Ipe Decking Information
Everything you need to know about Ipe Decking.
Ipe Decking Specifications
Advantage Ipe Decking Offers Durability & Beauty
Ipe (pronounced EE-pay) is the finest quality wood decking material available. From the Atlantic City Boardwalk, to Las Vegas' Treasure Island Resort, to your own backyard, nothing keeps its integrity or lasts as long as Advantage Ipe Decking™. Ipe is an exotic hardwood that is naturally resistant to rot and decay, is 8 times harder than California Redwood, and is guaranteed for 20 years without preservatives! Our Ipe Decking is responsibly harvested from well-managed forests to provide a truly renewable resource. Ipe has many benefits over teak and is available at a fraction of the cost. We ship our Ipe decking products direct to your home or jobsite.
Watch Extreme Ipe Decking Tests on DeckBusters™
Wondering if what you've heard about Advantage Ipe™ is true? Watch DeckBusters™ and you'll see the truth about which decking materials live up to the hype and which one's don't. If you've ever wondered what decking would look like is placed under a SUV or a blow torch, then click the banner below to find out!
The Benefits of Advantage Ipe™ Decking
Click the video below to discover the benefits you get when building your deck out of Advantage Ipe™. Strength and beauty aside, a deck made of Advantage Ipe™ will give you peace of mind for decades to come. Don't forget to see what others homeowners and contractors have to say about their Ipe Deck projects in our Deck Video gallery.
Ipe Decking Technical Info
Ipe Deck With A Pool
Ipe Decking Specs
Botanical Name: Tabebuia spp. (Lapacho group)
Common Name: Ipe
Other Common Names: Brazilian Walnut, Amapa, Cortez, Guayacan polvillo, Flor Amarillo, Greenheart, Madera negra, Tahuari, Lapacho negro
Common Trade Names: Pau Lope, Diamond Decking, Ironwood, and many others.
General Characteristics: Dark brown walnut color. Gives a green dust when cut. The texture is fine to medium. The tree may grow to 150 feet in height with trunk diameters of 6 ft. Frequently to heights of 100 ft an diameters of 2 to 3 ft. Boles are clear to 60 ft and more.
Weight: Basic specific gravity (oven dry weight/green volume) 0.85 to 0.97, air dry density 66 to 75 pounds per cubic foot. A 3/4" thick finish material weights approx. 4.5 pounds per square foot.
Moisture Content of Decking: Our Ipe Decking is specially dried for use on exterior projects.
We also sell Ipe lumber kiln dried specifically for interior use. DO NOT use kiln dried interior lumber in exterior projects as it will expand. Ipe Decking dried for exterior use will shrink inside.
Janka side hardness: 3,060 lb for green material and 3,680 lb at 12% moisture content.
Bending Strength: 22,560 psi
Maximum Crushing strength: 10,350 psi
STRENGTH - ASTM-D143-09 tested; Three times stronger than Cedar, our Ipe Decking exceeds all existing code requirements for exterior constructions.
Forest Products Laboratory toughness average for green and dry material = 404 in.-lb (5/8" specimen.)
Drying and shrinkage (green to oven dry): Radial 6.6%, tangential 8.0%, volumetric 13.2%. Movement after manufacture is rated as small. Typical movement for a air dried decking board 6" wide board is 1/16" in between seasons.
Working Properties: Has a blunting effect on cutters, use of carbide tipped saw blades is necessary. Routs nicely. Must be predrilled for fastening.
Distribution: Throughout the continental tropical America and some of the lesser Antilles. The tree grows on a variety of sites from ridge tops to riverbanks and marsh forest. Our Ipe is responsible harvested from managed forest. We also support extensive replanting programs. Ipe is as widespread in tropical America as Yellow Pine is in the United States.
Durability: Heartwood is very resistant to attack by decay fungi, mod, and termites. Last 75+ years. U.S. FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY - Class ( Very Durable - 25 years ) This is the highest rating available from the forest laboratory.
Uses: Exterior Decking, Benches, Adirondack furniture, Truck and Fishing vessel flooring, fine interior cabinetry and flooring, Archery Bows, Heavy marine dock construction.
TERMITE RESISTANCE - U.S. NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY - ( 15 years in ground without attack by termites ) Highest Rating.
HARDNESS - ASTM-D143-94 tested; Approximately seven times harder than Cedar, our Ipe decking stands up to the harshest conditions imaginable.
