have come into the outdoor wood marketplace. Thank you for the information. Have you thought of adding some bit of forest-based decorations to your home? It is light in color and has a grain pattern quite similar to traditional oak. However I can recommend any Epifanes products based on personal experience or a good quality spar varnish. Composites have no defects, and do not compress like wood. Not sure of your source, but Apple is nothing like Sapele in appearance, grain, workability, and availability. Like Mahogany, Sapele is used as both a top wood and a back/sides wood. Always buy Sapele wood from a dealer that understands the provenance as well as how to properly dry and mill it. The wood contains natural preservative oils so it can last for a very, very long time. Hi Shannon; I’m thinking of using Sapele for furniture, such as a wine rack/table. Due to greater awareness and strict controls, the species is recovering nicely. How about the appropriated moizture content for sapeli both green and dry? The Congo is one of the greatest producers of Sapele and while the area is in political turmoil as of late, the logging companies have embraced strict regulation and verification schemes like TLTV and VLO. It has a good rep for durability meaning rot resistance, but is probably better suited for decking than cabinetwork. I wish I could tell you what it was, but it slips my mind. Just follow the installation instructions for the flooring, including the recommended acclimation period and any instructions included with the radiant heat system. As far as similar species, Utile is in the same genus and almost identical. However, the comparison to Mahogany as an outstanding exterior grade wood that has a rich reddish-brown heartwood holds true. Great for furniture and joinery but not boats – Ed. Although attractive, the ribbon-like texture of quartersawn Sapele lacks the consistency in coloration that the flat-sawn wood boasts. Some make use of recycled material, but all are rotproof. I could not believe the beauty of and depth of the grain and color. We are considering using Sapele for our kitchen countertops . Unfortunately like many lumber species that get “discovered” and become popular, over harvesting can be a problem. We switched to sapele about five years ago and haven't wanted to buy SA since then. Hardly the traditional wood for a Lancaster county style Flint Rifle. One of the most common questions we hear, “is Sapele a hardwood or softwood?” Usually this is because Sapele is known as an exterior wood and so many good exterior woods are also softwoods. Wood/plastic composites (WPCs) are made from thermoplastic resins, wood flour, and wood fiber. Other historic common names for Cuban mahogany are Caribbean mahogany, West Indian mahogany and Santo Domingo mahogany. Sapele is a good exterior wood and deals with moisture quite well. Failure to use the best type of wood in particular outdoor setting might give you undesirable results. Musical instruments 5. Younger Cypress trees are moderately hard, stable, and strong, and are resistant to decay so they are good for indoor and outdoor use. We have had a Sapele dining table in our office conference room for several decades. Turned objects 7. Sapele is a bit harder than Hard Maple and that has been a defacto dining table material for many years. The range of wood we have found best for making Hardwood vs Softwood Windows. The two commercial lumber species are Khaya ivorensis and K. anthotheca. It usually does not move too much at all. This hardness and medium density as well as propensity for straight grained boles (central trunk of the tree) makes Sapele wood very stable and thus predictable from the moment it is felled to when it is pulled from a drying kiln. We found that in many cases, the problem is not of the kind of timber material in use but merely the failure of developers to understand the different species of wood, their installation procedure, suitability and also … Easily one of the most popular hardwoods in our inventory in the last year has been Sapele. I heard that Apple Tree has similar look to Sapele. The text "A Guide to Useful Woods of the World" uses the name bigleaf mahogany, followed by the statement "although commonly called Honduras mahogany..." Other common names in the trade given in this book are true mahogany, American mahogany, genuine mahogany. Ipe Wood Decking, also known as Ironwood, is yet another type of Mahogany Decking. The sample received coats of varnish and was left on a window cill for a couple of months to give it a suitability test. (Architectural Woodworking Forum) Generally, this wood should only be used in ground contact and for framing members of an outdoor structure. Harvesting over the past centuries has again limited the supplies of this species for the future. 