Called Gold Coast Cedar by some because the wood has a cedar-like aroma when first cut. But this highly prized furniture- and cabinetry wood is not like cedar in any other way.

When compared with other hardwoods, sapele's color is said to be similar to African mahogany, and it has strength properties similar to oak. It is also distinguished for the array of interesting figures it yields.

Some of the very attractive figures found include: pommele sapele with its dappled and blistered figure, bee's wings and roe figure -- all visible when quarter cut. If the grain is wavy, the wood yields a fiddleback or mottled figure. Its interlocked grain gives it an interesting look, described as a pencil stripe, and all the figures are further enhanced by the wood's natural luster.

Sapele is salmon-colored when first cut, but it matures to a medium to dark red-brown color. While the heartwood is a rich brown to reddish brown, it often features a ribbon striped figure which is a pale yellow. The wood has a fine and even texture.

In addition to fine furniture and cabinetry, sapele is well-known as an architectural wood, used in both veneer and solid form. Other uses include joinery, shop fitting, office furniture, solid doors, countertops, paneling, piano casework (and other musical instruments), constructional veneer for plywood, decorative face veneers and marquetry and sports goods. It is a popular residential and commercial flooring material. Sapele is also used for boat building, vehicles and coffins.

PROPERTIES: Wood dries fairly rapidly but has a tendency to distort; the quartered material is less likely to distort. The wood has medium density, medium bending and shock resistance. Sapele buckles and ruptures severely when steam bent, so it is not suited for steam bending. It also has a high crushing strength. The wood works easily with machine tools, however the interlocked grain can make it difficult to plane and may cause blunting of cutting edges. Sapele nails, screws and glues well. It may need filling before finishing, but the wood will finish well and has a natural luster.