Common uses
Furniture, veneer, flooring, cabinets, plywood, boatbuilding, turned objects, musical instruments, tool handles and specialty objects.
Congo-DRC timber profile
Sapele
Entandrophragma cylindricum
Species overview
Distinctive by nature.
Sapele is an African mahogany-like hardwood valued for performance, stability and appearance. Its medium-to-dark reddish brown color is popular in flooring, decorative finishes, cabinetry and vehicle interiors.
Common namesSapele, Sapeli, Sapelli
Scientific nameEntandrophragma cylindricum
DistributionTropical and Central Africa
Tree size100–150 ft (30–45 m) tall; 3–5 ft (1–1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average dried weight42 lbs/ft³ (670 kg/m³)
Crushing strength8,750 lbf/in² (60.4 MPa)
ShrinkageRadial 4.8%; Tangential 7.2%; Volumetric 12.8%; T/R Ratio 1.5
Color & appearance
Heartwood is golden to dark reddish brown and darkens with age. Quarter-sawn boards often show ribbon figure; other patterns include pommele, quilted, mottled, wavy, beeswing and fiddleback.
Grain & texture
Interlocked and sometimes wavy, with a fine uniform texture and good natural luster.
Rot resistance
Heartwood ranges from moderately durable to very durable in decay resistance, with moderate insect and borer resistance.
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