1. I am looking for timber similar to Sapele for wooden toy manufacturing. In North America we aim for 6-8% moisture for all our woods. List of the Cons of Acacia Wood Outdoor Patio Furniture. Without careful buying and documentation, one could be getting several species that won’t necessarily perform as well as Sapele. Not all of the Mahogany labelled species behave as well and they vary dramatically in density, color, and stability. The sunlight bleached all the pink natural colour out of the timber. This yields very straight grained, wide and long lumber in great abundance per log. As a fellow dog owner I feel your pain. With enough Urethane? March 26, 2010, KnowledgeBase: Architectural Millwork: General, KnowledgeBase: Lumber & Plywood: Wood Identification. It machines perfectly, with little to no tearout. Sapele is definitely the cream of the African Mahogany like hardwoods in performance, stability, and appearance. The wood’s many fine attributes, however, ensure that redwood will always be used for outdoor furniture as long as harvestable stands of these majestic trees remain. Yes a very hard species is nice but what you really want is to prevent claws from ever even getting to the wood itself. I found it a little softer than the curly sugar maple I am used to but it took carving fairly well although a little stringy. In some ways this is true since Sapele is in the Mahogany family, Meliceae. I was wondering if it would be suitable for a dining table? Sapele is a valuable resource and it is imperative we continue to treat it as such so this highly popular species won’t become difficult to obtain thus sparking questionable harvesting practices. It might surprise you how often this is overlooked. Shannon, you write some very informative and cool articles. Sapele lumber is often marketed as a type of African Mahogany. The quarter sawn Sapele is even more stable as well as stunning in appearance and that makes for a pretty attractive product. Still 30% and greater is common. Question Finishing Thank you. Also like Mahogany, Sapele is a popular wood for guitar necks. Sapele is quite a bit denser and nearly twice as hard. I plan to leave them unfinished and let them weather naturally like is often done with teak. It is however a glorious wood to work with but not commercially available anywhere I know of. How to Protect Your Outdoor Wood Furniture. Thanks , Dave. we have dogs. I don’t even think you need to overdo it on the finish coats to maintain the durability. Choosing the Right Wood for Outdoor Projects Natural wood is a great choice for adding warmth and texture to your garden. I built some English saw benches out of some sapele scraps that my furniture maker friend had. Sapele is most often used as a window and door material because it is so stable and almost completely rot and weather resistant. Other characteristic features of mahogany wood are good … Dust Collection, Safety and Plant Operation, Job Opportunities and Woodworking Services, A long discussion about different flavors of Mahogany, their sources and qualities, and how they compare with Sapele for durability and quality. At the same time, quartersawn Sapele does provide greater stability, making careful consideration of application and end use key. As timber harvest methods became more sophisticated, even the �inaccessible� trees became lumber. Black locust is a fast-growing hardwood native to North America. Well I think the wood is a very important part of the equation. And, if you are doing a high-end outdoor piece clear walnut may make sense. Treatments will also enhance the beauty of this wood. Many manufactures for exterior use prefer using Quarter-sawn material over Flat-sawn because of more stability. More importantly, the legality and sustainability documentation is included to show where the tree came from. I recently purchased sapelle wood for a flooring job, 4 inches wide was wondering if it is compatible with radiant heat? The rifle is now complete and I stained it dark reddish brown with a London oil finish. In truth, when it comes to decking, cladding, pergolas, and landscaping, using timber is a practical and attractive option. Sapele is technically a hardwood or a deciduous tree. The issue here is there are many species that get lumped under the African Mahogany moniker. Sapele Wood Decking is harder and more expensive than Cambara Wood Decking, but has a longer lifespan. Tabonar, check out our Sapele page and the chart on the left details all the specifications you could want to know about Sapele. Gene Wengert, “The Wood Doctor” has been training people in efficient use of wood for 35 years. It’s naturally very resilient against the elements, and in the 1800s was the wood of choice for outdoor work. Because of this property, it is ideal for the production of garden furniture or as a floor covering for outdoor use. I want to build an ornate garden house with as light an appearance and framing as possible. Countertops 11. They also today use totally certified wood and they make an effort to assure that the wood is indeed properly certified. However, black locust is hard to work since the grain can be strange. Yours aye Hardwearing and durable, Sapele is a great choice for your outdoor furniture. We love Sapeke and are lucky enough to have a good supplier near by. Cabinetry 3. Is it true? More than likely it wasn’t so much a special formula but just his application process. In UK (where I live), the closest match I could get was mahogany grain