Sapele timber, also known as Entandrophragma cylindricum which is used in the manufacturing of furniture, cabinets and doors. It is a popular choice for a number of uses due to its durability, attractive appearance and easy finishing properties. 

Uses for Sapele timber

Sapele is a great wood for both indoor and outdoor uses, some of the most popular uses for the timber include:

Flooring

As a hardwood, sapele is a great choice of timber for flooring. Its durability means that it is not easily scratched by shoes and flooring. Using Janka’s hardness test, Sapele has a score of 1,410 lbt which is perfect for flooring. Another benefit of using sapele for flooring is that it does not require any preservation treatment, if you have a household with young children who like to play on the floor then this is ideal as you are not exposing them to any harsh chemicals.

Chopping boards

As mentioned above, Sapele wood can be used without chemical treatment, aside from flooring this also means that it is a great option for making food chopping boards. Due to the absence of chemical treatment it is completely safe to use during food preparation. Likewise because it is a hard and durable wood, knives and other chopping instruments will not easily leave impressions and dents in the sapele.

Outdoor furniture

Sapele has naturally occurring resins and oils present in the timber which help to repel insects and rot, this means that it is great for uses that can be exposed to the elements such as outdoor furniture and window frames. Coupled with its durability, sapele is a great choice for long lasting outdoor furniture, using a solvent based or oil treatment can help to preserve the wood for even longer.

Guitars 

A popular, but potentially less well known use for sapele wood is guitar bodies. Due to sapele timber’s attractive appearance and workability, it can be cut thinly, finished and glued easily which is perfect for the manufacture of guitars. Mahogany, which is another popular material for guitars is increasing in price meaning that sapele could become the new manufacturing favourite.

Boats

As sapele is good for outdoor use and has a good resistance to rot and weathering, it performs well in consistent contact with water meaning that it is good for boats and boat parts. Some boat manufacturers even use sapele veneer sheets to give the impression of solid sapele timber.

As discussed, sapele timber is a great choice of wood for a number of purposes due to its durability and appealing appearance. If you have an upcoming project and want to find out more information regarding the uses for sapele timber then make sure to conduct your own research and speak to an expert if you are unsure.