Ipe is an incredibly durable Brazilian Hardwood rated by the U.S. Forest Lab for 25 years plus. Naturally resistant to fire, insects, moisture, and movement, this air dried hardwood is perfect for exterior commercial and residential applications such as decks, docks or exterior furniture. In service for over 25 years, from Dinner Key Marina in Miami, to the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Ipe has proven durability. It can be sealed to maintain its natural beauty or it can be allowed to weather to be a beautiful silver gray.

Ipe is available in a variety of standard dimensional lumber sizes and can be used for entire projects. It is easily cut with standard carbide-tipped blades, but requires pre-drilling and screwing with stainless steel screws. Hidden fastening systems are also available. Standard decking sizes are 1x4 and 1x6 material (net 3/4” thickness), on 24” centers for residential use. The 5/4x4 and 5/4x6 material used on 24” centers provide more than 100 lbs./sf live load rating - far surpassing any cedar, redwood or CCA pressure treated material. It has a hardness rating of 3640 Janka, almost 3 times that of northern Red Oak at 1260 Janka. Ipe also resists grain separation, and is naturally resistant to molds, which are the two most destructive forces to the face of decks.

Ipe is competitively priced with high grades of cedar and redwood. If you compare the one time cost of Ipe to the 3-5 times you replace other materials over the life span of Ipe, the value of Ipe becomes very clear.

What is Ipe?
Ipe (“ee’-pay”) is a naturally durable hardwood that has been rated by the U.S. Forest Products Lab to have a durability rating of 25 years plus, making it one of the most durable timbers available. Air dried Ipe is well suited for exterior residential and commercial applications, such as decks, docks, exterior furniture and any other applications where an extremely durable and attractive hardwood is desired.

Where is it from?
Ipe grows in many different regions of South America. As members of the Tropical Forest foundation, every effort is made to acquire the Ipe from responsible sustainable foresting operations.

Is Ipe a new product?
NO. Ipe has been used for many years in the U.S. From the Dinner Key Marina in Miami to the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Ipe has been used all along the eastern seaboard for more than 25 years where extremely durable material is desired.

How heavy is the wood?
Ipe is about twice as heavy as oak, and four to five times as heavy as cedar or redwood. Partially dried Ipe weighs around 6 lbs./net board foot.

Do insects damage the wood?
NO, Ipe has a high natural resistance to wood boring insects and termites. Ipe is fine for fresh water piers but is not as resistant to marine borers found at the water line of salt water piers.

Do I need any sealers?
NO. Ipe does not require any type of sealer to maintain its durability, resist rot, or resist insects such as termites. A penetrating UV - inhibited sealers may be applied to maintain the natural brown luster of the wood.

Can Ipe be used for the entire deck?
YES, for the most durable deck, Ipe should be used for many reasons. Ipe will outlast CCA treated materials by 3 times the life of the wood. It is also the environmentally sensible thing to do. Unlike Ipe, pressure treated material is saturated with two heavy metals and a poison, copper chromium arsenate and is found to leach cancer-causing poisons for years.

Will the deck be slippery when wet?
The density of Ipe minimizes the ability of fungus and mold to grow on it, which is the main cause of slippery decks. The texture of the wood is a smooth surface and after some weathering, shallow surface checking will keep the surface from being too slick.

How expensive is Ipe?
Ipe is more expensive than the common grades of pressure-treated and poor grades of redwood and cedar, but comparable to premium grades of redwood and cedar. It is actually cheaper when life span is taken into consideration. Ipe is a one-time investment!