Ipe ( Brazilian Walnut )
Durability: Very Durable
Colour: Reddish Brown
Sizes available: 140x19
| Trade Name: | Ipe |
| Botanical Species: | Handroanthus spp. |
| Other Names: | Brazilian Walnut, Lapacho |
| Country of Origin: | Central – South America |
| Air Dry Density: | 1100 kg M3 |
| Durability: | Very Durable |
| Strength: | SD 1 |
Colour & appearance:
Heartwood can vary in color from reddish brown to a more yellowish olive brown or darker blackish brown; sometimes with contrasting darker brown/black stripes. In certain species, there are powdery yellow deposits within the wood. Ipe can be difficult to distinguish visually from Cumaru, another dense South American timber, though Ipe tends to be darker, and lacks the subtle yet characteristic vanilla/cinnamon scent while being worked.
Grain & Texture:
Has a fine to medium texture, with the grain varying from straight to irregular or interlocked. It has a moderate natural luster.
Working Qualities:
Overall, Ipe is a difficult wood to work, being extremely hard and dense, with high cutting resistance during sawing. Ipe also has a pronounced blunting effect on cutting edges. The wood generally planes smoothly, but the grain can tear out on interlocked areas. Also, Ipe can be difficult to glue properly, and surface preparation prior to gluing is recommended. Straight-grained wood turns well, though the natural powdery yellow deposits can sometimes interfere with polishing or finishing the wood. Ipe has a mild scent while being worked.
Rot Resistance:
Rated as very durable; excellent insect resistance, though some species are susceptible to marine borers. Superb weathering characteristics. (Ipe was used for the boardwalk along the beach of New York City’s Coney Island, and was said to have lasted 25 years before it needed to be replaced: an amazing lifespan given the amount of traffic and environmental stresses put upon the wood.)
Uses:
Flooring, decking, exterior timber, tool handles, and other turned objects
Product Attributes:
· Very Durable timber.
· Reddish brown timber, darkening with age.
• This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
· Rated as Very Durable, excellent insect resistance though some species are susceptible to marine borers.
· Sold as a Decking
