If you are not familiar with Ipe, also called Brazilian walnut, then your first lesson should be to know how to pronounce it: “ee-pay.” This unique looking exotic wood hails from South America and is naturally strong, hard and resistant to the elements, rot and abrasion. But don’t dismiss Ipe just because it sounds like a fancy wood—it’s actually very versatile. For this reason, you are likely to see Ipe lumber used outside for wood decking, wood structures and other outdoor applications, as well as installed indoors as flooring.
Ipe lumber is a material that all homeowners and builders should keep on their radar for all sorts of improvement projects. Now, let’s take a look at Ipe decking in Franklin County, MA and some of the other top uses for Ipe lumber.
Ipe is considered by many lumber retailers and builders to be one of the best woods for residential and commercial deck building. For starters, Ipe continues to sit at the top of the list of the most popular and sought after natural hardwood decking woods on the market, surpassing most other decking woods and synthetic woods. It will last a long time, and not only does Ipe have a fire rating that’s the same at steel, it’s also extremely crush resistant and is guaranteed to weather beautifully through the years and every season.
While teak wood has been a long running leader as a popular choice for building outdoor furniture, Ipe is not too far behind thanks to its ability to weather well outside for 25 years or more. Ipe furniture pieces—like chairs, tables and benches—are the perfect addition to any deck or other outdoor structures, especially if they too are made of Ipe wood.
If you are thinking about improving your backyard with new structures and fixtures, let Ipe be your lumber of choice. This type of wood is popular in the building of outdoor structures—including docks, pergolas, trellises, fences and more—because of its ability to ensure long-lasting outdoor structures and fixtures. Also, an unfinished material like Ipe is perfect for blending right into your landscape, which creates a pleasant visual flow.
We’ve talked about Ipe’s ability to hold strong outside, and how outdoor structures made of this wood are long lasting. But, did you know that Ipe lumber is also a fantastic option for indoor flooring? This is thanks most in part to its appealing characteristics like its rich coloring and hard form, as well as the certainty that, with proper care and maintenance, it will have a long life.
All in all, it can be agreed that Ipe lumber has many uses both inside and outside, including for stunning Ipe decking in Franklin County, MA. Are you ready to get building? For the biggest selection of responsibly sourced exotic lumber around, look no further than the lumberyard at Forest Products Associates. Call us today for more information about the wood we carry or to check on a specific type of wood!
Posted: to Ipe Decking on Thu, May 25, 2017
Updated: Thu, May 25, 2017
