What are Brazilian Hardwoods? Brazilian Hardwoods include the
species of Ipe, Jatoba, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Masaranduba. These woods are
more commonly know as Brazilian Walnut (Ipe), Brazilian Teak (Cumaru),
Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba), and Brazilian Redwood (Masaranduba).
Brazilian Wood Decks, especially Ipé, are known throughout the
world for their durability and for their beauty. An Brazilian Hardwood
deck will outlast any other due to its high density and natural
resistance against insects.
What is Ipé specifically? Per
Wikipedia; Ipé wood is used for
furniture, decking, and other outdoor uses. It has a fire rating of A1
(the highest possible, the same as concrete) [2], and is denser than
water (it sinks). It is increasingly popular as a decking material due
to its insect resistance and durability. FSC-certified ipé wood is now
(as of 2007) readily available on the market.
Why should I use Brazilian Decking like Ipé vs
composites or other materials?
Brazilian Hardwoods like Ipé and Cumaru are environmentally responsible
choices which naturally resist rot, decay, insects, and mold without the
use of toxic chemicals used in other decking products. Brazilian
Hardwoods are naturally fire resistant with an 'A1' rating, the same as
concrete and steel. Additionally, Brazilian hardwoods are
incredibly strong, dense, and harvested from naturally sustainable
forests. Brazilian Hardwoods are very durable in daily use, and are
resistant to splintering and checking.
How hard are Brazilian Hardwoods like Ipé and how do they compare to Domestic
woods like Oak and Hickory? All woods are ranked on the
Janka Scale. Brazilian Hardwoods are 2 to 3 times as hard as
anything grown domestically.
What are other names for Brazilian Hardwoods? Ipé is
known by many names: Ipé Brazil, Amapa, cortex, Guayacan, Flor Amarillo,
Greenheart, Madera negra, Tahuari, Lapacho negro and probably others. In
addition, it has a number of trade names such as Ironwood™, Pau Lope™
and Brazilian Walnut. Unfortunately, some dealers use these
trade names not only for Ipé wood, but also a number of other similar
species like cumaru. At Advanced Building Supplies you
can always be assured you are getting RealIpe,
RealCumaru, RealJatoba, RealTigerwood, RealTatajuba or other
RealWood species as board is tagged with its species name.
What separates traditional decking woods from the exotic ones? The
exotic woods differentiate themselves by their unbeatable hardness and their
fabulous natural colors. Traditional decking must be painted or stained.
Brazilian hardwoods have a rich grain that makes application of colorant
unnecessary. Hardness is demonstrated by the
Janka Scale.
Why use Brazilian Hardwoods for decking? Brazilian Hardwoods far
outlast PT and look beautiful. The hardest, Ipé is rated to last 100 years.
What this means is the will retain their beauty for as long as you own your
home. They will then be an asset towards its sale. A Pressure Treated Pine (PT) deck will need to be
replaced in 10-15 years. This means it will be showing its age in a far
shorter time. Brazilian hardwoods will still look new.
Can I use Brazilian Hardwood for my Dock? Yes! Brazilian Hardwood
provides the same benefits for docks as it does for decks. If anything,
Brazilian hardwood makes even more sense in a dock application.
This site shows a
Cumaru
Dock originally built with PT. It was old and unsafe then replaced with
Cumaru.
Do
Pine Beatles attack Brazilian Hardwoods? No, they do not attack
Brazilian Hardwoods. Pine Beatles are
spreading throughout the US. The good news is the US Department of Agriculture and Forestry rates Ipé
as "Very resistant to attack by decay, fungi and termites."
How do I know I am really getting Brazilian Hardwoods? Brazilian
hardwoods are not common in the US and are frequently mis-identified. We at
Advanced Building Supplies only sell
RealWood wood products. Each length of
decking is
individually tagged with its species name. Click here for an
example.
What is the Fire Rating on Brazilian Hardwoods like Ipé?
Ipé has a Class A fire rating, the same rating given to concrete &
steel.
Why don't you have lots of pictures on your website? We strive to
have both photos and accurate information about
Brazilian hardwoods. One area that many people miss is our
Warehouse Tour. Another site with
photos and information, actually one of the best, is
Brazilian Wood Depot. We recommend
you review their information about the Brazilian hardwoods. You can also
call us, our expertise is free.
A note on 5/4 vs. 4/4 decking. Customer purchases of 5/4 over
the past year has dropped dramatically! Most customers tell us that
5/4 is just too expensive and you really do not need it.
Should I use 5/4 or 4/4 decking? For any deck with 16"
centers on joists, 4/4 decking is ample. This question usually arises
when a builder is scoping 20" or 24" on centers. Using 20" centers for
joists instead of 16" centers really does not save you much time or
money. I've noticed other websites that have used 24" centers on joists
with good results. So, this 20" or 24" center must be okay.
We do not recommend it because none of
our contractors have ever tried it. They simply prefer 16" centers
because they like the added strength and security this provides with
very little difference in cost or labor. In summary, 5/4 costs 35-40%
more, is not structurally necessary and doesn't add anything
aesthetically. The difference you will pay between 5/4 and 4/4 is far
greater than the 16" center PT joists and labor to install them.
Finally, always
check with your local building code before starting your deck
project. Many areas in Florida and Louisiana (and other southern
states) will mandate deck and dock minimums.
Joist Centers: 12" or 16" or 20" oh my: See paragraph above.
How do Brazilian Hardwoods like Ipé withstand the weather? Weather
has little to no effect upon the structural integrity of Ipé, Cumaru or
any Brazilian Hardwood decking. The sun will eventually transform the
decking from it's original colors to a beautiful silver patina. If
you choose, you can keep the original colors by periodic sealing your
deck with a
UV Deck Sealer.
Can I use T&G Decking for flooring? Their are two big
differences between T&G Decking and T&G Flooring. 1) Decking is not
end matched, or in other words, the T&G are not milled on the ends. 2)
T&G Decking is not Kiln dried. In general air dried products are
designed for outdoor use and Kiln dried products are designed for indoor
use.
Note: throughout this website, we use
the term Ipe and Brazilian Hardwoods interchangeably. In 99% of
the time, what is said about Ipe will also apply to the other hardwood
decking, specifically; Jatoba, Tigerwood, Cumaru, Cumaru Rosa, Tatajuba,
Garapa, Massaranduba, and others that we carry. If a specific
discussion or answer only applies to a specific wood species, then that
fact will be communicated to the reader.
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