Wholesale African Sapele Wood: The Best-Selling Mahogany Alternative for Furniture, Doors and Joinery
Looking to buy African Sapele Wood direct from the source? African Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) is the most widely traded mahogany-family hardwood from the Congo Basin. Buyers choose it for its rich reddish-brown colour, the famous ribbon-stripe figure on quartersawn boards and a hardness of about 1,410 lbf, which is harder than genuine American mahogany.
Because Sapele trees grow tall and straight, they yield long, wide, clear boards with very little waste. That makes African Sapele wood one of the most cost-effective choices for furniture factories, door and window manufacturers, flooring producers, cabinet makers and musical-instrument workshops.
We supply African Sapele wood as kiln-dried sawn lumber, squares, veneer and, where export is legally permitted, logs from legally managed, ethically harvested forest concessions in Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic and DR Congo. Every order is inspected, documented and shipped in containers to your port, warehouse or job site.
Technical Specifications of African Sapele Wood
The figures below are typical values for African Sapele wood and help engineers, architects and buyers check that the timber meets their project requirements. Independent species data is also available from the CIRAD Tropix tropical timber database.
| Property | African Sapele Wood |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Entandrophragma cylindricum |
| Botanical Family | Meliaceae (mahogany family) |
| Other Trade Names | Sapelli, Sapele Mahogany, Aboudikro, Penkwa |
| Origin (Central Africa) | Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic and DR Congo |
| Density | 640–670 kg/m³ (40–42 lbs/ft³) at 12% MC |
| Janka Hardness | 1,410 lbf (6,280 N) |
| Natural Durability | Moderately durable (EN 350 class 3) |
| Stability | Medium movement in service; stable once kiln dried |
| Colour and Grain | Golden to deep reddish-brown with a striking ribbon-stripe figure on quartersawn faces |
| CITES / Legal Status | Not listed under CITES. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, so we supply only from managed concessions with legality documents. |
| Price Unit | Per cubic metre (m³) |
Why Buyers Choose African Sapele Wood
Importers, manufacturers and contractors choose African Sapele wood for a clear set of practical reasons:
- Mahogany Look at a Lower Price: Sapele gives the classic mahogany colour and lustre at a lower cost per cubic metre than Khaya or American mahogany.
- Ribbon-Stripe Figure: Quartersawn Sapele shows a shimmering ribbon stripe that is prized for veneer, cabinet doors and guitar backs.
- Long, Clear Lengths: Tall, straight trunks produce long FAS-grade boards with wide widths, which reduces offcuts and labour.
- Harder Than True Mahogany: With a Janka rating around 1,410 lbf, Sapele resists dents better than many traditional furniture woods.
Buy African Sapele Wood for Furniture, Doors and Interior Joinery
When you buy African Sapele Wood from Global Timber Trade Hub, you can order stock graded and dimensioned for the following applications:
1. Solid Wood Furniture and Cabinetry
Tables, chairs, sideboards and kitchen cabinets made from Sapele take stain and lacquer evenly and age to a deeper red-brown.
2. Doors, Windows and Staircases
Kiln-dried Sapele is a standard species for engineered and solid doors, window frames, handrails and stair treads.
3. Flooring and Wall Panelling
Its hardness and stripe figure make Sapele a popular choice for hardwood flooring, parquet and decorative panelling.
4. Veneer and Musical Instruments
Rotary and quarter-sliced Sapele veneer is used for plywood faces, and guitar builders use it for backs, sides and necks.
Available African Sapele Wood Sizes, Grades and Product Forms
We hold standard Sapele specifications and can cut to your project list. Typical product forms include:
| Product Form | Typical Sizes | Main Uses | Drying & Packing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rough-Sawn Boards (FAS / FAS 1F) | 27–100 mm (1"–4") thick, 150 mm+ wide, 1.8–4.9 m long | Furniture, doors, cabinetry | Kiln dried 10–12% MC, strapped bundles |
| Squares and Scantlings | 50×50 mm to 150×150 mm | Legs, frames, stair parts | KD or AD, wrapped bundles |
| Sliced or Rotary Veneer | 0.6 mm and thicker, to order | Panels, doors, plywood faces | Bundled flitches, boxed |
| Logs (where permitted) | Diameter 60 cm and above | Re-sawing and veneer mills | Loose in 40 ft containers or break-bulk |
Custom thicknesses, widths, lengths and cut-to-size orders are available on request. Log exports are supplied only from countries and concessions where national law allows them.
