Common uses
Furniture, veneer, flooring, cabinets, boatbuilding and turned objects.
Congo-DRC timber profile
Sipo
Entandrophragma utile
Species overview
Distinctive by nature.
Sipo is a practical mahogany alternative, positioned between African and genuine mahogany. The pinkish-brown heartwood darkens with time, and the wood works fairly easily with hand and machine tools to a smooth finish.
Common namesSipo, Utile, Sipo Mahogany
Scientific nameEntandrophragma utile
DistributionWest and Central Africa
Tree size150–200 ft (45–60 m) tall; 3–5 ft (1–1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average dried weight40 lbs/ft³ (635 kg/m³)
Crushing strength8,280 lbf/in² (57.1 MPa)
ShrinkageRadial 4.9%; Tangential 6.9%; Volumetric 11.8%; T/R Ratio 1.4
Color & appearance
Heartwood is uniform to dark reddish brown. Well-defined sapwood is paler yellow and generally lacks the dramatic figuring common in Sapele.
Grain & texture
Interlocked grain with a medium uniform texture and moderate natural luster.
Rot resistance
Rated moderately durable to durable.
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