Our opening range of furniture is made from Sapele, the heartwood of which is similar to Mahogany with rich brown tones.  A durable west African hardwood with a closed grained texture, Sapele's natural rot resistance means it is popular for external projects - including furniture.  

The wood is very stable and hardwearing, this allows it to resist water and avoid swelling significantly, twisting or warping. 

Harsh uv rays from the sun speed up wood oxidation, that will darken Sapele over time.
 

Should you treat/weatherproof Sapele ?

Deciding whether to apply a finish is a personal choice, it will really depend on the expected annual exposure to the elements and if you wish to maintain the rich colour and avoid the effects of weathering/ageing.  Our opinion is that there is no right or wrong thing to do here, but note any finish applied will require some degree of upkeep.

We would avoid using any treatments that contain harsh chemicals which can damage the wood by removing too much of the natural protection.  Due to the dense structure, water-based products are unlikely to penetrate and provide much protection.  If a treatment is used, our favourite go to is Osmo Oil.

Placing your furniture under cover, or inside a shed or garage when not in use will dramatically reduce the effects of the weather, we always recommend bringing furniture in during the winter months.

Whilst on the subject of weather - as we all know our uk weather can change quickly, we source our timber kiln dried and this helps prevent warping or shrinkage after we have machined it.  However, checking (essentially cracks opening and closing, particularly in the end grain) can occur, often during dramatic changes in the humidity or temperature.  This process is perfectly normal and should not affect the strength or life of the furniture.