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By Deepak Kumar · Founder, Vriksai

Africa

Sapele

Entandrophragma cylindricum

Also known as sapele mahogany, sapelli, aboudikro · Botanical Entandrophragma cylindricum

Last updated: 15 July 2026Reviewed by: Vriksai editorial team — timber trade professionalsEditorial policy

Revision history

17 July 2026 — Data re-verified in site-wide audit (formulas, sources, durability classes)
15 July 2026 — Working properties and comparable-species data cross-checked against listed sources

🪵Hardwood💧Moisture Stable

Janka Hardness

1510WD

lbf

Janka (metric)

6716calc

Hardness Class

Hardcalc

Density

0.62fpl

g/cm³

MOE

12.2fpl

GPa

MOR

112.0FPL

MPa

Durability

Class 3

Moderately Durable

Fire (E84)

Class B

indicative

Thermal k

0.169

W/m·K

Green MC

70FPL

Fiber Saturation

27FPL

Radial Shrink

4.6WD

Tangential Shrink

7.4WD

T/R Ratio

1.61derived

Stability

Excellentcalc

About the fire rating. Indicative only, derived from density and published data — not a certified rating. Real performance depends on product, thickness, coating and installation. What our ratings do and do not certify.

Compare this wood:⚖ vs African Mahogany ⚖ vs Black Walnut All comparisons →

About Sapele

Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) is a hard, wear-resistant timber that is heavy going on tools, with a Janka hardness of 1,510 lbf (6,716 N) and a density of about 0.62 g/cm³. It grows in Africa.

At 4.6% radial and 7.4% tangential the T/R ratio is 1.61 — typical, and manageable in interior joinery and furniture provided the gaps are designed rather than assumed. Its fibre saturation point is near 27%. Below it the wood shrinks steadily — 7.4% tangential, 4.6% radial. Ordinary territory: design the gaps rather than hoping the finish will hold it. — wide boards need real expansion room, not a token gap.

At 620 kg/m³ a cubic metre of Sapele weighs about 620 kg air-dry — that figure, the 7.4% tangential and 4.6% radial movement and the 1,510 lbf hardness are the three inputs the calculators below actually consume. Select Sapele in any of them to get species-specific results for weight, moisture, shrinkage and hardness.

Working properties

How Sapele behaves at the bench and on the machine, drawn from the CIRAD Tropix tropical-wood database and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory imported-woods records.

MachiningReasonably cooperative under machine tools, but the interlocked, ribbon-striped grain is prone to tear-out in planing — sharp cutters, shallow passes and attention to grain direction pay off. Blunting is only slight to moderate.

FasteningTakes nails and screws well; pre-drill near edges. Like true oak it can react with iron in damp conditions, so favour non-ferrous fixings to avoid dark staining.

GluingGlues well and predictably, giving clean, strong joints.

FinishingFinishes and stains to a smooth, high-quality surface with excellent natural lustre — part of why it's specified as a mahogany alternative.

Steam bendingModest bending performance; best kept to gentle curves.

DryingDries reasonably fast; can be a little unstable in movement, so acclimatise before final fixing.

Durability & use classification

Sapele is rated moderately durable (EN 350 Class 3) and is resistant to preservative treatment. It performs well for interior joinery and for exterior use where it is properly finished and kept out of ground contact.

Typical applications & suitability

Indoor Outdoor — Excellent indoors; usable outdoors when finished and detailed to shed water. A favourite for window and door joinery where its stability and looks both count.

Documented end-uses: furniture and cabinetwork, window and door joinery, flooring, decorative and ribbon-striped veneer, and musical instruments (notably guitar backs and sides).

Comparable species

Species closest to Sapele by density, hardness, stiffness and bending strength, computed directly from the Vriksai species dataset rather than hand-picked.

Hard Maple630 kg/m³ · 1450 lbf White Ash600 kg/m³ · 1320 lbf European Beech680 kg/m³ · 1450 lbf Yellow Birch620 kg/m³ · 1260 lbf

Trade alternatives. Sapele sits in the mahogany family and is itself a mahogany substitute; close alternatives are African Mahogany (Khaya) and utile, chosen for matching colour and grain.

Alternatives to Sapele

Sapele measures 1,510 lbf Janka at 0.62 g/cm³, EN 350 durability Class 3, movement rated Excellent. Sapele is rated Excellent for movement, which is usually why it was specified — so nothing below trades that stability down. Read the numbers against the Janka scale and EN 350 durability classes.

Step up — harder than Sapele

For furniture and interior joinery that needs to survive handling as well as humidity. Harder resists denting; check the movement figures have not worsened with it.

Garapa1,650 lbf · 0.72 g/cm³ · Class 2+9% Janka · 0.72 g/cm³ · exterior-rated Shisham Sissoo1,660 lbf · 0.75 g/cm³ · Class 2+10% Janka · 0.75 g/cm³ · exterior-rated Merbau1,712 lbf · 0.74 g/cm³ · Class 1+13% Janka · 0.74 g/cm³ · exterior-rated

Step down — softer than Sapele

Easier to machine and to hand-finish, for interior work where the surface is not taking abuse.

Bamboo Structural Engineered1,380 lbf · 0.60 g/cm³ · Class 4-9% Janka White Ash1,320 lbf · 0.60 g/cm³ · Class 5-13% Janka ThermoWood Ash Thermo-D1,320 lbf · 0.66 g/cm³ · Class 2-13% Janka · exterior-rated · modified timber

Similar, but more dimensionally stable

Already well behaved — these are the few in our library that are measurably steadier still. Size the gaps with the shrinkage predictor and EMC calculator.

