 Ipe
TABEBUIA SPP
Ipe (spelled ipé, and pronounced "ee-pay"), also called Brazilian walnut, is a beautiful exotic wood from South America. Typically
used for decking and other outdoor applications, ipe structures are hard, strong, and
naturally resistant to rot, abrasion and weather. It is almost twice as dense as most woods
and up to five times harder. It is dark brown in color, like a mahogany, so not only lasts
a long time but has the beauty of a fine interior wood. If ipe is allowed to age, color can
be brought back to its original shade with the use of a pressure washer. Ipe has become
a very popular and inexpensive alternative to teak.
FAMILY
Bignoniaceae.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
Brazilian Walnut and Lapacho. Trade names include Ironwood and Pau Lope.
ORIGIN
Brazil, tropical South-Central America.
APPEARANCE
Heartwood ranges from olive brown to blackish, often with lighter or darker striping, often
covered with a yellow powder; sharply demarcated from the whitish or yellowish sapwood.
Left to nature, traditional weathering will change the ipe to a nice consistent light gray.
Texture fine to medium; luster low to medium; grain straight to very irregular; rather oily
looking; without distinctive odor or taste.
DENSITY AND BUOYANCY
Janka hardness is 3680, making it somewhat hard and durable, 185% harder than
Red Oak (1210 Janka). Average weight is 72 lbs./cu. ft. Specific gravity is .92 so it barely floats.
DRYING AND SHRINKAGE
It dries extremely well with little checking, twisting, or bow.
WORKABILITY
Ipe can be somewhat difficult to work with, especially with hand tools. It can have
a blunting effect on cutting edges, so pre-drilling for nails and screws is recommended.
It comes in good long lengths with limited warp. Planks do not bend well, but the wood
finishes and sands quite smoothly, with no splintering.
DURABILITY
This Brazilian species is one of the most stable of all the durable timbers. It can be
used in ground contact without preservatives or additional treatments. Has a fire rating of Class A, the same as concrete or steel.
PRESERVATION
Heartwood is very resistant to attack by decay fungi and termites, but not resistant to
marine borers, and has the durability and strength of teak. Ipe wood is very dense, making
it extremely resistant to preservation treatments.
USES
Residential and commercial decking, boardwalks, piers, fencing, park benches, patio tiles,
bridges, porch flooring and industrial flooring.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Ipe is widely recognized as one of the hardest and most
durable timberspecies in the world. The color ranges from dark brown to olive-brown and sometimes almost blackish tones, with wide
variation in grains.
Sometimes called ironwood or pau lope, ipe offers:
- high density, which results in a high fire-resistance rating
- natural resistance to rot and decay
LUMBER
Custom sizes available in flooring, decking and mouldings. Standard sizes available in decking.
- 4/4", 5/4" thickness
- 4" and wider
- 3' and longer
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