OHC Acquires Woods Unlimited in San Leandro, CA, Expanding Customer Reach with Apitong Trailer Flooring

Overseas Hardwoods Company (OHC), an importer and distributor of High-Performance Lumber Products since 1967, for the transportation, outdoor living, millwork, and marine industries, has acquired Woods Unlimited (Oakland, CA), a hardwood importer and distributor of transportation flooring and components. “We are thrilled to join forces with Woods Unlimited and…

OHC Picks up Inaugural Award from Fontaine Trailer

Fontaine Trailer presents the Fontaine Trailer Supply Partner Excellence Award to Overseas Hardwoods Company (OHC).  This is the first ever award for Fontaine to present to a vendor.  OHC is a supplier of imported High Performance Lumber Products, including the Apitong that Fontaine installs on their platform trailers….

A Word From our President Regarding the Operation Status of OHC

Dear Customers, During this unprecedented time, OHC wishes good health and safe keeping to all. We are proud to see Americans coming together with a common goal to combat this virus and thwart its adverse effects on our economy. During past times of war and economic upheaval, Americans…

OHC Statement Regarding COVID-19

Dear Customers, Overseas Hardwoods Company (OHC) is closely monitoring the impact and progression ofCOVID-19 (Coronavirus) and are adhering to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as, the World Health Organization (WHO). As always, our primary concern is the health and safety of…

This Is What Ipe Looks Like After 12 Years

On Alabama’s Northern shore of the Intracoastal Waterway lies Barber Marina. It is a full-service marina and boatyard on nine acres with 185 wet slips, 400 inside dry storage slips, 20 outside dry storage slips, yacht repair facility, boat and outboard service center, ship store with marine gasoline and…

Why Burmese Teak Is Perfect for your Next Yacht Or Sport Fishing Boat

There’s a reason why we call Burmese Teak the “King” of hardwoods. It is unmatched in almost every aspect of hardwood decking. For 2,000 years, it has been a highly trusted wood product because of its beauty, strength, and workability. Working with this hardwood comes with a high…

How Do You Know You Aren’t Using Illegally Harvested Teak?

At OHC, we hold ethics and quality to the highest standard. It’s the common thread that runs through every level of our business — from our relationships with suppliers overseas to the final product we offer our clients. This focus on ethics and quality is no different with…

Flat Sawn vs. Quarter Sawn Lumber

Before hardwood products ever make it to your deck, house or boat, a decision must first be made on how to cut the lumber. There are three ways that the lumber can be cut: flat sawn, rift sawn, and quarter sawn. Flat Sawn  |  Rift Sawn  |  Quarter Sawn Each method makes…

Is Your Hardwood Deck Hurricane Proof?

With the number of hurricanes the coast has faced over the past several months, it leaves many people along the coast wondering if their home is hurricane proof. When it comes to having a hurricane ready deck, you don’t want to take any chances. Choosing Hardwood Decking will no doubt give your…

5 Rivers Delta Revisited

5 Rivers, Alabama’s Delta Resource Center, is a dream location for an outdoor lover. Named for the five rivers that converge into the Mobile Bay, 5 Rivers was created to protect the extraordinary variety of plant and animal species in the freshwater and marine ecosystems found there, as well…

Marine Grade Plywood

There are few materials in shipbuilding that are as versatile as marine-grade plywood. Whether it’s needed for construction or repair, for a craft from an 8-foot skiff to a 65-foot yacht, Overseas Hardwoods Company has the plywood solution for any boating application. OHC’s marine-grade plywood is made of…

Tall Sailing Ships: The Peacemaker

In 1986 a Brazilian industrialist had a dream to build a three-masted staysail schooner. Handsome, powerful, and iconic, Peacemaker (originally christened Avany) was built by hand, using traditional methods, on a riverbank in southern Brazil. Built from the finest tropical hardwoods, including the highly desirable Brazilian hardwood Ipe, this ship stood out amongst…

Tall Sailing Ships: Nina Repairs

Ask any American what he or she learned about Christopher Columbus’ arrival at the Americas and you’ll likely hear two things. First, in the year of 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Second, his three ships were the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. The names of…

Wood for Boats

The earliest boats go back 8,000 years ago, starting with dugout canoes. Those early dugout canoes ignited a desire to harness the power of the water and the wind, and mankind has built on that technology. Egyptians added sails, which paved the way for historical ships such as…

5 Rivers Delta Experience

There’s a spot in Alabama where the Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley rivers converge into the Mobile Bay, fusing freshwater and marine ecosystems. The state of Alabama created a remarkable facility, 5 Rivers, Alabama’s Delta Resource Center, in an effort to preserve the hundreds of plant and animal species…

Live Oak Landing Docks

Live Oak Landing, located near Mobile, AL, was purchased from private owners by Baldwin County in 2012 as a means to protect and conserve coastal habitats, and also to provide recreational and educational opportunities. Its verdant 318 acres are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna,…

The Best Decking For Docks

When building a dock, there are many factors to take into consideration: cost, safety, durability, and longevity. In this article we’ll discuss some differences between pressure treated pine, exotic hardwoods, and composite to help you find the best material for your dock. Pressure-Treated Pine The only real advantage…

Plantation Teak Vs. Burmese Teak

When one lists the attributes of Teak, it almost seems too good to be true. Teak naturally resists rot, insects, and decay; doesn’t corrode when in contact with steel; has a beautiful, tight grain and weathers to a regal silver; is naturally non-skid; and is highly stable and…

Spring Boat Commissioning Checklist

Flowers are blooming, temperatures are rising, and you’re starting to imagine yourself out on the water with the wind in your hair and a light spray of water across your face. The only thing between you and your dreams is commissioning your boat for spring! Here are some…

Why Is Teak So Expensive?

The word “Teak” is synonymous with quality outdoor furniture, decking, and prestigious yachts. But as anyone who’s purchased Teak knows, that quality comes at a cost. The Basic Law of Supply and Demand Dictates Much of This High Cost. Teak is in high demand because of its properties. It…

What Is The Best Wood For Marine Grade Plywood?

Consider a boat: immersed in water, misted with caustic ocean spray, and pummeled by aggressive waves, one after another. Could there be a harsher, less friendly environment for wood? And yet wood is a prized boat-building material, spanning from the earliest boats carved out of logs to today’s…

Wooden Boat

Is Philippine Mahogany a True Mahogany?

Here’s the truth behind Philippine Mahogany: The term “Philippine Mahogany” was used largely in the 1950’s and ’60’s to describe wood species used on luxury boats or yachts. For many years the Meranti wood species has been known as “Philippine Mahogany.” Philippine Mahogany is a term that generally applies to a number…

OHC Welcomes Tom Dean

We are proud to welcome Tom Dean to the OHC family. Tom has been in the lumber, millwork, flooring, and decking business for 26 years. Tom earned his stripes in the lumber industry working for the family business (Dean Hardwoods, Inc.) since the age of 20. He’s worked…

Ipe vs. Pine

It is not a rare occurrence for Pine decking to experience a short life span as a result of exposure to the elements. OHC has a great example to demonstrate how treated Southern Yellow Pine and Ipe decking withstand the elements. Here at Weeks Bay National Refuge in…