There are five woods from African considered as ‘Redwoods’ (Mahoganies or Mahogany looking and substitutes). Theses woods are in order of cost from least to most: Okoume, Tiama (also known as Edinam), Sapele, African Mahogany (has several names), and Utile (Sipo).
The woods we stock at Thompson Mahogany are: African Mahogany/Khaya, Sapele and Utile/Sipo. Thompson Mahogany is your best source for wholesale African Mahogany, Sapele, and Utile. We buy directly from foreign mills who not only produce high quality, but are also practicing sustainability, and legal logging practices. So we can get the best prices, best quality and a responsible wood product.
African Mahogany historically, until about 6-8 years ago, had traded at about 10% higher in cost than Sapele. Since than their costs are very similar. Utile trades at about 5-10% higher than them.
Availability:
They all grow and are harvested in West African Countries. Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Cost being the most prevalent while Ghana and Gabon are also producing Countries. African Mahogany is generally considered the most available. Sapele is not as available, but there is some in the forests. Utile is far behind, there just isn’t as much in the forests.
Quality:
African Mahogany:
Also known as Khaya. Other names are Ngollon and Acajou. Of the three, this has the widest range of quality. There are 4 sub-species of Khaya, and three of them show up in the United States. They are Khaya Ivorensis, Khaya Anthetheca, and Khaya Grandifolio. Most companies prefer the Khaya Ivorensis, it is lighter in weight, softer in texture, and not as dense. Some companies specify they want African Mahogany from Ghana, which is considered almost all Khaya Ivorensis. From this region, the lumber tends to be lighter not only in weight, but also in color. It tends to be consistent in color. It also tend to be ‘hairy’, having raised grain. Historically, it is more expensive from this region. Due to Ghana law, lumber must be Kiln-dried (value added) to be exported. Most of the African Mahogany comes from Cameroon and Congo. It also is mostly Khaya Ivorensis, but tends to be darker in color, a little heavier, not as hairy. Consistency in color and quality throughout these regions are less than from Ghana.
TMC buys from suppliers in these regions who supply the lumber which is most consistent in color and overall quality. We import lumber from these regions both air-dried and Kiln-dried. There is not a lot of availability in Gabon, but what is imported is mostly Khaya Ivorensis of good quality. It comes in air-dried. Ivory Coast is considered to have the least desirable Khaya. This is because its forest has a mix of the sub-species. There is a fair amount of Khaya Grandofolio, which is much heavier, harder, and inconsistent in weight and in color. However, there is good Khaya which grows there. If we buy from suppliers who sort out the Ivorensis, it is very good. Some come to the USA as mixed- we carry some- it trades for about 10% less than from other regions.
Sapele:
Entandrophragma cylindricum. Most comes from Cameroon and Congo. We buy it both air-dried and Kiln-dried. The species is more consistent for color, weight, texture, and hardness throughout the regions than African Mahogany. It can have pin-knots which are difficult to see in rough-sawn limber. But the suppliers we deal with do grade against what they can see. It is lighter in color from Ghana which is not the main source.
Utile:
Entandrophragma utile. Also called Sipo. Mostly from Cameroon and Congo. Some from Ghana, which is lighter in color. We buy both air-dried and Kiln-dried. This wood is very consistent in color, weight, texture.
Hardness:
African Mahogany: Janka Hardness 1,070 lbf (4,760 N) The softest but still very close to Utile.
Sapele: Janka Hardness 1,410 lbf (6,280 N) The hardest of the three options.
Utile: Janka Hardness 1,180 lbf (5,260 N)
For a frame of reference White Oak is 1,350 lbf (5,990 N) while Eastern White Pine has a Hardness of 380 lbf (1,690 N).
Color:
African Mahogany: Most inconsistent of the three. Light reddish brown to dark brown.
Sapele: Dark red-brown, almost with an orange tint. Light red-brown, with orange tint from Ghana.
Utile: Dark red-brown. Lighter from Ghana.
Grain:
Lumber from all three come from large trees/logs. About 60% or more is quartersawn.
African Mahogany: Flatsawn is desirable, looks a lot like Genuine Mahogany (Swetenia Macrophyla). Quartersawn can range from a straight pencil-stripe ribbon to a wilder broken-ribbon stripe. Also, quartersawn ribbon can have some interlocking grain.
Sapele: Flatsawn is nice. The quartersawn is desirable. Generally very straight, ranging from pencil-stripe to more pronounced.
