Many people, including me, like to talk about how ipe decking is one of the most durable and dependable woods on the market. This isn’t just sales talk. There have actually been studies and tests done that concluded that ipe wood lives up to the hype.
Three specific tests that prove this are from the US Naval Laboratory, the National Fire Protection Agency, and the Janka Hardness Test. more…
One feature of ipe decking that I most often forget to mention is how ipe handles fire. This kind of information is important to know because many deck owners use tiki torches, grills, and firepits on their deck. While we all try to be careful, there is always the chance, however remote, that one of those things could tip over and spark a fire.
There have been many instances where a dog bumped into a charcoal grill and spilled over some briquettes, or a guest tips over a seemingly put out tiki torch and a fire gets started. In those situations, you must react quickly to properly put out the fire before it spreads to the rest of your deck.
If you have a deck made of ipe, or are considering building an ipe deck, you need to know that ipe has a fire spread rating that is the same as concrete! What does this mean? Unlike other hardwoods that spread fire rapidly, fire tends to remain isolated around its point of origin. In this way, the damage that the fire has made is contained in a much smaller region on your deck. Of course, calling the proper authorities and attempting to put out the fire right away is absolutely critical and recommended.
Interestingly enough, ipe wood has a Class A fire rating for flame spread. Here is a table that shows the ratings given to ipe decking from the National Fire Protection Agency. more…
Recently, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville recently unveiled the highly anticipated new addition to their botanical garden area called the Gardens. Inspired by Asian pagodas, “The Lantern” is a truly beautiful structure. It was designed to offer a tranquil place to view the water as well as a peaceful place to get away from the hustle of university life (even for a few minutes). Read more about SIUE Gardens and the Lantern.
Why is this worth mentioning? The architect and planners specifically chose ipe decking due to the fact that it is environmentally responsible. I am sure they also realized that, in order for this structure to maintain its look for decades to come, they needed to choose ipe hardwood because it can withstand the elements unlike any other hardwood decking material.
Once again, this proves why ipe decking is the best decking material today.
The reasons why they would choose ipe Brazilian hardwood is simple.
Ipe decking has the following features that pine decking, composite decking, and other decking materials just don’t have: more…
