A Wood that Resists Fire Like Steel?
A wood that resists fire like steel?
What is a natural building material that can resist flames with the same rating as concrete and steel, is three times harder than cedar, and is so dense that it won’t even float on water? That would be Ipe wood, a highly sought-after building material that is being increasingly incorporated into the plans of builders and designers.
What is it?
Naturally, from an incredibly beautiful tree, the Brazilian walnut, comes a beautiful style of wood called ipe (pronounced ee-pay). This tree is typically found in Central to South America and characteristically tends to produce a reddish brown or darker, blackish brown style of wood. It is one of the densest hardwoods available, and because of ipe’s color and diverse grain structure it provides a beautiful natural luster.
How can it be used?
Ipe wood has many different uses, however it is most commonly seen being used outdoors as decking or siding. Ipe wood is estimated to last a minimum of 25 years outdoors and if taken care of properly can last upwards of 50-75+ years! However, don’t let the toughness of the wood fool you, it can make beautiful flooring and cabinetry for indoor use as well.
Pros
Ipe is extremely sought after not only for it’s beauty, but also it’s incredible durability. The wood has excellent insect resistance and is superb in extreme weather conditions. Ipe was even used for the beachside boardwalk for New York City’s famous Coney Island. Now imagine the amount of wear and tear a deck like that would have seen through the years, and it was said to have lasted 25+ years before it needed to be replaced!
There aren’t many reasons not to like it.
Ipe is a wood of extremes, extremely dense and durable, which also makes it an extremely difficult wood to work with. Because of the wood’s density it has a high cutting resistance during sawing, causing a pronounced blunting effect on cutting edges. Luckily our craftsmen a very experienced in dealing with these objects, making Ipe wood one of Home Remedy’s favorite materials to work with to help bring your project to life.
Call Home Remedy today to learn more about Ipe decks and pricing!