What is Sapele Wood?
Sapele is a tropical African wood that may reach heights of up to 45 meters and diameters of up to 10 meters. According to the best wood suppliers in India, the easiest places to find sapele, which is from West Africa, are Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana. In comparison to African mahogany, it is both tougher and heavier, weighing about 640 kg/m3 when dry. In addition, this wood can be found in Uganda, in Zaire in the east, and from the Ivory Coast to the Cameroons.
In the Janka test, which gauges a wood’s resistance to dents and wear, sapele is rated at 1500, making it 16% harder than red oak, which is rated at 1210 Janka. Sapele is highly durable and is rated at 1500. It can be used both indoors and outdoors thanks to sapele’s good resilience, strength, and density. It can also be used for panelling, doors, conservatories, furniture, picture frames, flooring, architraves, and other things. Get this wood from BFP, one of the best  exotic wood suppliers in India.
According to the best, Â exotic wood suppliers in India, the color and grain patterns of Sapele Wood are strikingly similar to those of Mahogany. Sapele wood’s heartwood is a golden to dark reddish brown color that darkens with age if not treated with finishing oils that prevent oxidation. The heartwood of Sapele wood may contain ribbon patterns in addition to a number of other figured patterns, including wavy and quilted, due to the interlocking grain structure. Because of its striking pattern, sapele has an exotic appearance.
Workability
Due to its interlocking grain, sapele can be difficult to work with in some machining operations (such as planing, routing, etc.), leading to tearout. As observed by exotic wood dealers in India, when in close contact with iron, it will also react by discoloring and staining. Sapele spins, glues, and finishes well but has a small blunting impact on cutters.
Sustainability
Common Uses
We exclusively provide Sapele Wood in log form:
- Only round logs are available
- On request, sapele logs can be sawn
- Origin: Africa
Characteristics
Tree Size
50-100 ft (15-30 m) tall
Trunk Diameter
100-150 ft (30-45 m) tall
Janka Hardness
1,410 lbf (6,280 N)
Average Dried Weight
42 lbs/ft3 (670 kg/m3)
Odor
When sapele is being worked, a unique, cedar-like fragrance is released.
Workability
While some machining operations might be challenging to work with, it turns, glues, and finishes nicely.
Texture
Uniform and extremely fine texture, capable of absorbing a lot of natural lustre
Sustainability
A population decline of over 20% over the last three generations has led to the species being designated as vulnerable.
Drying
Drying process is slow
Durability
It is a wood with a mediocre degree of durability, but its heart is exceptionally rot- and decay-resistant.
Maintenance
Low
Cost
Moderately priced
