Home / Wood Compare / Sapele vs Black Walnut
Professional Comparison · Verified Engineering Data · Updated 19 July 2026
Sapele VS Black Walnut
Which wood is better for your project? Scores are computed from the verified figures on each species page — how we score.
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Sapele
76/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood💧Moisture Stable
- Harder wear surface (Janka 1510 vs 1010 lbf)
- Stronger in bending (MOR 112.0 vs 101.0 MPa)
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Black Walnut
69/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood💧Moisture Stable
- Easier to machine and fasten
- Lighter (0.55 vs 0.62 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
SapeleBlack Walnut
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Tie |
| Hardness | Sapele |
| Strength (MOR) | Sapele |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Sapele |
| Flame spread | Tie |
| Machining ease | Black Walnut |
| Lightness | Black Walnut |
Engineering data
| Property | Sapele | Black Walnut |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 1510WD lbf | 1010WD lbf |
| Density | 0.62FPL g/cm³ | 0.55FPL g/cm³ |
| MOE | 12.2FPL GPa | 11.6FPL GPa |
| MOR | 112.0FPL MPa | 101.0FPL MPa |
| Durability | Class 3 Moderately Durable | Class 3 Moderately Durable |
| Stability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Fire (E84) | Class B indicative | Class B indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 4.6WD % | 5.5WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 7.4WD % | 7.8WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 1.61 | 1.42 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor decking / pergola | 🥇 Sapele | ★★★★☆ |
| Exterior cladding | 🥇 Black Walnut | ★★★★☆ |
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Sapele | ★★★★☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Black Walnut | ★★★★☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Sapele | ★★★☆☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Sapele
Advantages
- Very low movement in service
Limitations
- Few practical drawbacks within its intended uses
Black Walnut
Advantages
- Very low movement in service
Limitations
- Few practical drawbacks within its intended uses
Recommendation
Choose Sapele if…
- The surface takes traffic or impact
Choose Black Walnut if…
- Ease of working and fastening matters
- Weight matters — ceilings, wall panels, transport
- Its profile matches the application better than a single overall score
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Sapele or Black Walnut?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 3, Moderately Durable). For outdoor decisions between them, weigh dimensional stability and hardness instead.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
They are closely matched outdoors — durability and stability come out almost level. Let the application decide: harder surface for decking traffic, lighter weight for cladding.
Is Sapele harder than Black Walnut?
Yes — Janka 1510 lbf vs 1010 lbf.
How we score. Each wood gets a weighted composite of the verified figures shown above: durability 22%, stability 18%, hardness 12%, bending strength 12%, machining ease 12%, stiffness 8%, flame spread 8%, lightness 8%. The Library Score is that composite's percentile rank within our 60-species library — 50 means the library median, 90 means it outperforms nine of every ten species we cover. No price data is scored — cost guidance is qualitative. The score summarises the data; it does not replace judgement about your specific application.