Utile

Utile (Entandrophragma utile)
Utile (Entandrophragma utile)

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Common Name(s): Utile, Sipo, Sipo Mahogany

Scientific Name: Entandrophragma utile

Distribution: West and Central Africa

Tree Size: 150-200 ft (45-60 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 40 lbs/ft3 (635 kg/m3)

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .53, .63

Janka Hardness: 1,180 lbf (5,260 N)

Modulus of Rupture: 15,060 lbf/in2 (103.8 MPa)

Elastic Modulus: 1,689,000 lbf/in2 (11.65 GPa)

Crushing Strength: 8,280 lbf/in2 (57.1 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 4.9%, Tangential: 6.9%, Volumetric: 11.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a uniform medium reddish brown. Well-defined sapwood is a paler yellow. Generally lacks any dramatic figuring of grain that is common in the closely related Sapele.

Grain/Texture: Grain is interlocked, with a medium uniform texture. Moderate natural luster.

Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; solitary and radial multiples; large pores in no specific arrangement, very few; reddish brown heartwood gum deposits occasionally present; parenchyma vasicentric, banded; narrow rays, spacing normal.

Rot Resistance: Rated as moderately durable to durable, with mixed reports on insect resistance.

Workability: Utile can be troublesome to work in some machining operations, (i.e., planing, routing, etc.), resulting in tearout due to its interlocked grain. It will also react when put into direct contact with iron, becoming discolored and stained. Turns, glues, and finishes well.

Odor: Utile has a mild, cedar-like scent while being worked.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Utile has been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Not frequently available, prices for Utile should be moderate for an imported hardwood.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is on the IUCN Red List. It is listed as vulnerable due to a population reduction of over 20% in the past three generations, caused by a decline in its natural range, and exploitation.

Common Uses: Furniture, cabinetry, veneer, boatbuilding, flooring, and turned objects.

Comments: Sometimes called Sipo Mahogany, or simply Sipo, Utile is in the Meliaceae family, and is somewhat related to the true mahoganies found in the Swietenia genus.

Related Species:

Related Articles:

Scans/Pictures:

Utile (Entandrophragma utile)
Utile (sanded)

Utile (sealed)
Utile (sealed)

Utile (endgrain)
Utile (endgrain)

Utile (endgrain 10x)
Utile (endgrain 10x)

Utile (turned)
Utile (turned)
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Tom

does anyone know where to find or what are the numbers for Utile Sipo mahogany for Modulus of Elasticity, Allowable bending stress and internal sheer force? Any help would be appreciated

Michael Ross

I picked up a quartersawn board out of curiosity and it is beautiful. The rays are small and tight, but glowing, and the color is almost like copper metal. The images on this page mostly don’t do it justice, but perhaps they are older pieces that have reacted with air and light. The turned piece is much more like the Utile I purchased. The plain sawn surface is nice but not as striking as the quartersawn. A lamination of alternating plain and quartered might be very interesting.

Aníbal José Rego Araújo

Hello,

Can you tell me where i find the % of wood exsudate for Sipo.

Thanks.
Aníbal Araújo