Utile: Of the three, looks most like Genuine Mahogany. Flatsawn very nice. Quartersawn from a non-descriptive straight-grain, to pencil-stripe, to somewhat more pronounced ribbon.
Weight(Kiln-dried to 8%):
African Mahogany: Khaya Ivorensis & Khaya Anthetheca about 3.2Lb per BF. Khaya Grandofolio can range from 3.2-4Lbs per BF.
Sapele: Consistent-about 4.0Lbs per BF.
Utile: About 3.2Lbs per BF
Drying:
African Mahogany: Generally very easy to dry with little distortion in either the Flatsawn or the Quartersawn.
Sapele: More difficult to dry. The quartersawn tends to hold onto water longer-therefore drying slower. The Flatsawn loses it water quicker, therefore if not careful can get some distortion because it dries to fast.
Utile: Easy to dry with little distortion.
Workability:
African Mahogany: Takes a little extra care due to some raised grain, and some interlocking grain in the Quartersawn. But otherwise finishes nicely.
Sapele: Is the heaviest and hardest of the three. Finishes nicely.
Utile: Works well, finishes nicely.
Durability:
All three are good for interior and exterior applications. There is less movement in the quartersawn. They take finishes and paint very well. All are somewhat resistant to insects.
Usage:
Of the three woods, Sapele is the heaviest and most dense. Therefore, it is more suitable for flooring than the others. Both African Mahogany and Utile are a little too soft for flooring. The quartersawn Sapele has preference in flooring due to being more stable than flatsawn. Utile is used in Europe primarily for windows and doors. There are Manufacturers here who also prefer it for that use. African Mahogany & Sapele are also used for making windows and doors. Other uses for all three are interior and Architectural millwork, Furniture. Sapele and African Mahogany have gained popularity for usage in exterior mouldings, including siding and soffits. Also for decking. African Mahogany and Utile are also used for boat building.
You may also be interested in our Video post:
Video: Sapele vs African Mahogany vs Utile Lumber
If you have anymore questions, please ask them below in the comments section or contact us today. We are your source for wholesale trade and will help you with purchasing and research.
getting ready to start a large flooring job with the Sapele. First time finishing this product. I will be staining with an oil based stain, then coating with a water based sealer with a catalyzer. Anything special I need to consider prior to the sanding/finishing process? Thanks in advance
Steve
Steve,
My concern with this is that you are planning on using a oil stain and then a water based top coat. If this kind of application is not approved by the finish mfg companies he could not work out well. It is always a good idea to make sure you are following all of the finish manufacturer recommendations. If you have any further questions please let us know!
Thanks
Paul
bidding on exterior barn style doors specified for sapele. anything anyone can offer on what to look out for? expansion? stability? premium for difficulty working with over say pine?
Thomas,
Sapele will mill nice, glue nicely, and is a good exterior wood for doors. Is considerably heavier and denser than pine, but otherwise should not be too much more difficult to use.
Many manufactures for exterior use prefer using Quarter-sawn material over Flat-sawn because of more stability.
Thanks
Paul
I am looking to use the Sapele for exterior dowels. I will be using these over a porch area to run vines over
They need to be 9’/1/2″ x 2′-1/2″ and will be finished with a solid stain.
Is this a good selection for this application?
Thank you!
Nina,
You can use Sapele for outdoor usage. It might be a better idea to look for Spanish Cedar, Teak or Ipe just because those are more conventional outdoor woods. Also you can stain Sapele as well if you would like.
Thank you
Paul
I am having a hard time with determining some old african mahogany I found up in my attic. I found over 100 boards of it stacked in several different areas. From the research I have done I am pretty sure it’s an African mahogany. Very few boards have labeled on them either “EUROMAT” or “Made in Ivory Coast”. I’m guessing these are dated from the 60’s or 70’s. Most boards are true 1×3’s and a few true 1×10’s. Boards are ranging from 4′-12′ in length. There is a ton of it. Through all the research I am having a hard time determining which of the three it could be. I know that will affect the worth. I figured out the density by calculation. I got 43lb/ft. Is there anything else I can do to help determine what this is? other than reading about it online. I would like to take it to someone or send it somewhere that can help me with it. Please let me know if there is anything I can do differently!
