Ipe Decking

Ipe Decking Specs

Botanical Name:  Tabebuia spp. (Lapacho group)

Common Name:  Ipe

Other Common Names:  Brazilian Walnut, Amapa, Cortez, Guayacan polvillo, Flor Amarillo, Greenheart, Madera negra, Tahuari, Lapacho negro

Common Trade Names:   Pau Lope, Diamond Decking, Ironwood, and many others.

General Characteristics: Dark brown walnut color.  Gives a green dust when cut.  The texture is fine to medium.  The tree may grow to 150 feet in height with trunk diameters of 6 ft.   Frequently to heights of 100 ft an diameters of 2 to 3 ft.  Boles are clear to 60 ft and more.

Weight:  Basic specific gravity (oven dry weight/green volume) 0.85 to 0.97, air dry density 66 to 75 pounds per cubic foot.  A 3/4" thick finish material weights approx. 4.5 pounds per square foot.

Moisture Content of Decking: Our Ipe Decking is specially dried for use on exterior projects.We also sell Ipe lumber kiln dried specifically for interior use. DO NOT use kiln dried interior lumber in exterior projects as it will expand.  Ipe Decking dried for exterior use will shrink inside.

Janka side hardness:   3,060 lb for green material and 3,680 lb at 12% moisture content. 

Bending Strength:   22,560 psi

Maximum Crushing strength: 10,350 psi

STRENGTH - ASTM-D143-09 tested; Three times stronger than Cedar, our Ipe Decking exceeds all existing code requirements for exterior constructions.

Forest Products Laboratory toughness average for green and dry material = 404 in.-lb (5/8" specimen.)

Drying and shrinkage (green to oven dry): Radial 6.6%, tangential 8.0%, volumetric 13.2%.   Movement after manufacture is rated as small.  Typical movement for a air dried decking board 6" wide board is 1/16" in between seasons.

Working Properties:  Has a blunting effect on cutters, use of carbide tipped saw blades is necessary.  Routs nicely.  Must be predrilled for fastening.

Distribution:  Throughout the continental tropical America and some of the lesser Antilles.  The tree grows on a variety of sites from ridge tops to riverbanks and marsh forest.  Our Ipe is responsible harvested from managed forest.  We also support extensive replanting programs.  Ipe is as widespread in tropical America as Yellow Pine is in the United States.

Durability:  Heartwood is very resistant to attack by decay fungi, mod, and termites.  Last 75+ years.  U.S. FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY - Class ( Very Durable - 25 years ) This is the highest rating available from the forest laboratory.

Uses: Exterior Decking, Benches, Adirondack furniture, Truck and Fishing vessel flooring, fine interior cabinetry and flooring, Archery Bows, Heavy marine dock construction.

TERMITE RESISTANCE - U.S. NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY - ( 15 years in ground without attack by termites ) Highest Rating.  

HARDNESS - ASTM-D143-94 tested; Approximately seven times harder than Cedar, our Ipe decking stands up to the harshest conditions imaginable.

SLIP RESISTANCE - ASTM-C1028-89 tested; Our Ipe Decking exceeds the  Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for Static Coefficient of friction in a wet environment