rainforest project
Beautiful Ipe wood outdoor projects that last
When it comes to choosing a wood for a special outdoor project, Ipe wood is hard to beat in terms of beauty and strength. This tropical hardwood that grows in all regions of Central and South America and is becoming one of the best options for indoor and outdoor furniture.
A variety of flowering, this tree reaches heights of 150 feet. The diameter of the trunk of this tree can grow up to two meters at the base. It is found in a variety of places, the tops of the banks and is very prolific. The tree has several common names and are often referred to as Bat Hierro, Brazil nut, Pau Lope or Lapacho. Because this kind of tree is prolific throughout South American countries, is easily grown in managed forests. Managed forest practices remain the best way to encourage responsible forest practices. By choosing to use Ipe wood grown in managed forests, deforestation operation is discouraged and negative impacts on tropical forests is kept to a minimum. All ways check with the company you are getting Ipe, to ensure that the import of tropical timber to carry the Forest Stewardship Council.
This hardwood in particular has several features which make this an ideal choice for outdoor use. The hardness of this wood is remarkable and has a number of Janka of 3680. Janka ratings measure the hardness of the wood and for this qualification Ipe is 368 percent more than teak. To put this in perspective, Hickory wood has only a rating of 1820 Janka wood making it a little more than twice as hard as hickory. Whatever your family can deliver, this timber can handle.
If the project you have in mind is an outer shell of a pool or spa hot, you will need to consider how well the chosen material stands up to a wet environment. Other factors to consider here is the skid resistance and fragmentation. In all three categories, the characteristics of this wood make it the ideal choice. Ipe decking has been shown to exceed Americans with Disabilities Act requirements of static coefficient of friction in a humid environment due to the dense cell structure within the wood, fragmentation is kept to a minimum.
The heartwood of this tree is very resistant to water damage and has been given the highest rating possible from the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. It can be expected to last up to 40 years if left untreated, up to 100 years with an oil coating of the coating applied to the surface. It has also shown a high resistance the infestation of termites in the tests conducted by the United States Naval Research Laboratory. Wood left in the soil for 15 years still showed no signs of attack termites.
When looking for material for an outdoor project that you would like to complete and then have no maintenance or replacement, this wood is an option excellent. Choose Ipe wood is a sound investment for any home project and provides beauty and durability you can expect it to last a lifetime.
About the Author
Ronnie Tanner is a contributing writer at Everlasting Hardwoods. He writes about Ipe Wood and other industry specific topics.
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