Sipo / Utile

Formal Name: Entandrophragma utile

Color: Sapwood is light brown in color and is well demarcated from the heartwood. Heartwood is a pinkish-brown to a red-brown, which can even have a purple tint.

Shade: medium

Workability: Works fairly easily, with hand and machine tools, but it may char during boring. An interlocked grain may cause some tearing of the wood during moulding. It is easy to saw and it can be planed to a perfect finish. It holds together well using all modern adhesives and glues and provides moderate hold when nail or screws are used. Acquires a fine sheen when polished, which is highly valued in furniture finishing.

Physical Properties: Moderate hardness and weight. Medium bending and crushing strengths. Wood bending is difficult and not recommended.

Interior/Exterior: both interior and exterior

Machining:

Nailing:

Screwing:

Gluing:

Finishing: