What is Ipe Wood?
Ipe (spelled ipe and pronounced “ee-pay”), also called Brazilian walnut, is a beautiful exotic wood from South America. Ipe wood structures are hard, strong, and naturally resistant to rot, abrasion, weather, and insects. It is almost twice as dense as most woods and up to five times harder. It is medium to darker brown in color, like a mahogany, so not only lasts a long time but has the beauty of a fine interior wood. If Ipe lumber is allowed to patina, color can be brought back to its original shade with the use a cleaner and brightener. Ipe wood lumber has become a very popular and inexpensive alternative to teak lumber.
How is it Used?
Ipe Wood Lumber is used for decking and other outdoor applications like furniture, siding, and fencing. Its has a extremely long life in the outdoors. It can last up to 75 years and will last more than 40years in almost all applications. That is 4-7 times as long as most pressure treated woods. If you want to build something to last for a long time, Ipe is an excellent choice.
Pros & Cons?
Pros:
- Strong
- Hard
- Long lasting
- Smooth
- Ages gracefully
- Naturally fire and rot resistant
- insect resistant
Cons:
- Heavy
- Requires pre-drilling or hidden installation hardware
What is the Price?
Ipe wood is a commodity like all woods, so pricing changes based on availability, quantity, and the market. As a direct importer we can provide extremely competitive pricing. So please contact us today. The price of Ipe is higher than pressure treated pine or cedar but it lasts many times longer than either of those options.
Where is it from?
Ipe comes from the Tabebuia Tree, which is native to the American tropics and subtropics from Mexico and the Caribbean to Argentina. The wood is sourced from a very large geographic area.
Part of the reason for woods toughness is the Tropical Environment that it exists in. It has natural hardness and oils that make it a naturally treated wood which will last a long time in all environments.