Jason,
I would suggest posting pictures on a online woodworkers forum or bringing a sample to a local retailer that sells exotic hardwood lumber. I think you might mean 4.3 lb/ft (not 43 lb/ft which would be pretty heavy) which sounds like it could either be Khaya Grandofolio or Sapele. It is pretty hard to classify without having it to look at in person.
Hope this was helpful and Good luck!
Thanks
Paul
I picked up some African Mahogany for an upcoming project. It has a very dramatic refractive charictaristic (desirable for this project), but I would prefer the color were a bit deeper red. I’m concerned that dye or stain will mask or reduce the refraction. I plan to do some test pieces to confirm, but would appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks,
John
John,
Sorry for the delay on this. I think it all depends on how opaque your dye or stain is on drying. Try to find a fairly translucent coating and you should not have any major issues with loss. But doing some test pieces is really the best way to know.
Thanks
Paul
Which is the best type of wood to use if you have a bunch of dogs?
Lynn,
If you are thinking of flooring I would go with Sapele because it has the highest hardness rating so that would make it most resistance to scratches and damage.
Thanks
Paul
Paul,
Looking to make an exterior door using Sapele for the Michigan Upper Penninsula. The door will have a very large leaded-glass insert so the top rail and stiles are about 6-7″ wide. Would prefer to use solid wood vs an inner core of poplar. Do you see this as a problem? The house does not get used in the winter so we won’t have an extreme of warm interior and freezing exterior, it’s freezing on both sides! Also, would you prefer flat sawn or quarter sawn for stability? Thinking of using Sikkens Cetol exterior finish on the wood, good idea???
Thank you sooo much for any assistance!
David
David,
I will give you our best response but keep in mind that we are wholesale lumber supplier and not a Window Manufacturer so final application is not our expertise. Due to the extreme weather changes, a door with a core may be preferred. If you go for solid, we’d recommend Quartersawn since it would have less movement. It really depends on how much the moisture content will change through the seasons and you will need to adjust for that along with temperature. Sorry if that is not too specific but it might be a good idea to check with a window or door builder in the area to see what they recommend.
Thanks
Paul
Hello Paul
I really enjoyed the deep analysis of these hardwoods which are mainly of African origin. Nigeria where I come from has all these woods in commercial quantity and quality and we do have AGOA relationship with USA.
(The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a United States Trade Act, enacted on 18 May 2000 as Public Law 106 of the 200th Congress. AGOA has since been renewed to 2025. The legislation significantly enhances market access to the US for qualifying Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.)
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not stressing a legal obligation to buy Nigerian wood.
I am asking because you didn’t mention Nigeria as a possible source of supply. Have you had any experience buying these woods from Nigeria? Is there a potential for Nigerian wood in your country? Are there any concerns?
Regards
Barney,
I spoke to our salesman and we do not currently buy Nigerian lumber for any of our woods. I think it may mainly be because we have not had the proper opportunity that also had all of the proper legality for importation.
Thanks
Paul
When using Sapele wood for an exterior arbor or deck, what type of upkeep is needed? I prefer not to stain it if possible as I want the natural look of the wood. Is it possible to oil it or another treatment?
Thank you
Melissa,
When using Sapele outside you want to make sure you allow it to acclimate to the surrounding moisture levels before installing. I would suggest using a UV Hardwood Oil similar to Messmers UV Plus for Hardwood Decks. You will want to try a small area to make sure you like the color but it will do the most to protect the sapele color. You will most likely need to reapply it every year or so depending on where you are installing. Hope that helps!
Thanks
Paul
For the restoration of our old Dutch barge Sapele wood was used for doors and windows. What would you recommend to use for finishing the sapele indoors, i.e. windows, doors, and also some other trims on the inside walls? As far as I know, Sikkens Cetol Filter 7 Plus (colour no. 077) was used for the outside (on windows, doors and the trim around the edge of the superstructure). But this is not recommended to be used inside.
Monika,
I think a Clear Sealer and Lacquer combination would be fine for interior finishing. You can search Sapele Sealers and Clear finishes that would give you a nice look and a long life.
Thanks
Paul
Dear Paul,
I’m using for first time Sapele in small carpentry projects, as winding sticks and similar other items. I’m thinking to finish them with boiled linseed oil for a more vintage look. I will much appreciate any idea or recommendations about my choice for finishing material.
Thank you in advance,
Regards
Paris
Paris,
I think a Clear Sealer and Lacquer combination would be fine. You can search Sapele Sealers and Clear finishes that would give you a nice look and a long life.
Thanks
Paul