Pricing/Availability: Should be moderately priced for regular plainsawn or quartersawn lumber, though figured lumber and veneer can be extremely expensive, particularly pommele or quilted Sapele.
Where does the hardwood Sapele come from?
Sapele originates from West Africa, and it can be most easily found in countries such as Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana where the individual trees can grow up to impressive height of 45 meters in the air (with some rare examples going up to 60 meters), with the trunk diameter that can almost reach 2 meters (6 feet).
Is Sapele more expensive than mahogany?
So we can get the best prices, best quality and a responsible wood product. African Mahogany historically, until about 6-8 years ago, had traded at about 10% higher in cost than Sapele. Since than their costs are very similar. Utile trades at about 5-10% higher than them.
Which is harder sapele or oak?
Sapele is about 10 percent harder than oak. It’s also used to some extent in musical instruments.”
Does sapele darken over time?
Sapele tends to darken as it ages, so its natural color may suffice, but if you look to hasten the process, you’ll find that the wood stains well. … There’s no definitive best finish for sapele.
What is sapele wood good for?
Sapele has good durability, strength, and density, and can be used both internally and externally. It can be used for skirting boards, architraves, flooring, picture frames, furniture, mouldings, doors, conservatories, panelling and so on.
Is Sapele a hardwood or softwood?
Sapele timber, predominantly from West Africa, is a reddish-brown hardwood. Although some parts of the Sapele logs will produce straight-grain or ‘quartered’ effect, generally it has a more random grain appearance, thus meaning it is liable to interlocked grain.
Is Sapele better than Rosewood?
Although, Rosewood is a very hard wood (harder than Maple) it’s porous and “greasy” nature gives it a warmer tone in general. … Sapele is a highly sustainable, relatively fast-growing wood. Tonally, it does everything that mahogany does, with a little extra treble zing.
What does Sapele wood sound like?
Here it is in tree form to help put things into perspective…. Sapele is in the same family as Mahogany and same genus as Utile. … Sounds: much like Mahogany but due to the hardness, a little brighter, just a little… to some ears. Looks: The coloring is spot on to many shades of mahogany that we see.
What is the most beautiful wood?
Beautiful Wood
- Alder.
- Sugar Maple.
- Zebrano.
- Brazilian Mahogany.
- Teak.
- Indian Laurel.
- European Lime.
- Obeche.
Is Sapele good for cutting boards?
Because Sapele Mahogany is actually an incredible wood option for cutting board. … Sapele Mahogany is almost 2 times harder than traditional mahogany wood, making it a brilliant choice for custom cutting boards.
Is Sapele wood good for outdoor use?
Sapele is also known as ‘African Mahogany’ as they share many of the same qualities. Hardwearing and durable, Sapele is a great choice for your outdoor furniture.
How long does a Sapele tree take to grow?
The average annual height growth of Sapeles planted in Cameroon was just 30-50cm over a duration of 40 years.
How do you paint Sapele wood?
If so Sapele is an outstanding African hardwood perfect for exterior grade projects so Sapele also serves as a great substrate for painted surfaces. You could sand the surface and give it a coat of teak oil cleaner that will dissolve mortar film, ingrained dirt etc. Let it dry overnight. Use Dulux weathershield paint.
What hardwood is best for Gates?
The two main types of hardwood used for gates are Iroko and European Oak. Iroko is a long lasting, stable and attractive wood that offers a fantastic lifespan, and European Oak is a denser wood that is very resistant to fungal and insect attacks, thanks to its high tannin content.
Why are lumber prices so high 2020?
Lumber and plywood prices are so high now because of the short-run dynamics of demand and supply. Wood demand shot up in the summer of pandemic. Many homeowners were stuck at home, unable to vacation.
What is the most expensive wood?
African Blackwood is one of the hardest and densest wood in the world and is mostly used for musical instruments. It is considered as the most expensive wood in the world because not only it is challenging to work with hand or machine tools, its trees are already near-threatened.
Will lumber prices go down in 2021?
As lumber futures drop, experts say it will take more time to see that reflected in prices. … But for one of the key materials in short supply, lumber, futures have dropped nearly 30% for 2021. “Lumber futures have come down on things like two-by-fours, like framing lumber,” Hutto said.
Are Sapele guitars good?
With sapele, you’ll notice a strong low-end and midrange bark, very similar to mahogany, but it delivers more top-end definition than its African counterpart. That makes it a highly versatile wood for an acoustic guitar, ideal for a number of styles.
What is the best treatment for Sapele wood?
- Finishing Method #1: Clear Sealer and Lacquer. One of our favorite sealers around here is Zinsser SealCoat. …
- Finishing Method #2: Dye, Sealer, Stain, Lacquer. To add color to sapele with a stain, you don’t want to apply an oil pigment stain straight to the raw wood. …
- Finishing Method #3: Danish Oil, Lacquer.