Use of Sapele Plywood

Sapele is a somewhat exotic hardwood from west-central Africa, Sierra Leone to Uganda, and farther south to Angola. The Entandrophragma Cylindricum tree that sapele wood comes from can grow up to 180 feet tall, with a trunk diameter of 7 feet. This makes it one of the upper canopy trees of the West African forests. Even so, the tree’s size provides considerable lumber when harvested.

Sapele wood is often mistaken for mahogany, which it looks similar to. Some even refer to it as “African Mahogany.” However, it is more complex and denser than mahogany, more so in the order of white oak. This makes it a handy wood for interior and exterior and marine applications, where it is used for accent topside, much like mahogany. The density resists denting well. It is also stiff and resistant to shock loads, with good bending strength.

The grain of the Sapele is more varied than mahogany, with some cross-grain. Heartwood is more likely to be straight-grained, albeit with more figuring than mahogany.

One unique thing about this wood is that it turns grey when left untreated. This does not affect the wood’s strength or size, which remains highly stable. Depending on the desires of the woodworker, this color change can be a desirable property or one to be avoided by adequately finishing the wood.

Uses for Sapele

Sapele wood and plywood are used for marine applications, especially for decorative parts, such as rub rails, gunwales, coamings, and trim strips. It might also be found used as decking. In those cases, the reddish-brown wood works with a lighter-colored wood trim. Avoid any knots in wood used on boats, as those will cause problems over time.

Sapele is also used in the music industry, specifically in making guitars, where it is gaining in popularity, especially as a replacement for mahogany. It can be used for acoustic or acoustic-electric guitars’ tops, sides, and backs. Some use it for necks as well. With Sapele being harder than Honduran or African mahogany, it is a superior choice for guitar necks. When used for guitar bodies, the harder sapele will produce stronger treble tones.

While predominantly used for marine and guitar building, sapele is also an excellent wood for furniture-making. With a strength approximately equal to oak, it can be used for intricate pieces where the furniture’s light elements need to support considerable weight. The figure of the wood and the color make for an attractive appearance.

Sapele is not as weather-resistant as redwood or cedar, especially with its tendency to turn grey. However, it is still an excellent wood for outdoor furniture, especially with a waterproof finish. It has also found a home in architectural applications, specifically hardwood flooring, and doors, primarily due to its similarity in appearance to mahogany.

Plywood from Sapele

Sapele hardwood is comparable to the cost of walnuts, making it a very reasonable alternative to domestic hardwoods. It is a bit difficult to find, as there are not that many suppliers who regularly carry it. Planning and making a custom order would be a good idea if a lot of space is needed for a project. That will probably also be cheaper, especially if a large quantity is required.

It is unlikely that sapele plywood will show up in the local lumberyard unless they carry an extensive supply of hardwood plywood. As with many other hardwood plywood varieties, it is best to try ordering this through a specialty house, whether a local brick-and-mortar trim and plywood supplier or one of the online ones. Pricing for sapele plywood, usually called “sapele mahogany plywood,” is comparable to other varieties of hardwood plywood and not as high as the cost of exotic plywood. It can be found in ¼”, ½” 5.2mm and ¾” thicknesses.

Of course, ordering plywood online means paying the shipping cost. This would be added to any orders placed at a local plywood and trim shop, with the difference being that the local shop would be receiving other things along with the plywood, allowing them to spread the shipping costs out over a more significant number of individual pieces, reducing the apparent cost per piece. When purchasing from an online supplier, it is best to accumulate a large order so that shipping costs can be spread out similarly.

As with any hardwood plywood, remember that the face and back veneers will be thin, so they can easily be damaged or sanded through. These two layers are appearance layers only, with the core layers of the plywood providing the strength. Take care in designing and building projects in such a way as to minimize any machining or sanding of the face and back of the plywood.