Ipe
(pronounced “ee-pay”) is an extremely dense wood
that grows in the tropical forests of Central and South
America. In addition to being extremely durable, the characteristics
of this wood are stunning.
Ipe is a hardwood that provides the highest durability rating
(25 plus years) from the U.S. Forest Products Lab. Ipe has
a Class 1 UBC (uniform building code) fire rating, which is
the same as steel and
concrete. Ipe hardwood is approximately twice as heavy as
oak. No sealing is required for this hardwood. It will weather
naturally to a beautiful silver patina, or you can have it
sealed for a longer-lasting deep rich look.
The strength (rated in PSI) of Ipe is twice as strong as Oak,
three times as strong as Cedar or Redwood and ten times as
strong as plastic. Ipe hardwoods are not only beautiful, but
have a smooth feel that are skid and splinter resistant.
