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.
- This type of Brazilian wood decking lasts, conservatively, for at least 50 years. It can last even longer with proper care.
- 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.
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