This Brazilian hardwood is one of the best products that can be purchased for use in outdoor projects. Ipe wood is a tropical hardwood originating in Central and South America. Because of the location of the trees natural growth, the tree possesses certain attributes that favor its growth in a rainforest environment. These attributes are also favorable for wood that will be used in outdoor door projects. One of these traits in particular is the ability of the wood to resist insects and moisture. Results from tests performed by the United States Naval Research Laboratory show Ipe wood left in the ground for 25 years still showed no attacks by termites and awarded the wood its highest rating. Also of importance when using the wood around the home, this hardwood has proven to be particularly fire resistant. In tests done by the National Fire Protection Association, the wood was given a rating of Class A and Class 1 by the UBC. These are both the same ratings that are carried by concrete and steel.
Another feature unique to Ipe is its incredible hardness. Standard decking size is 4/4 material with a net ¾ inch thickness. On 24 inch Centers the 4/4 material will provide a 100lb live load rating that out performs the more common woods used today. The hardness rating for this wood is 3640 Janka. Red Oak only carries a Janka of 1260. It is 364 percent harder than Teak. This superior strength also supplies another nice feature; the wood is naturally resistant to splintering. This is a definite bonus when building decking around swimming pools and hot tubs where the normal shoe attire is bare feet.
Decking and outdoor furniture made with this wood can be expected to last for an extending period of time with little to no maintenance. When compared with products made from materials such as cedar, oak or pressure treated pine; this wood can be expected to have a life span up to five times longer than that of other. Projects built with other hardwoods may need to be replaced several times over the course of a normal lifespan. When the total cost of these replacements is considered, the value of choosing Ipe wood the first time becomes clear immediately.
Environmental considerations should also be considered when choosing a material with which to build. This wood is grown throughout Central and South America and it grows on a variety of sites from ridge tops to riverbanks and marsh forests. This makes the tree an ideal candidate for growing in a managed forest environment. Most Ipe wood arriving in the United States is wood taken from managed forests, which are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which is one of the most respected forestry practices in the world. By choosing wood grown in managed forests, negative impacts of the timber industry are kept to a minimum within sensitive areas of the world’s rainforests. This also encourages sustainable forestry practices which held discourage exploitive deforestation.
