Dave Raine Studio
CUSTOM DESIGN & BUILD

Exotic, Sapele


Common Name(s)
Sapele, Sapelli, Sapeli
Color/Apperance
Heartwood is a golden to dark reddish brown. Color tends to darken with age. Besides the common ribbon pattern seen on quartersawn boards, Sapele is also known for a wide variety of other figured grain patterns, such as: pommele, quilted, mottled, wavy, beeswing, and fiddleback.
Grain/Texture
Grain is interlocked, and sometimes wavy. Fine uniform texture and good natural luster.
Sustainability
This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is on the IUCN Red List. It is listed as vulnerable due to a population reduction of over 20% in the past three generations, caused by a decline in its natural range, and exploitation.
Comments
Sapele is a commonly exported and economically important African wood species. It’s sold both in lumber and veneer form. It is occasionally used as a substitute for Genuine Mahogany, and is sometimes referred to as “Sapele Mahogany.” Technically, the two genera that are commonly associated with mahogany are Swietenia and Khaya, while Sapele is in the Entandrophragma genus, but all three are included in the broader Meliaceae family, so comparisons to true mahogany may not be too far fetched. Usually pronounced (sah-PELL-ey) or (sah-PEEL-ey). Wood Info from Copyright © 2008–2022 Eric Meier. https://www.wood-database.com

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(760) 580-4271