Generally, performing home renovations can add value to your home. It is important that you begin your next project with a solid plan... and a solid form of timber to build furniture, renovate flooring and generally enact the agenda that you want for your home improvement project.
African Sapele timber is the answer. It's a type of wood that can handle even the most intense home renovations.
We’re going to give you a bit of basic information on this timber so that you know exactly how it can benefit you. Read on to learn more about where Sapele timber comes from, what its properties are, and how it could benefit you as a UK homeowner!
Where Does African Sapele Timber Come From?
Unless you're new to learning about wood, you've likely heard of mahogany before. As a result of irresponsible harvesting practices and general rarity of the trees that it comes from, mahogany has become increasingly rare and expensive in recent decades. People searched far and wide for an alternative to this gorgeous wood, and they found one in the form of African Sapele.
As the name would suggest, this wood is found in Africa. Specifically, Sapele is harvested in West African countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, and Ghana.
The trees are incredibly tall, sometimes reaching heights of around 45 metres. As a result, one tree can produce an incredible amount of timber. Still, even if this weren't the case, the trees are by no means a scarce resource- since they prefer to grow in clusters, you're sure to find many Sapele trees as soon as you identify one.
The good news is that you won't need to go to Africa- or even to your local woodworking shop- to gain access to Sapele. We'll deliver it directly to your home so that you don't need to worry about obtaining it!
What Are Its Unique Properties?
Now that you know where Sapele wood comes from, it's time to look into some of the properties that make it great. Read on to learn about the way that African Sapele looks as well as the durability and workability of the wood.
Visual Properties
The colour of Sapele wood is one of the reasons that it's so popular. Like the mahogany that it's an alternative to, the heartwood of Sapele is a golden brown to dark red colour. As the wood ages, the colour also tends to darken. This can end up looking really cool as your table becomes redder over time. The sapwood is slightly lighter, but it's almost indistinguishable from the heartwood since it, too, gets darker over the years.
Workability
In addition to being visually stunning, African Sapele timber is good for woodworking. However, it can be somewhat difficult to manoeuvre in machine-using operations like planing. This is because of the interlocking grain being too strong. It also should never be put into contact with iron since the metal stains it.
However, Sapele does respond well to manual tools and is incredibly durable. This means that when your project is finished, you'll have a nearly unbreakable product. The wood is also rot-resistant, so it's sure to last for a long time.
It's also pleasant to work with because it has a cedar-like scent that becomes quite strong when cut into. It smells amazing. To find out the cost of African Sapele timber for your project, you can get an instant quote by typing your requirements into our price calculator.
What Can It Be Used For?
African Sapele timber has amazing properties, but you may be wondering: what can it be used to create? Read on for some insight into the products you can create with this durable and beautiful wood.
Flooring
Like European Oak timber, Sapele makes for an amazing hardwood flooring material. This timber species will last you for decades because of its high rot resistance. If you want an inexpensive and beautiful hardwood floor that adds a pop of warm colour to your kitchen or sitting room, Sapele is the wood for you.
Turned Objects
Speaking of turning wood with steam, Sapele is the best wood for creating turned objects (along with European Beech.) It's highly workable with hand tools and becomes pliable when steam is applied to it. This will allow you to create bowls, vases, and other turned items if you have the right tools.
Specialty Trinkets
Expert sculptors like Mori Kono can use any wood to carve specialty trinkets from, but Sapele is a good place to start for a woodworking novice. If you want to have a bit of fun, try carving small statues of animals and objects from your Sapele timber. You're sure to have a good time and learn quickly and easily with this workable wood.
Get Sapele Wood Today!
While there are a lot of amazing types of wood out there, African Sapele is perfect for any project you may want to begin.
Now that you know the basics of African Sapele timber and what it can be used for, it's time to buy some! Click here to visit our online shop and purchase some of this amazing wood. Not only do we sell it at low rates starting from just £42, but we also will deliver the material directly to your doorstep. This means that you can invest all your efforts on your woodworking projects rather than worrying about picking your timber up.
Have fun!
