Sapele
Entandrophragma cylindricum · hardwood · West Africa · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 1,410 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 43 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.62 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 7.4%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 4.6%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.6 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes The mahogany of the modern lumberyard — ribbon-striped, harder than genuine mahogany, with interlocked grain that tears if you plane against the ribbon.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for sapele across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.095″) | 1/16″ (0.059″) |
| 12″ | 3/16″ (0.190″) | 1/8″ (0.118″) |
| 24″ | 3/8″ (0.381″) | 1/4″ (0.237″) |
| 36″ | 9/16″ (0.571″) | 11/32″ (0.355″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to sapele:
Typical swings:
Sapele questions
How much does sapele move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn sapele board moves about 3/16″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/8″. Its tangential shrinkage is 7.4% and radial 4.6% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is sapele?
Sapele rates about 1,410 lbf on the Janka scale — in red oak’s hardness neighborhood (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 43 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is sapele good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.6:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is moderate. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Scarlet Oak · Sugar Maple (Hard Maple) · Bur Oak · White Oak · Post Oak · Sweet Birch
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.