Tag Archives: Brazilian Walnut

A Deck Board by any other name…

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Ipe decking goes under many names. It’s not surprising to see people confuse ipe with other names like Brazilian Walnut, Pau D’Arco, Ipe Tabaco, Yellow Poui, Bethabara, Pau Lope ®, and Ironwood ®.

Regardless of the name, a deck made of this exotic hardwood is going to last you a lifetime. If you want to know why, all you have to do is check out the many detailed stories and deck designs that are featured in this blog.

For the past 17 years, AdvantageLumber.com has been committed to providing deck builders and DIY homeowners decking options that are second to none.

Oh, and our prices are the best in the market, too! We also ship to all corners of the world and every person on our staff can help you answer all of your ipe decking questions.

So, if you or anyone you know is planning to build a deck, patio, or covered porch, check us out and we’ll be honored to help.

What is Ipe?

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Ipe (pronounced EE-pay) is an exotic hardwood that is used for decking, flooring, and a host of many other applications. Ipe has many names and is also known as Brazilian Walnut, Amapa, Cortez, Guayacan polvillo, and many others.

Ipe also gets misspelled in various different ways such as epi, epay, and eepay. Regardless of the name (or the spelling), ipe is gaining greater recognition and notoriety over other famous hardwoods such as teak.

One of the main reasons why ipe decking has such a good reputation is because of its density. Ipe is so dense that a single piece of it will actually sink in water. So, while ipe may not be the best wood to use on a yacht, it certainly is perfect for a deck.

One test that is utilized to measure the hardness of woods like ipe and teak is the Janka Hardness Scale. This test measures the force required to push a small steel ball into the wood about halfway. In fact, when tested with the Janka Hardness Scale, ipe was proven to be three times as strong as teak.

Ipe’s Janka Hardness was registered at 3600, whereas the Janka Hardness of teak came in at just 1050.

Ipe Deck

Ipe is also worlds better than both pressure treated and composite decking. Although ipe costs more than composite decking and pressure treated decking, the return on your investment is so much greater with ipe.

Here are some additional reasons why you should consider ipe for your next construction project:

  • 100% Natural
  • Free from chemicals and preservatives
  • Can last over 100 years without any treatment
  • Naturally resistant to termites and other insects due to superior density
  • Superior fire spread resistance

The best place to purchase Ipe wood is from AdvantageLumber.com. When you purchase ipe decking from Advantage Lumber, you will also be helping the environment. Our ipe decking is made of all-natural biodegradable and eco-friendly materials.

In addition, Advantage Lumber offers hidden deck fasteners to make installation a breeze. They also will ship to all corners of the United States and beyond. So, if you want to have a deck that not only is the envy of the neighborhood, but will be so for decades to come, then ipe wood is the best choice you can make.

UPDATE: Watch this informative video to learn more about Advantage Ipe™. You’ll see decks and hear from actual contractors and homeowners why they chose this magnificent material for their special project: