Structural hardwoods are used for various applications including coastal protection works, civil engineering projects, decking, cladding, street furniture and timber framed homes.
The choice of species for each application is dependent upon its natural properties: Balau, Greenheart and Ekki are all resistant to rot and marine borers – making them suitable for any job where the timber comes into contact with water, whereas Oak is ideal for timber framed houses and street furniture.
Cumaru
- Botanical Name
- Dipteryx spp
- Origin
- South America.
- Brief Description
- Colour: Yellow to medium-brown with an orange-pink tint
Grain: Straight
Texture: Coarse
- Uses
- Marine and heavy construction, flooring, decking and cladding
- Working Properties
- Pre-drilling before nailing and screwing is required and a good finish can be achieved
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 600 kg/m³
Ekki
- Botanical Name
- Lophira Alata.
- Origin
- West Africa.
- Brief Description
- Colour: Dark red to deep chocolate brown
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Coarse and uneven
- Uses
- Marine and heavy construction work: including wharfs, bridges, decking, river pilings, lock gates, walkways, verandas, handrails and stairways
- Working Properties
- Difficult with hand tools but possible with machine tools, pre-boring necessary for nailing, glues satisfactorily and can be stained and polished normally
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 1025 kg/m³
European Oak
- Botanical Name
- Quercus Petraea and Robur.
- Origin
- UK and Europe (also Asia Minor and North Africa)
- Brief Description
- Colour: Yellowish brown (irregular/cross-grained material can occur)
Grain: Straight
Texture: Medium to coarse
- Uses
- Continental oaks are preferred for furniture and cabinet making. English oak is best for garden furniture, boat building, gateposts, furniture, floors and construction work. Also: interior and exterior joinery, coffins, flooring, gates and fencing. For plywood manufacture it is rotary cut and when sliced creates a very attractively figured veneer.
- Working Properties
- Has a moderate to severe blunting effect on cutters, takes waxing, liming, fuming and polishing treatments very well filled and has very little shrinkage
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 670-720 kg/m³
Garapa
- Botanical Name
- Apuleia Leiocarpa
- Origin
- South America
- Brief Description
- Colour:Honey-yellow with a slight ribbon aspect, it becomes light brown with age.
Grain: Straight to roey
Texture: Fine uniform
- Uses
- Flooring, decking and cladding
- Working Properties
- The wood glues easily and stays in place, saws, nails and screws well with only a slight blunting effect on tools
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 830 kg/m³
Greenheart
- Botanical Name
- Ocotea Rodiaei
- Origin
- Guyuna
- Brief Description
- Colour:Pale-rose sapwood with yellowy beige to sombre olive brown heartwood.
Grain: Straight to interlocked
Texture: Fine and even
- Uses
- All Marine and heavy construction works, including piling, lock gates and bridges
- Working Properties
- Difficult to work, requires pre-boring for nailing and gluing results are variable, polishes to a good finish
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 1030 kg/m³
Ipe
- Botanical Name
- Tabebuia Serratifolia
- Origin
- Central and South America
- Brief Description
- Colour:Greyish white sapwood with light to dark olive brown heartwood
Grain: Straight to irregular
Texture: Fine
- Uses
- Used extensively for decking and flooring application
- Working Properties
- Works easily with hand and machine tools, easy to glue, nails and screws well, stains and polishes to an excellent finish
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 960-1200 kg/m³
Massaranduba
- Botanical Name
- Manilkara Bidentata.
- Origin
- South America.
- Brief Description
- Colour:Whitish to pale brown sapwood with dark reddish brown heartwood
Grain: Straight to Interlocking
Texture: Fine & Uniform
- Uses
- Construction, bridges, decking, alkways, handrails and stairways.
- Working Properties
- Machines and saws well, despite density, with medium blunting on cutting tools. Sands and polishes well, but pre-drilling required prior to nailing and screwing
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 1050 kg/m³
Opepe
- Botanical Name
- Nauclea Diderrichii.
- Origin
- West Africa.
- Brief Description
- Colour:Whitish to pale yellow sapwood with orange or yellow
heartwood
Grain: Mostly interlocked
Texture: Fairly coarse
- Uses
- General constructions, boards, beams, heavy framework, wharf and jetty decking, marine work interior and exterior coatings and planks
- Working Properties
- Works moderately well with hand and machine tools, pre-boring necessary for nailing, glues well and a high finish is obtainable once filled
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 740 kg/m³
Purpleheart
- Botanical Name
- Peltogyne Pubescens.
- Origin
- Central America and tropical South America.
- Brief Description
- Colour:Creamy white sapwood with dull brown to a bright, vibrant
purple heartwood
Grain: Straight but often irregular.
Texture: Moderate to fine
- Uses
- Heavy outdoor construction work, bridges, park benches, flooring and
decking
- Working Properties
- Can be difficult to work, turns well, pre-boring necessary for nailing, glues without difficulty, stains and wax polishes easily
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 860 kg/m³
Yellow Balau
- Botanical Name
- Shorea spp.
- Origin
- Western Malaysia.
- Brief Description
- Colour: Yellow-brown
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Moderately fine and even.
- Uses
- Marine constructions, lock gates, piling, fenders, bridge components, decking, outdoor furniture.
- Working Properties
- Works reasonably well but with severe blunting of cutting edges it is necessary to reduce cutting angles and feed speeds
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 930 kg/m³
Further Properties
Species | Strength class | Weight per m³ (12% mc) | Modullus of elasticity (12%mc) | Durability |
Cumaru | D60 | 1070kg | 26610 N/mm² | Durable |
Ekki | D60 | 950-110kg | 18500 N/mm² | Very Durable |
European Oak | D30/40 | 720kg | 10100 N/mm² | Durable |
Garapa | D40 | 790kg | 15880 N/mm² | Durable |
Greenheart | D70 | 1030kg | 21000 N/mm² | Very Durable |
Ipe | D60 | 1040kg | 22760 N/mm² | Very Durable |
Massaranduba | D60 | 1100kg | 24410 N/mm² | Very Durable |
Opepe | D50 | 740kg | 13400 N/mm² | Very Durable |
Purpleheart | D50 | 860kg | 16700 N/mm² | Very Durable |
Yellow Balau | D70 | 880-950kg | 19000 N/mm² | Very Durable |
Availability: 1″ x 6″ to 10″ x 10″ ex stock (larger sizes available on request)
Also
- Bespoke decking, cladding and handrail profiles, planing, rebating and grooving of large sectioned timbers
- Pre-machined decking, bollards and bench slats available ex stock
- Most species available in FSC sourced material
Sawn Timbers
Tropical Hardwoods
Sawn Timbers
Black Walnut
