Also known as Utile
Botanical Name: Entandrophragma utile
Janka Hardness: 1180 – 10% softer than White Oak.
Appearance: Reddish brown heartwood and pale yellow sapwood. Uniform texture with darker ray lines that differentiate Sipo from Mahogany. Interlocked grain.
Properties: Moderately resistant to termites. Lighter than Sapele, hence more stable. Like Mahogany, very easy to work with.
Finishing: Sipo takes finishes nicely.
Applications: Deemed too soft for flooring, Sipo is used for furniture, boat building, door and windows paneling, decking, and architectural millwork.
Sipo: Mahogany-Lite? With the decreasing availability of Mahogany, the lower cost and shared properties with Mahogany make Sipo an extremely appealing alternative.