Drying, Grading and Quality Control
Joinery and furniture grades are kiln dried to 10–12% moisture content (8–10% on request) and graded to NHLA FAS / FAS 1F or ATIBT export rules. Before loading, each parcel of Sapele is checked for moisture content, dimensions, heartwood, grain and defects, and you receive loading photos and a packing list with the volume of every bundle.
Working With African Sapele Wood: Practical Tips
- Interlocked Grain: The interlocked grain can tear out when planing. Use sharp knives, a low cutting angle or a helical cutterhead.
- Gluing: Sapele glues well with PVA, polyurethane and epoxy adhesives when surfaces are freshly machined.
- Finishing: It takes stains, oils and lacquers very well. Grain filling gives a mirror finish on furniture.
- Drying: Sapele can distort if dried too fast. Buy kiln-dried stock at 10–12% MC for interior joinery.
Ethically Harvested African Sapele Wood From the Central African Forest Zone
All of our Sapele comes from the Congo Basin forest zone, the second-largest tropical forest on earth. We buy only from operators that hold valid forest management or harvesting permits and follow national minimum felling diameters, so mature trees are selected and younger trees are left to grow.
Legal status: Not listed under CITES. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, so we supply only from managed concessions with legality documents. You can check any species on the official CITES Checklist.
Each shipment can include a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, legality and chain-of-custody documents, fumigation certificate where required, and a CITES export permit for listed species. This supports your due diligence under the EU Timber and Deforestation Regulations (EUTR/EUDR), the UK Timber Regulation and the US Lacey Act. FSC or PEFC certified volumes can be quoted on request, subject to availability.
How to Buy African Sapele Wood in Bulk
- Send your enquiry: Tell us the product form, sizes, grade, volume and destination port for your Sapele order.
- Receive a quotation: We confirm price, availability, lead time and Incoterms (FOB Douala, Kribi, Owendo or Pointe-Noire, or CFR/CIF to your port).
- Approve specifications: We share stock photos, moisture readings and, for larger orders, samples.
- Production and loading: Timber is cut, dried, inspected and loaded, with photos and container numbers sent to you.
- Shipping and documents: You receive the bill of lading and all export documents for customs clearance.
About the price: the price shown on this page is an indicative starting price per cubic metre (m³) for standard sawn Sapele. Final pricing depends on grade, dimensions, drying, volume and destination. Typical container loads are 18–25 m³ of sawn timber per 20 ft container and 40–50 m³ per 40 ft container, and smaller trial orders are welcome.
Compare African Sapele Wood With Other African Hardwoods
Not sure if Sapele is the right species? Compare it with these related timbers from our catalogue:
Browse more species in Best Selling African Timber, Furniture & Joinery Hardwoods, or view the full African timber catalogue.
Frequently Asked Questions About African Sapele Wood
Is Sapele the same as mahogany?
Sapele belongs to the same botanical family (Meliaceae) as genuine mahogany and African mahogany (Khaya), but it is a separate species. It is harder and has a more pronounced stripe figure, and it is often sold as a mahogany alternative.
Can Sapele be used outdoors?
Sapele is moderately durable. It performs well in exterior doors and windows when finished and maintained, but for decking or ground contact we recommend Iroko, Padouk, Azobe or Tali.
What is the difference between Sapele and Sipo?
Sipo (Utile) is a close relative of Sapele with a more uniform, less striped appearance and slightly better durability. Both are excellent joinery timbers.
What is the minimum order for Sapele?
Most buyers order one 20 ft or 40 ft container. We also accept mixed-species containers and smaller trial orders for Sapele, so you can test the quality before scaling up.
Which documents come with Sapele shipments?
Every shipment includes a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and phytosanitary certificate, plus legality documents and a CITES permit where the species requires it.
Get African Sapele Wood for Your Next Project
Ready to buy African Sapele Wood? Send us your sizes, grade and volume, and our timber team will reply with a clear quotation, available stock photos and shipping options.
Request a quote or contact our sales team today to place your order.
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