Ekop (Tetraberlinia tubmaniana)

Ekop is an imported hardwood

Location

Ekop or gola (Tetraberlinia tubmaniana) grows only in Liberia.

Characteristics

The heartwood is light reddish brown and is distinct from the lighter colored sapwood, which may be up to 5 cm (2 in.) wide. The wood is medium to coarse textured, and the grain is interlocked, with a narrow striped pattern on quartered surfaces. The wood weighs about 735 kg/m3 (46 lb/ft3) at 12% moisture content. It dries fairly well but with a marked tendency to end and surface checks. Ekop works well with hand and machine tools and is an excellent wood for turnery. It also slices well into veneer and has good gluing properties. The heartwood is only moderately durable and is moderately resistant to impregnation with preservative treatments.

Primary Uses

Ekop is a general utility wood that is used for veneer, plywood, and furniture components.

*Much of the base wood information presented here is made available by the USDA FPL FS. If you are interested in a much more technical description of wood properties, I encourage you to visit the source.