Ecowood Posts & Beams

Ecowood Posts and Beams for Sale in Ireland

Ecowood is our own range of kiln-dried softwood. Kiln drying brings every piece down to a predictable moisture content before it leaves the warehouse, so a beam stays straighter and more stable once it is up. The sections here are all square, which makes them equally at home standing as a post or spanning as a beam, and the even honey-brown grain looks good left exposed on a pergola or open garden structure.

Ecowood post and beam sizes

Pick the section by the job and by the height or opening you need to cover. Each size is a square profile, so the width and thickness match:

• The 120×120 mm section makes posts for smaller pergolas, gate posts and garden frames where a slimmer look suits.
• The 140×140 mm section is a solid all-round post for pergolas and lean-tos, and a beam across a wider opening in a longer length.
• The 200×200 mm (8×8) section is the heavyweight for carports, large pergolas and feature frames, where you want the structure to look substantial.

The 8×8 name is the old imperial size in inches. What you receive is the finished 200×200 mm section, so plan your joints and brackets around the millimetre size.

Why choose Ecowood for a pergola or carport

Ecowood sits between everyday softwood and hardwood. At around 520 kg/m³ it is light enough for two people to lift and position, yet it has the size and presence of proper structural timber. The consistency between pieces means posts in a row match in colour and grain, which matters on a structure you look at every day.

If you want a denser post, compare our oak posts and beams or Yellow Balau posts. For a factory-finished option see MicroShades posts, and for a traditional reddish timber there are Douglas Fir posts and beams and cedar posts.

Installing Ecowood posts

Posts carry the whole structure, so set them properly and everything above them stays true. Ecowood is a softwood, so keep the end grain out of the soil:

• Stand each post on a post holder or a concrete post base rather than burying it, because direct ground contact shortens the life of any softwood.
• Join beams to posts with post connectors, using galvanised or stainless steel fixings rated for the load.
• Pre-drill every fixing near the end of a beam so it doesn’t split.
• Treat every cut end with preservative before it goes into place.

Looking after Ecowood

Ecowood is kiln dried rather than pressure treated, so give it protection outdoors. Left bare it weathers to silver grey over twelve to eighteen months, so most people oil it to keep the warm honey tone. A UV-protective softwood oil applied within the first few months, then refreshed every two or three years, keeps the colour and helps the timber shed water. You will find the right products in our exterior oils and stains.

See every species and size in our full timber beams and posts range.