Ekki Wood

Ekki is a durable marine timber which is often used as an alternative to greenheart because it is more readily available. The colour of the timber is either dark reddish or violet brown with a pale pinkish white sapwood.

Ekki Timber Uses

Ekki Bridge

Common uses for Ekki wood include:

• Bridges
• Boat Building
• Lock Gates
• Decking
• Piling
• Piers & Jetties
• Sheet piling
• Fenders

The density of the wood does make it difficult to work with and it often has a blunting effect on cutting tools but the payback you get from it is worth it. Its ability to withstand water makes it a valuable resource especially in marinas and on canals.

Supplied Cut to Size and Machined

Machined Ekki Handrails

We can supply Ekki beams up to 500x500 section sizes and up to 10m long (subject to availability). Due to varying supplies we can only offer a price on enquiry for Ekki wood so please send through your cutting list and we’ll get a price back to you.

We can also provide Ekki machined where necessary to a profile of your choosing for flooring or decking.

The availability of Ekki is based on usually between 15-20 working days, although, this will be confirmed upon quotation.

A Little More About Ekki Wood

Ekki, sometimes referred to as Azobe or colloquially as Ironwood due to its extreme strength and durability, is found across Africa in countries including Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gabon, Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda and many more. Despite its diverse habitat across the African continent, Ekki is still under pressure because of reduced habitat, although it is not yet cited as an endangered species as a result of forestry intervention by timber sustainability organizations such as the FSC©.

The tree has bright red leaves and white flowers, so whilst it is full of colour, Ekki also loses its leaves very quickly within 1-2 weeks in and around December. The tree also has dark brown fruit (that don’t appear every year) which are wind-dispersed and contain one oil-rich seed. Traditionally the bark of the tree was used to treat headaches.

What makes Ekki so special for marine application is both its exceptional desnity compared to its weight which causes it to sink in water and its natural resistance to marine borers and decay.