Ipe Decking is Scientifically Proven to Be the Best Decking Material

There's a lot of talk about which decking material can stand the test of time, the elements, and possible accidents that could cause a fire. The truth is, that only one decking material, far outperforms pressure treated decking, composite decking, and most other wood decking materials; ipe decking.

While it's nice to sit here and tell you that ipe decking is the best out there, period, savvy homeowners need to know that there are actual facts behind all the hype. Specifically, there have been major studies and scientific research conducted on the merits of ipe wood. These tests have concluded that ipe wood is, in fact, as good as billed and lives up to its reputation as one of the premium wood decking options available to homeowners today.

Three major tests that prove ipe (aka Brazilian Walnut) is the best decking material to choose come from:

The US Naval Laboratory
The National Fire Protection Agency
The Janka Hardness Test
When the US Naval Laboratory tested ipe, they found out that a board of ipe wood can be placed in the ground totally open to the elements for 15 years before it termites would even attempt to infest it. In addition, they also found out that ipe decking was extremely resilient. And that mold, mildew, and fungus had a hard time developing on the wood.

When it comes to the element of fire, ipe decking also receives high marks. In fact, The National Fire Protection Agency awarded ipe hardwood a Class A rating when it comes to how it handles fire spread. Why is this important? Suppose your dog knocked over your charcoal grill and all the briquettes spilled onto your deck. If your deck was made of ipe, the fire would have a better chance of remaining contained to the spot(s) where it landed. Compared to cheap composite decking or an inferior wood, the fire would not spread so fast and you would have a better chance of putting it out faster. This Class A fire rating for wood is exceptional because both steel and concrete also have the same rating from the NFPA!

The last test that people looking to start a home improvement project or deck building project need to be aware of is how ipe rates on the Janka Hardness test. This test measures how much force is required to force a small steel ball into various woods. The Janka Hardness test is significant if you are comparing ipe decking to California redwood, pressure treated decking, cedar decking, and even teak. This results of this test highlight that ipe is one of the hardest woods that nature offers. Here are the results of the Janka Hardness Scale for those four previously mentioned species: ipe is three times stronger than teak. Ipe's Janka Hardness is 3600 lbs; while teak's is only 1050 lbs. Pressure treated pine has a Janka hardness of 690 lbs. The Janka Hardness of cedar decking is 900. And in a result sure to shock any homeowner who thought redwood was an extremely hard decking material, California redwood has a hardness rating of only 480 lbs.

Clearly, with these scientific tests and results in mind, you can shop with confidence in knowing that ipe decking is, by far, an exotic hardwood that lives up to the hype and is the most durable decking you can buy. When you need decking that will stand up to the elements, time, and everything else in between, ipe decking is your best choice.

George Amarillo is an ipe decking expert. He can help the general public understand the importance of building with hardwoods that do not damage the environment. Please feel free to bookmark and share this article with your friends and loved ones, if you, or someone you know is looking to build a deck, or is interested in ipe decking, eco-friendly construction, or decking in general.

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Ipe the Proven Leader in Decking

Many people have never heard of ipe decking let alone have any idea why they would want to look at it. This hardwood is very recently being used more by residential users as commercial applications have been utilized for years. Little was known as milling was difficult and transport expensive. Now with technological advancement in equipment and more transportation venues the costs are competitive with the composite industry and sometimes less. Decking is an investment and does increase the value of your home. For that reason alone you want to find out why Ipe is the proven leader for all your outdoor decking needs. Now let find out a little more about what it is.

Ipe is an exotic hardwood originating mainly from South America but also from Central America and Caribbean. This decking is so dense that no chemicals are needed to repel insects and it also is mold and fungus resistant. The janka hardness is over 3600 compared to California redwood at 420, 8 times the strength. Ipe has the same fire rating as concrete and steel for flame spread. Naturally slip resistant, this deck has a life span of over 40 years without UV inhibitor. With UV inhibitor, the life span of Ipe is over 100 years so no need to replace in your lifetime and your kids can enjoy it through their adult years as well.

There are questions in reference to the environment and concerns over the future of the forests. There are companies such as Advantage Trim & Lumber that only purchase from reputable companies that practice responsible forestry. FSC certified lumber is also available for the more discriminating clients, architects and designers. This allows you to have a paper trail from the actual forest where it was cut to the final destination from where you purchased. Responsible forestry includes cutting down only older trees that no longer bear fruit and replacing with two or more young trees that have the space and time to grow. Selective areas are chosen and land is retained for forestry rather than burnt down for agricultural cash cropping or cattle grazing. This is what will help us save our future forests and prevent the land being used for other sources.

Now let's take a quick look at the competitive products. Pressured treated decking has been the most popular and least expensive but in the long run has to be replaced in as little as 5-10 years depending on how often it is sealed and the out gassing of chemicals is a detriment to your health and environment. Composite decking has a terrible history of warping, molding, staining, flaking, and delaminating. Warranties have not been honored in the past and now are being written with verbage to exclude labor to reinstall. Lawsuits are mounting and new products are yet to be tested.

I hope this has answered your basic questions about why Ipe is a proven deck leader. This product was chosen on such commercial applications as Miami boardwalk and Atlantic City Boardwalk for good reason. Do it once and do it right the first time as the saying goes. No one wants to pay to rip out and re-install a deck but rather enjoy their time with family and friends on their new outdoor oasis.

Rosi Lehr is a contributing writer for Advantage Trim & Lumber Co. Please visit her for all your lumber and decking needs.
Ipe Decking

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