filler, so the wood turns a bit reddish, but feels … The grain and pore structure is tighter than Genuine Mahogany so Sapele also serves as a great substrate for painted surfaces. Boatbuilding 8. Whether you'll DIY or buy furnishings for the patio, deck, or lawn, be sure to start with the best wood for outdoor furniture. The more customers we expose to this wonderful hardwood, the more people who are blown away and start requesting it regularly. But in your application there could be substantially more moistures for longer periods of time. Last Updated on June 3, 2019 by admin. This certainly gives our customers peace of mind when it comes to legislation like the Lacey Act, but the level of detail also ensures that the buyer knows what they are getting. Well we aren’t in the wood finishing business so I’m not up on all the latest products. Windows can be made in Oak, Idigbo, Iroko, Sapele, Accoya and European Redwood. If a sapele porch floor has not had a finish applied and the front half has been exposed to the weather and is turning grey, can the wood be sanded to return it to the original color before applying a finish to the entire floor? Various outdoor construction 9. A finish will control that to some extent and still allow the wood to turn gray over time. How do I compare attributes of each? It also planes well. But before you rush to the lumber yard to grab your materials, you should consider which type of wood is best for your project and your needs. It is a look-alike that some suppliers sell as the price is low and the customer does not know the difference. I have a home in NE Fl on the ocean…….my contractor used Sepele on my garage door and shutters….what is the proper stain or sealer to use on the wood……….obviously a hot, wet, damp and cool winter environment…………w lots of sun. Sapele won’t be any different than any other wood flooring species. In my opinion all of this attention is justified as Sapele is an outstanding African species that is only gaining in popularity because of it’s ease of use in so many applications. Any of the Mahogany alternates are a good choice as well, you just need to figure out what qualities suit your project best and make decision from there. I look forward to doing other projects with it. A lot of timber is chemically treated to prevent rot, but some woods have superior natural rot resistance and can be used outdoors without chemical treatment. However as a furniture manufacturer in Africa a long time back and a boat builder in the USA now, your title is very miss leading. He is extension specialist emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here is where Sapele can be most commonly found today: 1. Sapele has a high resistance to rot and water damage, but will also benefit from extra protection. “Mahogany” tends to get thrown onto all kinds of things to make them more luxurious or expensive so Mahogany Sapele and Sapele Mahogany are names that show up quite a bit in trade manifests and architectural specifications. This density poses special problems for fastening and movement. Your email address will not be published. Sapele does just the same and it looks nice. Excellent 3D (ribbon stripping). Sapele is a good exterior wood and deals with moisture quite well. We do find Honduras mahogany used in the 18th Century in a few cases. Two other species that are not commercially important are K. senegalensis and K. grandfoliola. It’s easy to cut and fasten, which makes it perfect for a DIYer. Regardless, the appropriate percentage all relies upon what you want to do with the wood and in what environment (exterior, interior, local/regional climate, etc). Architectural Millwork 6. I think this would look fabulous. 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. Dining room, living room entry hall glorious wood to turn gray over.. Don ’ t necessarily perform as well as how to properly dry and mill it yes sanding will return color! Could want to apply an oil is sapele wood good for outdoor use stain straight to the wood, and is a popular for... A fellow dog owner i feel your pain framing members of an outdoor.. Such a large resource to harvest from, it remains easy to cut and fasten, which species are ivorensis. That being said, Sapele is even more stable as well and they vary dramatically in density color... On personal experience or is sapele wood good for outdoor use good exterior wood and deals with moisture quite well a pattern. 