Often referred to by our customers as “Brazilian Walnut“, “Grandfather Wood” or “Lapacho”, Ipe is found in Central and South America and parts of the Caribbean. The sapwood is creamy-white or yellowish gray, and sharply differentiated from heartwood, which is olive brown with lighter or darker streaks.. The texture is fine to medium. The grain is straight to very irregular and often narrowly interlocked. The wood is very heavy and averages about 1,025 kg/m3 (64 lb/ft3) at 12% moisture content.  Often used outdoors in decking and siding applications, while inside the home or boat, we typically see Ipe used in hardwood flooring and custom cabinetry.

Benefits of Ipe

• Ipe is extremely durable, resists flames with the same fire-rating as concrete and steel,  and does not float. 
• It has a natural oil that makes it highly resistant to insects, mildew and decay, including both subterranean and dry-wood termites, but is susceptible to marine borer attack.
• Ipe lumber lasts a minimum of 25 years, although many architects say it can last up to half a century if maintained properly!

Working Qualities:   Ipe is extremely dense, very strong, and very durable. It is two to three times harder than Cedar or White Oak. Because of its high density and hardness, it is moderately difficult to machine and screw holes must be pre-bored.  It dries extremely well with little checking, twisting or bowing.

And don’t forget, Wood-Chip can deliver Ipe decking and deck supplies right to your door in Miami, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties.

Ipe Wood Decking

Ipe is the most popular, highest quality hardwood decking solution on the market today. An exotic hardwood that is naturally resistant to rot and decay, Ipé offers the same durability of Teak but at a more moderate price point.

The color of Ipe ranges from dark brown to olive-brown, with wide variation in grains. Great in tropical and harsh salty environments near the ocean or beach, Ipe is the world’s premier decking wood and can be found in many applications from public boardwalks to private residences. With the proper installation and care, an Ipe ( Brazilian Teak) deck can last 50+ years.

Ipé Deck Tiles

Our pre-cut Ipe Decking Tiles can be installed as either a permanent or temporary wood-surface, and can be: 

• placed over an existing concrete or cement apartment balcony / patio
• placed on an existing wood deck
• used as a stylish tropical roof-deck or pool-side walkway
• used to highlight a landscaping feature

To learn more about its uses and ever-growing popularity, check out the recent WSJ Article IPE: Wood That’s Tough as Nails.