Why Choose Ekki Timber?
- Extremely durable hardwood suitable for ground and marine contact
- High density and excellent strength for heavy structural applications
- Superior wear and impact resistance for high-traffic environments
- Naturally resistant to biological attack; proven in UK civil works
- Available cut-to-size and CNC-machined to your drawings
- UK-wide delivery from our Shropshire base, with dependable lead times
Ekki Wood Appearance
Colour
Freshly cut Ekki timber ranges from deep reddish-brown to dark chocolate brown, often with subtle purple or black streaking. It darkens with exposure and weathering to an even, rich brown.
Grain and texture
Typically interlocked grain with a coarse, even texture. The interlock contributes to its excellent wear performance but can produce attractive ribbon features on quarter-sawn faces.
End grain
Large open pores with visible parenchyma banding; rays are fine to medium. End grain should be sealed promptly on site to minimise checking in exposed conditions.
Durability
Ekki is widely specified as a “fit-and-forget” timber for the most demanding conditions. It is rated among the highest durability classes for natural resistance and shows excellent performance in permanently wet, brackish, or tidal locations. Its abrasion resistance makes it ideal for deck surfacing and fendering, while its resistance to biological attack supports long service life.
As with all hardwoods rich in extractives, staining/bleeding can occur. Plan for drips on adjacent pale masonry and specify stainless steel fixings for best results.
Workability and Machining
Ekki’s density and mineral content deliver strength, but they also require the right approach in the workshop:
- Machining: Best with sharp, tungsten-carbide tooling and moderate feed rates to mitigate blunting.
- Fixings: Pre-drill and countersink; stainless steel is strongly recommended in exterior and marine settings.
- Glueing & finishing: Use high-performance adhesives like epoxy or acrylics and wipe oily surfaces with the right solvent before bonding or coating. Mechanical fixings are preferred for structural assemblies.
- On-site handling: Heavier than most species; plan lifting, storage, and access accordingly.
Civil Hardwoods offers full in-house machining to deliver parts that are ready to install – saving time on site and reducing risk.
Common uses/applications
- Sea walls, quay decks, fenders, dolphins, and piles
- Bridges, boardwalks, heavy exterior decking, and thresholds
- Lock gates, sluices, and water control structures
- Railway sleepers and crossing timbers
- Bollards, kerbs, and impact-resistant edging in yards and ports
- Heavy structural members where long service life is critical
Sustainability
At Civil Hardwoods, we take where our timber comes from seriously. As a specialist UK supplier of tropical hardwoods, we source only through verified, legal supply chains, and we can share certification whenever you need it. We only offer FSC® & PEFC™ certified Ekki wood for sale.
Ekki is built to last. That long service life means fewer replacements, fewer maintenance cycles, and a lower whole-life carbon and cost footprint over time. If your project has strict criteria, we’ll walk you through the options: certification packs, due diligence paperwork, and even suitable species alternatives where appropriate. Talk to our team – we’re here to help you make the right call for performance and the planet.
Supplied Cut to Size and Machined
From our Shropshire facility, we supply Ekki across the whole of the UK – precisely cut, profiled, and ready to install.
- Cut-to-size: Sawn to precise dimensions with tight tolerances
- Profiling: Planed-all-round (PAR), chamfers, radiused edges, rebates, grooves, and anti-slip decking profiles
- Drilling & fabrication: Pre-drilled bolt holes, slots, countersinks/bores, housings, and mortices
- CNC to drawings: We work directly from your CAD files for repeatable accuracy
- Project support: Batch labelling, piece marking, and packing for phased delivery
Whether you need a one-off structural beam or a large, fully machined package for a marine project, our technical team will help you specify the right sections, profiles, and fixings for the job.