SLIP RESISTANCE - ASTM-C1028-89 tested; Our Ipe Decking exceeds the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for Static Coefficient of friction in a wet environment
Compare Ipe Decking
Compare the available decking woods. Read the following comparison and then give us a call1.877.232.3915. By any measure (hardness, strength, durability, appearance), our Ipe Decking is clearly the superior decking material across the board. But, don't take our word for it. Call to get your free sample. You'll see and feel for yourself how Advantage Ipe Decking™ speaks for itself! All Ipe decking is not the same. Our mills in Brazil cut only the finest logs for our decking production.
We stock Ipe Decking boards up to 20 feet long!!!
Ipe Decking
An extremely dense, tight grained wood. Generally a deep rich brown with some pieces displaying red and amber hues.
3600lbs
22,560 psi
Very durable and naturally resistant to decay and insects. Offers up to 75+ year lifespan.
Douglas Fir
A light reddish-brown wood with generally straight grain.
670 lbs.
12,400 psi
Not naturally resistant to decay. Should be painted or stained to prevent decay.
Pressure Treated Pine
Very pronounced grain. Dusty yellow-green color due to chemical treatment of the wood.
690 lbs.
14,500 psi
A chemical preservative, chromated copper arsenate is forced into the wood. Offering resistance to decay, but also potential health concerns.
California Redwood
Several grades available that vary considerably in in appearance and quality. Usually straight grained with a fine, even texture. Color varies from cherry-red to dark reddish-brown.
420 lbs.
10,000 psi
Premium grades are more durable than most woods in common use. Resistant to decay, but relatively soft and quick to weather. Treatment is recommended.
Western Cedar
Fresh cut, this wood appears a salmon pink color which turns a coffee brown over time. Species is generally straight grained.
580 lbs.
7,500 psi
This softwood is more durable than most woods in common use. Resistant to decay, but relatively soft and quick to weather. Treatment is recommended.
Philippine Mahogany
Interlocked grain similar to true mahogany, but with a courser texture. Species is generally medium to dark brown.
760 lbs.
12,000 psi
Only the dark red species are resistant to decay. Although more durable than cedar and redwood, it is still relatively soft compared to Ipe Decking.
Fire Rating For Ipe Decking
| Test/Classification | Rating up to |
| Ipe Decking Flame Spread (10) Minutes | 0 |
| Ipe Decking Flame Spread (30) Minutes | 5 |
| Ipe Decking Smoke Developed Values (10) minutes | 3 |
| Ipe Decking Fuel Contribution (10) Minutes | 0 |
| NFPA Class* | A |
| UBC Class** | 1 |
| * NFPA is the National Fire Protection, NFPA no. 1 Fire Safety Code | |
| ** UBC is the Uniform Building Code, 1979 Edition, Part VIII, Fire Resistive Standard for Fire Protection. | |
Should I "Finish" My Ipe Deck???
Finished Deck
"Finished" Ipe Deck
Applying U.V. Plus for Hardwood Decks will protect and condition your Ipe deck while also maintaining a natural appearance. The finish is NOT a stain but a protectant for the wood. The Ipe will darken slightly with the application of the decking oil, but will not stain the wood. The U.V. inhibitor will prevent your deck from fading in the sun.
Unfinished Deck (weathered)
"Unfinished" Ipe Deck
If you choose to not "finish" your Ipe deck it will naturally fade in the sunlight. Your Ipe deck will maintain its integrity and will NOT rot, splinter, or decay. Your Ipe deck will just turn a fine silver-gray color.
Either one of these options is a good choice when it comes to your Ipe deck. It is just a matter of taste whether or not you choose to "finish" your Ipe deck. Please feel free to ask any of our salesmen additional questions if you may have them.
Span Chart for Ipe Decking
| Nominal Dimension | Finish Dimension | Joist Spacing |
| 1x4 | 3/4" x 3 1/2" | 16" |
| 1x6 | 3/4" x 5 1/2" | 16" |
| 5/4x6 | 1" x 5 1/2" | 24" |
| 2x6 | 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" | 32" |
Note: Ipe Is a very strong material. The joist spacing shown is very conservative and designed to pass most area building codes and to have nearly zero deflection under standard loads. The joist spacing shown is also valid if the decking is laid in a diagonal pattern to the joist. The spans shown are typically used even with heavy loads such as hot tubs.
Find Out More About Ipe
Check out our new website for Ipe Decking. Go to www.IpeDepot.com The largest Ipe Decking resource on the web.
Click HERE to go to the Ipe Decking price list.
Find out why Ipe Decking is the perfect decking material in our Ipe Decking Reviews.
Be Sure To Visit Our Ipe Flooring Sale
Click HERE to see the special Ipe Installation process!
