Saturday, 19 January 2019

Teak Wood Decking and Flooring - An Amazing Option for Home Improvement

You can immediately differentiate this from other types of wood with its yellow or red color. Teak is a dependable and quality wood decking which will enhance the look and style of your home. If you are interested in teak wood decking then you will want to know its many benefits.

· Elegance of teak wood decking: - There’s something about a wood deck that makes it a home warmer and more welcoming. The sophistication of teak wood provides a particular kind of beauty that no composite material can offer. Its natural hue together and fine grains produces a combination of perfect deck lines.

· Durability: - Teak is a Brazilian hardwood that can last for up to 20 years with little maintenance. According to the Janka Wood Hardness scale, Cumaru or teak wood comes in at 3540 lbf. To compare, natural oak is at 1360 lbf. Teak is almost 3 times harder than oak wood.

· Protection against insects: - Because of the high density of this wood, pests and other insects have a difficult time penetrating it. Teak wood decking lasts for decades thanks to is natural protective properties. Even without preservatives, teak is a very effective material for indoor and outdoor flooring.

· Uses beyond the deck: - You can use teak wood for almost every part of the house—not just for the deck. Some people use it as living room flooring. The color reflects light nicely and brightens up the room. The reddish brown and yellow combination makes the flooring unique.

Teak wood can also serve as materials for outdoor furniture. With the right shape and size, teak can be turned into useful seats and chairs that you can use in your outdoor space, such as your porch, backyard, or swimming pool deck.

Wednesday, 16 January 2019

Interesting Facts to Know About Brazilian Ipe Decking

You may have heard about how durable Brazilian Ipe decking is. You may have also seen how beautiful it is with its brown color, fine texture, and attractive grain pattern. But there are some little-known facts about this type of wood—and we are enumerating them in this blog.
  • Ipe is actually pronounced as i- pei.
  • Ipe is a Class A fire resistant material. What does this mean? Simply put, Brazilian Ipe decking was tested according to the standards created by ASTM or American Society for Testing and Materials. A sample of the material was installed in a test chamber and exposed to a gas flame. After the test, Ipe was found out to have a Class A rating—same as concrete and steel. The 3 classes of fire rating are Class A, B and C, based on FSR or flame spread rating.
  • Ipe comes from the forests of Brazil. Huge trucks harvest Ipe and travel miles on dirt roads, moist soil, and makeup bridges.
  • To protect the environment and ensure the sustainability of hardwoods, a law was established more than 100 years ago and amended several times. It is known as the Lacey Act, named after the Iowa congressman John Lacey. This Act bans the import of illegally harvested wood and wood products into the US. Leading suppliers in the US support the Lacey Act and require strict compliance in all their Brazilian Ipe decking imports.
  • This wood is three times harder than oak. Based on the Janka Hardness Test, its rating is 3680 lb. The test is specially made to measure wood’s resistance to wear and dents. As a point of perspective, the softest wood exposed on a Janka test has a rating of 22 lbs. Ipe is also naturally scratch resistant.