But in your application there could be substantially more moistures for longer periods of time. Not all of the Mahogany labelled species behave as well and they vary dramatically in density, color, and stability. I do think the wood will handle it well, but it is really more about the finish you choose in this case. Shannon is a wood nerd, nuff said. Sapele is a valuable resource and it is imperative we continue to treat it as such so this highly popular species won’t become difficult to obtain thus sparking questionable harvesting practices. Post Sep 21, 2019 #1 2019-09-21T00:10. This attention to detail will keep the good suppliers, importers, and sawyers in business and only serve to close the market on those that abuse the resource. Different from mahogany: Sapele is a star in its own right, and has its own unique characteristics. We are considering using Sapele for our kitchen countertops . Your help would be greatly appreciated. Sapele Wood also has beautiful ribboning when quarter sawn as you can see in the video. Binomial name. Mahogany. Sapele is also known as African-Mahogany, being slightly cheaper than real Mahogany. Thank you for the information. I would love to see a picture of that rifle John; sounds beautiful! Sapele vs Meranti. I look forward to doing other projects with it. Comparable to mahogany with consistent, balanced tone, this African tonewood is sometimes seen as the poor-man’s mahogany (Martin sometimes offers it as a substitute on the company’s popular 000-15M model)—it is slightly denser than mahogany and produces a brighter tone. Sapele Mahogni kan anvendes til vinduer, døre, finere møbler, gulve, bådebyggeri og andet snedkerarbejde. It is a little less dense and has more tension lurking in the lumber. The brands ‘Taylor’ and ‘Martin’ use Sapele frequently in their low-end guitars. Related Species: Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) More than likely it wasn’t so much a special formula but just his application process. Mahogany back and sides often emphasize bass and treble, with more overtone coloration and a “woody” sound (as opposed to the more metallic sound of, … It is a little less dense and has more tension lurking in the lumber. So concentrate on UV resistance in whatever finish you choose. I like the look of some sapele wood better than mahogany. However I can recommend any Epifanes products based on personal experience or a good quality spar varnish. This certainly gives our customers peace of mind when it comes to legislation like the Lacey Act, but the level of detail also ensures that the buyer knows what they are getting. Sapele Vs. Mahogany? Also like Mahogany, Sapele is a popular wood for guitar necks. There is a difference albeit very slight. If so, which species are the easiest to access and competitive priced with FSC or PEFC certified? I know there was a period of time Martin was making their 15 series guitars with sapele instead of mahogany. I like the way red mahogany stain looks on Honduras. The Congo is one of the greatest producers of Sapele and while the area is in political turmoil as of late, the logging companies have embraced strict regulation and verification schemes like TLTV and VLO. This availability will keep costs down as well as make it a species you can consistently rely on getting for your projects. Thanks guys, any help with this is greatly appreciated. Sapele - Characteristics and Uses. We get other things in the mahogany category, but those are the 3 dominant species coming into the USA lumber market. While the grain pattern is still moving in the same direction, the interlocking pattern acts to cancel out a lot of movement that is typically found across the grain. Sapele Decking will often be advertised as a specific type of the African mahogany. I could not believe the beauty of and depth of the grain and color. April 9, 2008. justinM. I don’t even think you need to overdo it on the finish coats to maintain the durability. I plan to leave them unfinished and let them weather naturally like is often done with teak. Sapele wood is harder than both Honduran and African Mahogany but what makes it special is that it is easy to carve. Sapele is a good exterior wood and deals with moisture quite well. I think sapele is a … Jim, it is possible to get FSC Sapele though a lot of mills in Africa prefer TLTV and/or VLO certifications. Some well-known ‘All-Mahogany-Body’ guitars are the Gibson Les Paul Junior and PRS SE Custom 24. Their sound is almost similar. I have a home in NE Fl on the ocean…….my contractor used Sepele on my garage door and shutters….what is the proper stain or sealer to use on the wood……….obviously a hot, wet, damp and cool winter environment…………w lots of sun. Sapele wood guitars are even sold as Mahogany guitars. Sapele is actually somewhat soft for a hardwood (although it is still harder than Mahogany), and it is therefore very gentle on tools. This is no surprise given that it’s quite a hard wood but is still easy to carve. Tabonar, check out our Sapele page and the chart on the left details all the specifications you could want to know about Sapele. The quartersawn tends to hold onto water longer-therefore … Question I want to build an ornate garden house with as light an appearance and framing as possible. Still, there is a long way to go before Sapele wood is as well-known and popular as Mahogany, Rosewood or Cedar. A good marine varnish will do great even over top of a wood that isn’t a good exterior product. I am looking for timber similar to Sapele for wooden toy manufacturing. Question I want to build an ornate garden house … Tear out in the grain is common and special care needs to be taken when milling. Khaya doesn't smell nice like Sapele when cut. When flat sawn it is a nice alternative for Mahogany. Saroyan’s Sapele Mahogany Flooring An exotic hardwood with rich luster. This site is owned and operated by BAB Media Inc. BAB Media Inc is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Published: November 18, 2011 | Author: Shannon Rogers25 Comments. Sapele wood tone, on the other hand, is not very different from Mahogany but tends to have a stronger treble than mahogany and subtle complex overtones. Green is a relative term too as there is just cut where most trees will run upwards of 80% moisture and then there is green as in wood that was cut months ago but has not been sawn. Mahogany is the cornerstone tonewood of the fretted instrument world. 10 years later the floor looks great despite what my 100+ pound dogs can do to it. Sapele vs Mahogany- Which is the Better Tonewood? 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