Sapele
Beautiful, exotic Sapele is an African hardwood similar to - and often used in place of - Mahogany. Sapele features interlocking, fine textured grain that frequently changes direction. Our Sapele is "quarter sawn" at the mill, a process that creates a ribbon or stripe effect, almost as if the wood glows with an internal light. Colors range from light brown to medium reddish brown tones. Sapele is light-sensitive, and will darken with age, an effect that will be accelerated with exposure to sunlight.
A range of colors and grain patterns may appear on the same panel, and adjacent door and drawer fronts will not match. These are natural characteristics of Sapele and are not considered a defect.
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When designing with Sapele, keep in mind that many different colors and interlocking grain patterns may come together in a relatively small area, as seen on the vanity at upper right. Below, we photographed the same door at three different angles. Notice how the darker areas of grain pattern on the center panel become less noticeable as the door is tilted - an effect that will be noted when a door is seen at eye level and then again when seated.
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