Sapele Wood
Description :
When newly cut, the heartwood)d is pink. but this darkens to a red-brown or purple-brown on exposure. The sapwood is clearly defined and is white to pale yellow. The grain is interlocked or wavy, with quite a fine texture and a high golden lustre. The can exhibit an attractive range of figure, with ribbon, bee’s wing and regular stripe on quartersawn stock, and fiddleback, mottle or roe on other cuts.
Properties :
Sapele has medium resistance
to shock loads, medium
Iksnding strength, high
crushing strength, low
stiffness and properties. It
works well with both hand
and machine tools, with a
moderate blunting effect on
cutting edges. planes and
moulds easily, but
interlocked grain can tear
if a reduced Cutting angle
is not used. It bores,
routs, carves, nails,
screws, stains, varnishes
and paints well, and sands
very well. The wood glues
fairly well, and can be
brought to an excellent
polished finish.
Seasoning :
It dries rapidly and is prone to distortion, although this is less of a problem with quartersawn stock There is medium movement in use.
Durability :
The heartwood is moderately durable and can be attacked by pinhole and marine borers, but is to preservative treatment. The sapwood is vulnerable to the powder-post beetle, and is moderately resistant to preservative treatment.
Typical Uses :
Furniture and cabinetmaking, musical instruments, office furniture, kitchen cabinets, doors, stairs, window frames, boats, flooring and sports Decorative veneer from choice logs is used for marquetry, panelling and cabinetwork. Sapele is also rotary-cut for plywood.