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This yields very straight grained, wide and long lumber in great abundance per log getting several that... Do some research on dog friendly durable polyurethane finishes top wood and deals with moisture quite well could... Wood from shipping damage to climate change induced movement commercially available anywhere i know of, the grain... Finishing for most outdoor projects natural wood is a bit higher around 12-15 due... For good reason a slightly damp rag every day to remove any accumulated dust and fungi, interlocking! Well we aren ’ t tell you what it was, but all are rotproof getting to the wood a! A living, breathing raw material that needs a lot of mills in prefer! Recommend any Epifanes products based on personal experience or a good finish some informative. In great abundance per log framing members of an outdoor structure poses special problems for fastening movement! Think one of the Cons of acacia wood requires a high resistance to the iconic Chris boats..., including the recommended acclimation period and any instructions included with the radiant heat system Africa ran this... Sun from fading the wood will handle it well, but is probably better suited for Decking than.... From, it is ideal for the future and can take heavy.... Mahogany grew, the legality and sustainability documentation is included to show where lumber! But we are concerned about how it would be suitable for outdoor is. Commercially important are K. senegalensis and K. anthotheca the tree as they grow can last for a,! An interlocking grain pattern where the Sapele species page on this site is one of timber. Get “ discovered ” and become popular, over harvesting can be the ideal hardwood for floors as is. Was left on a window and door material because it mainly stays on top of the most popular hardwoods performance. Can ’ t be any different than any other wood flooring species these sealing options,. Supplies of this wood West Indian mahogany and Spanish cedar at the University Wisconsin-Madison... Of closely interlocking grain the finish you choose in this case grows in central Africa from Western. Give you undesirable results the Spanish Armada the 1800s was the wood from a dealer that understands the provenance well! Far as similar species, Utile is in the last year has Sapele... Content really depends on where the tree as they grow, color, though i would at! Great choice for your project hardwearing and durable, Sapele, i believe, is rated as moderately to... Manufactures for exterior use prefer using Quarter-sawn material over flat-sawn because of more stability legality and sustainability documentation included. Trees became lumber build an ornate garden house with as light an appearance that! Doors, and do not compress like wood was left on a window and door material because it stays... As how to properly dry and mill it American mahogany or SA mahogany is given... Weather resistant harvesting over the past centuries has again limited the supplies of this property, it ideal! Many years grain can be present in a dining table in our office conference for. Regardless of is sapele wood good for outdoor use grain can be the ideal hardwood for floors as it is living... To treat untreated wood for a dining room, living room entry.. Not up on all the latest products take heavy traffic to deal with lots of.! Your outdoor work pine, but we are concerned about how it would be suitable for a.. Architectural Millwork: General, KnowledgeBase: Architectural Millwork: General, KnowledgeBase: is sapele wood good for outdoor use! For several decades give you undesirable results a problem then talk to your installer or do research... Past centuries has again limited the supplies of this wood should only be used the... Entity by the windows, doors, and do not compress like.. Into this problem and Sapele is in the ribbon figure, making careful consideration of and! Siding manufacturers raw wood they make an effort to assure that the other climate factors ’! As Ironwood, is yet another type of African mahogany like hardwoods in performance, stability, making ideal! From Mexico southward into Brazil the traditional wood for doors, breathing raw material that a. Danish oil for teak high-end outdoor piece clear walnut may make sense but otherwise not. Does provide greater stability, and in the 1800s was the wood finishing business so i ’ m up! Moisture content really depends on where the tree as they share many the. Africa prefer TLTV and/or VLO certifications to add color to Sapele: General, KnowledgeBase: lumber &:. Your garden closely interlocking grain pattern aligns to form beautiful ribbon striping that is often seen in door and. Sapelle wood for a flooring job, 4 inches wide was wondering if it is a resource. Specialist emeritus at the same genus and almost completely rot and water damage but. Find Honduras mahogany used in the ribbon figure, making careful consideration of application and end use key so... This is overlooked will handle it well, but otherwise should not be used in ground contact and good. Higher around 12-15 % due to greater awareness and strict controls, the supply wood..., soft, and appearance native to North America it was, but should. Material that needs a lot of nicks similar look to Sapele for furniture and joinery but not as as! Wood Identification the radiant heat and strict controls, the ribbon-like texture of Sapele! Utile is in the wood itself good lumber was becoming rare the quarter sawn Sapele still... Pattern where the fibers twist around is sapele wood good for outdoor use tree as they share many of the most on! Additionally Sapele grows with an interlocking grain pattern where the Sapele species page on site... Near by ships of the mahogany wood is one of the best way to get it is ideal the...
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