Okan Ironwood Hardwood Decking

Okan is one of the hardest wood in the planet. As it is the wood of choice by the Antarctic explorers, Roald Amundsen and Ernest Shackleton both chose to clad the hulls of their famous ships, Fram and Endurance, with Okan.

One of the UK traditional timber of choice for shipbuilding and maritime construction. Soak one in the swimming pool for 10 years, we give you warranty for it.

Available in:
Machined from sawn stock – 95mm x 20mm.

Country of Origin - Principally Guyana; also Surinam and Venezuela.

Uses

Suitable for all marine construction work including ship construction. Also for bridges, heavy duty flooring, chemical vats, billiard cue butts, turnery, fishing rods, longbows etc.

General Description

This evergreen tree varies considerably in colour, from yellow-green, golden yellow, light olive, dark olive, yellow-brown, dark brown to black. Decayed or defective logs have a yellow colour. The grain is straight to interlocked or roey. The texture fine and even, lustrous and cold to the touch. Weight 1030 kg/m3 (64 lb/ft3); specific gravity 1.03.

Why OKan? This is a Timber that has centuries of history backing it.
It is harder than Chengai wood.

Janka Hardness of Okan:  3684 pounds

Janka Hardness of Borneo Ironwood: 3010 pounds

Janka Hardness of Pyinkado / Myanmar Ironwood: 1915 pounds

Janka Hardness of Chengal :  2130 pounds

Janka Hardness of Coconut: 1600 – 2200 pounds. ( Grade C to Grade A )

Janka Hardness of Pine wood : 870 pounds.

Janka Hardness of Teak: 1100 pounds

The Janka Hardness Scale test measures the force required to embed a 11.28 millimeter (0.444 inch) steel ball into wood to half its diameter. This method was chosen so that the result would leave an indention 100 square millimeters in size. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. It is also a good indicator of how hard a species is to saw or nail.Comes from FSC forest.

Mechanical Properties

Exceptionally heavy density, and very high bending and crushing strengths; very high stiffness and high resistance to shock loads. It has a moderate steam bending classification although requiring extra efficient support on the outer face.

Seasoning

Dries very slowly with considerable degrade with checking and end splitting. Boards over 1” (25mm) thickness should be partly air dried before kilning. Existing shakes liable to extend and splitting of knots may occur. Medium movement in service.

Durability

Very durable. Excellent resistance to marine borers. Sapwood liable to attack by pinhole borers, but the heartwood is immune. Extremely resistant to preservative treatment. Characteristic similar to merbau and teak.very little movement when air dried or kiln dried at range of 20-25% moisture content for outdoor use and 14-18% for indoor flooring. Minimal bleeding. Immune to termites and insect attacks.

This species is very resistant to decay and termite and dry insect attack. Just like concrete and steel, it even has a Class 1 UBC (uniform building code) fire rating. Along with its extreme hardness, strength, weight, density, and durability, Okan is also one of the most stable woods available

Color

Will weather to dark brown and driftwood grey.
weather to riftwood color will depend weather n exposure.

Description
Okane is rated ‘Very durable’ in AS 5604-2003 Timber – Natural Durability Ratings, for a probable in-ground life expectancy of greater than 25 years, and greater than 40 years for above-ground applications. The timber is historically renowned for its weight, strength, durability and hardwearing properties. The Antarctic explorers, Roald Amundsen and Ernest Shackleton both chose to clad the hulls of their famous ships, Fram and Endurance, with Okan.

Okan is one of the few species of wood that can handle exposure to salt water. It was used on Shackleton’s ice breaker vessels that sailed to Antarctica in the early 1900′s. One of the hardest and most durable woods on the planet, Okan is typically used in rough lumber and piling applications.

Janka Hardness: 3,500 pounds
Strength (MOR): 19,550 psi
Stiffness (MOE): 2,970 1000 psi
Density (KG/m3): 960
Color: Heartwood is Brownish-green with a white to yellow sapwood.
Photosensitivity:
Tangential Shrinkage: 9.6 %
Radial Shrinkage: 8.8 %
Family: Lauraceae
Tree Characteristics:
Geographic Area: Venezuela, Haiti, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Brazil
Texture: Fine
Grain: Straight
Luster: Lustrous
Durability Rating: Rated as very durable and resistant to termites and marine borers.
Drying Characteristics: Dry at slow speed, significant risk of checking and splidding.
Working Characteristics: Rated as somewhat difficult to work
Applications: Decking, flooring, boat building, turnery, sporting goods, tool handles, pile-driver cushions, sub-flooring

When you choose Supertimber, you arent buying a Deck, but are choosing 20 years of woodworking excellence and experience.

Description
We supply a variety of structural timbers for use as fenders, retaining walls, lock gates, crane mats, rail road ties, decking and timber frame construction.
Greenheart is The Untreated Alternative for any marine construction. This dense tropical hardwood is highly resistant to decay, termites and marine organisms.

Okane Piling stands in a class superior to all other woods used for marine and structural applications. Greenheart : A Timber with Exceptional Qualities – U.S. Department of Agriculture, states Greenheart wood is almost immune to decay and is more resistant to the teredo worms and other marine wood borer than any of the hundreds of species of timber so far used for piling.

Okane has been in use for centuries around the world with a proven reputation of longevity when used under extreme conditions. Greenheart is becoming increasingly popular as The Untreated Alternative. This unique timber requires no treatment, yet it is significantly stronger than Pine, Oak or Douglas Fir.

The available lengths in Okane piles range from 10 feet to 75 feet long with diameters on the larger end (Butt) of 12 to 22.

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