Ipe decking, pronounced E-pay, is well known for its high strength, durability, and great looks. Ipe wood is used for so many different exterior projects. It is an excellent choice for decking, boardwalks, outdoor furniture, wood siding and more. However, with current Ipe decking prices at all time highs, and availability low, you may be thinking about other options. If Ipe decking doesn’t meet your project budget needs, here’s a few other great natural hardwood decking options to consider.
Ipe decking was chosen for the decking, railings and posts for this wildlife sanctuary in Naples, Florida for its natural beauty and durability in the punishing environment of the Everglades.
Ipe has become the ‘go-to’ species for high performance exterior hardwoods, and rightfully so. Ipe hardwood has earned its reputation for many decades. Ipe wood is incredibly hard, exceptionally high strength, very durable (long lasting) and has beautiful tropical graining and exotic color variations. Designers, builders and property owners often specify Ipe when an outdoor project needs strength, natural beauty, and high performance. When you compare Ipe to other decking material options, every decking option has some pros and cons, here’s a few.
Ipe hardwood decking works great on decks of all sizes, residential or commercial.
DOWNLOAD: Download the Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Right Decking
How Does Jatoba Decking Compare to Ipe Wood?
Jatoba, pronounced Jah'-toe-bah, is another high-density hardwood decking option worthy of consideration. Jatoba, also known as 'Brazilian Cherry', is a high density hardwood. It is gorgeous, hard, strong, tough, long-lasting and rot resistant. It is so durable, Mataverde Jatoba is covered by a 25 year limited warranty.
Jatoba hardwood decking on residential deck in Maryland
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ARTICLE: Compare Jatoba to Ipe Decking
Jatoba is a beautiful cherry red color. Jatoba may be oiled for a deeper finish or left to weather to a graceful silvery gray tone. It is redder and has a more coarsely grained appearance than Ipe decking. Both Ipe and Brazilian Cherry wood species have beautiful tropical color variations. With their gorgeous natural looks, both species are frequently use for backyard decks, docks, and boardwalks.
Jatoba decking on a high-traffic boardwalk in NYC, weathering gracefully after 9 years.
RELATED: Jatoba decking project galleries
Ipe hardwood decking project galleries
What is Machiche Hardwood and How does it Compare to Ipe Decking?
Machiche decking, pronounced mah-CHEE-chay, is a great decking option to consider. Machiche is available in three subspecies. Lonchocarpus castilloi is the very best and Mataverde Machiche is only offered in this subspecies. Machiche is FSC® Certified (Forest Stewardship Council®). FSC certification is an additional layer of assurance that this material is sustainably harvested from approved forests.
RELATED: Machiche hardwood decking information
When comparing Machiche decking to Ipe, you'll find that Machiche is exceptionally hard, remarkably dense, and highly resistant to breaking or rupturing. It shares many mechanical properties with Ipe hardwood decking. Due to these inherent qualities, both Mataverde hardwood decking options (Ipe and Machiche) come with a 25-year limited warranty against termites and decay. Machiche works exceptionally well on boardwalks, commercial projects and residential decks.
FSC Certified Machiche hardwood decking looks great on residential backyard decks, too.
ARTICLE: Compare Machiche Decking to Ipe decking
Machiche boasts lovely chocolate brown shades and lively, exotic grain patterns. When it comes to looks, Machiche wood is darker and has a more distinct grain than Ipe wood. To see how Ipe and Machiche stack up in the looks department, feel free to check out the decking photo galleries for each type.
RELATED: Machiche hardwood decking project galleries
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How Does Garapa Decking Compare to Ipe Decking?
Garapa decking, pronounced gah-RAH-pah, is another tropical hardwood decking option to look at. Ipe decking is harder and stronger than Garapa decking, but don’t think for a minute that Garapa is a lightweight in this contest. Garapa is harder and stronger than oak and is very durable in outdoor projects. In fact, Garapa decking has been used on boardwalks and is a high performance natural decking material to consider.
Garapa hardwood decking is rugged enough to handle the traffic on boardwalks
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ARTICLE: Compare Garapa Decking to Ipe decking
Color wise, Garapa is paler than Ipe decking. Garapa is a blondish, honey-toned hardwood decking material with fine graining and some (but not too much) tropical graining variation. The beauty of all the natural high-density hardwood decking options is that they will weather to a silvery gray patina without affecting their long-term performance.
Garapa hardwood decking is a beautiful natural option for porches and backyard decks
RELATED: Garapa hardwood decking project galleries
DOWNLOAD: How Exterior Hardwoods Weather Guide
How Does Cumaru Wood Compare to Ipe Decking?
Cumaru decking, pronounced Koo-mah-roo, is another high-density hardwood decking option to consider. Cumaru is even denser than Ipe, and that’s saying a lot. Cumaru wood also compares very favorably to Ipe hardwood in terms of strength, durability, and performance.
Cumaru hardwood decking on boardwalk in New York City
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In terms of looks, Cumaru is redder and has a more coarsely grained appearance than Ipe decking. Both species have beautiful tropical color variations. With their gorgeous natural looks, both Ipe and Cumaru are frequently use for backyard decks, docks, and boardwalks.
Cumaru hardwood decking is a beautiful option for a backyard deck
RELATED: Cumaru decking project galleries
ARTICLE: Compare Cumaru decking to Ipe decking
If you love the natural look of real wood decking but aren’t sure if you can afford Ipe decking for your project, you have lots of choices. Check out the pricing of all the most popular decking options here.
Are you ready to get a price for your decking project now? Request a decking quote here.
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