Iroko1,260 lbf · 0.55 g/cm³ · Class 1T/R ratio 1.36 vs 1.61 — less cupping tendency · 3.8% tangential movement vs 7.4%African Mahogany1,070 lbf · 0.52 g/cm³ · Class 33.0% radial movement vs 4.6% · 5.0% tangential movement vs 7.4%Mango Wood1,070 lbf · 0.51 g/cm³ · Class 55.5% tangential movement vs 7.4% · 9.1% combined R+T movement vs 12.0%

Closest overall match

If Sapele is unavailable and the specification cannot change, these are the nearest substitutes across hardness, density, movement, stiffness, bending strength and durability class together — not on any single property. Lower distance means a closer match.

Black Walnutmatch 1.061,010 lbf · 0.55 g/cm³ · Class 31,010 lbf vs 1,510 · 0.55 vs 0.62 g/cm³ American Cherrymatch 1.77950 lbf · 0.50 g/cm³ · Class 3950 lbf vs 1,510 · 0.50 vs 0.62 g/cm³ European Oakmatch 1.781,120 lbf · 0.67 g/cm³ · Class 21,120 lbf vs 1,510 · 0.67 vs 0.62 g/cm³ · more durable (Class 2)

More durable for exterior use

Sapele is EN 350 Class 3, so untreated exterior service is not advisable. These reach Class 1–2 at comparable hardness.

Merbau1,712 lbf · 0.74 g/cm³ · Class 1EN 350 Class 1 vs Class 3 Iroko1,260 lbf · 0.55 g/cm³ · Class 1EN 350 Class 1 vs Class 3 Thermally Modified Oak1,120 lbf · 0.68 g/cm³ · Class 1EN 350 Class 1 vs Class 3 · modified timber

Computed from measured properties only — hardness, density, movement, stiffness, bending strength and EN 350 class. Price, availability and appearance are never inputs. Figures are representative values, not consignment absolutes: two species within a few percent are equivalent until verified on the material. Full method and the rules the engine cannot break.

Substitution is a match on durability class, movement and strength — not on colour or grain. Where two candidates are close, compare them directly before specifying.

Compare Sapele side by side

These comparisons turn on movement and finish quality more than on raw strength. Every pairing shows the measured figures side by side; full matrix in the comparison index.

Sapele vs African MahoganySide-by-side data · 1,070 lbf Sapele vs Black WalnutSide-by-side data · 1,010 lbf

Calculators relevant to Sapele

Weighted towards joinery and finishing, where Sapele is normally used. Full set in the tool index.

VPD CalculatorWood Science EMC CalculatorWood Science Wood Acclimation Time CalculatorWood Science Dovetail Spacing CalculatorJoinery Compound Miter Angle CalculatorJoinery Cut List OptimizerManufacturing Lumber Price ConverterCommercial Wood Volume ConverterCommercial

Understand the figures

ThermoWood species guide — Thermo-D/Thermo-S treatment classes · Janka hardness scale — how the lbf figure is measured · Wood density reference — oven-dry vs air-dry basis · Moisture content — EMC, FSP and service conditions.

Further reading. Wood moisture content explained · How to calculate board feet.

Common questions about Sapele

How hard is Sapele, and what does that mean in practice?

At 1,510 lbf (6,716 N) it sits in the hard range — it shrugs off dents and heavy traffic, which is why it suits busy floors, stair treads and worktops. The trade-off shows at the bench: keep cutters sharp, pre-drill every fixing, and work it more slowly than a medium hardwood.

Is Sapele suitable for outdoor projects?

It's moderately durable (Class 3, EN 350), which puts it in the 'fine outdoors with a bit of care' bracket. For anything in ground contact or constantly wet, you'll want a preservative treatment or a coating you keep up. For covered or well-drained outdoor use it does well, especially if you cut away the non-durable sapwood and let air move around the timber.

Does Sapele move much once it's installed?

It's one of the more stable timbers, which is part of its appeal. At 4.6% radial and 7.4% tangential the T/R ratio is 1.61 — typical, and manageable in interior joinery and furniture provided the gaps are designed rather than assumed. You'll still want it dried to the right moisture content for your climate, but cupping and gaps are less of a worry than with a less stable wood.

unverified no published source for this figure · FPL USDA FPL Wood Handbook GTR-190 · WD The Wood Database (Eric Meier) · calc derived from the figures above

Tools that use this species

Janka Database ToolHardness for 60 species Green Weight CalculatorWeight of green timber Shrinkage PredictorDimensional movement EMC CalculatorEquilibrium moisture content Fiber Saturation CalculatorFSP by species Volume Converterm3, CFT, board feet

Sources & references

The Wood Database (Eric Meier) — compiled species data, one of the references behind the panel above. Which figure comes from which reference is not recorded field by field. Spot checks show the numbers do trace to published sources, but not all to the same one: strength values for US species follow the USDA FPL Wood Handbook exactly, while European species draw on European references instead. So a figure that disagrees with any single reference here is not necessarily wrong — different bodies measure specific gravity and shrinkage on different bases. If a number matters to your work, check it against the reference you intend to rely on.
CIRAD Tropix — tropical-timber technological database (Sapelli / Sapele sheet) · working properties, durability, grain
USDA Forest Products Laboratory — imported-woods species record for Sapele · machining, gluing, durability, uses
EN 350 — European standard for natural durability of wood · durability class

Updated 15 Jul 2026 Values are representative; wood varies with provenance, age and grade. Confirm critical structural or fire figures against a test report for your actual product.