Sapele

Origin: Gabon.

Latin name.
Entandrophragma cylindricum Sprague.

Natural vegetation area.
Humid forests and neighbouring savannahs of the tropical-equatorial area extending from Liberia to the Central African Republic and to the Congo and Angola Basins as well as, in the Eastern part, towards Uganda.

TRUNK CHARACTERISTICS.
The tree reaches a big size, sometimes up to 50 m height; the trunk is generally straight and regular with relatively small diameters above the basal buttresses, up to 2 m. Frequent ring shakes and strong internal stresses.

WOOD APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS.
The sapwood is rosy with tones that are sometimes greyish, sometimes yellowish; the clearly different heartwood is reddish when it is fresh, then becoming dark red with seasoning; radial surfaces look particularly shiny. In the fresh condition, it emanates a pleasant smell.

Specific weight.
In the fresh condition 900 kg/m³ on average, after normal seasoning 690 kg/m³.

Histological structure.
Texture from fine to medium; rarely straight grain, more often irregular, so that it produces pleasant patterns in polished surfaces.

Shrinkage.
From moderate to medium.

Mechanical characteristics.
Axial compression strength 60 N/mm² on average; bending strength 140 N/mm²; medium hardness. The impact behaviour is low.

Modulus of elasticity.
1,500 N/mm2

Most frequent structural defects and alteration.
It can feature some real defects, i.e. , as mentioned, ring shake and internal stresses, which cause the small cross fractures characteristic of its brittle heart; on the other hand, the grain irregularity - although it is a structural defect - is a quality from an aesthetic point of view for the pleasant patterns that it can create.

Durability.
Poor for the sapwood; good for the heartwood.

 

Texts taken from: “Manuale tecnico del legno”, FNALA CNA LEGNO LEGNO, by Prof. Ing. Guglielmo Giordano.

 

Species available for the following products: