What Is Ipe Wood Decking?
What's So Special About Mataverde Premium Ipe Decking?
If you want the very best natural wood decking for your project, Mataverde Premium Ipe is the ultimate decking wood solution. Ipe makes a real-wood, all-natural, inherently beautiful deck. Ipe hardwood decking outperforms every known decking material on earth, and stays beautiful naturally.
The Mataverde® brand name is your assurance of quality. Mataverde Ipe is a sustainably harvested Brazilian hardwood. A backyard deck built with Mataverde Ipe provides years of comfort, satisfaction, relaxation, and peace of mind. It is no surprise that it is considered the "best of the best" decking materials. Nothing beats an Ipe deck.
Ipe hardwood decking is extremely hard, strong, and scratch resistant, which is why it has been used on such high traffic projects as docks, marinas, boardwalks, municipal walkways and public esplanades for decades. In fact, Mataverde Premium Ipe is so reliable, it is covered by a 25 Year Limited Warranty.
Download our free guide, the "Ultimate Guide to Selecting The Right Decking"
to see how Ipe and other hardwoods compare to other decking materials.
Discover how remarkable premium Ipe wood really is!
Want to see real-world proof of how well Ipe performs? Watch the results of our in-house test showing how well it performed over 15 years side by side with other popular wood decking species. Check out this real-time test of 15 years of outdoor exposure at our New London, CT Headquarters.
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Color and Graining of Mataverde Ipe Hardwood Decking
All real wood decking materials have naturally distinguishing coloration, unique character marks, and graining variations. Some decking wood species show more natural character than other woods. Mataverde® Premium Ipe is one such spectacular exotic hardwood decking species.
Premium Ipe hardwood decking displays a wide range of colors, graining and natural beauty. Typically there will be a full spectrum of color ranging from tans to olive browns, to reddish to dark browns, with this hardwood species. The spectacular graining variations and exotic “figuring” found in Ipe are similar to the variations of color and graining you would find in a hardwood floor inside your home.
Ipe decking wood exhibits a wide range of character and striping. The exotic graining, quarter-sawn figuring and striping will differentiate every Ipe board. No two pieces of Ipe wood are ever exactly alike. The variety of color, graining and figuration make an Ipe deck a one-of-a-kind work of art right in your backyard.
WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO TO SEE JUST SOME OF THE
NATURAL GRAIN, COLOR VARIATIONS AND BEAUTY OF PREMIUM IPE DECKING:
Ipe Hardwood Appearance Options
An Ipe deck will last for an exceptionally long time outdoors. But it is still wood, and all natural woods will behave and perform differently, especially when they are used outdoors. As exterior woods age many processes happen during their initial and life-long exposure to the elements. Here's what the typical life cycle aging process looks like for Ipe hardwood:
Would you like to learn more about the low maintenance of exterior wood?
Download the free guide "How Exterior Hardwoods Weather" now.
Ipe Physical Characteristics and Mechanical Properties
Ipe has many amazing physical properties and characteristics that make it one of the longest lasting natural wood species on earth. This wood species ages both beautifully and gracefully. It lasts so long we are very comfortable offering you a 25 year limited warranty against decay and insects for Ipe decking and wood siding materials.
Ipe has natural resistance to cracking, checking, twisting, cupping and splintering. It is extremely stable, hard, and dense. It withstands all types of punishment and is naturally decay resistant throughout all the fibers of the wood. Ipe wood is known to have the highest durability rating of any decking product on Earth.
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IPE DURABILITY |
Ipe is rated as very resistant to attack by decay, fungi, and termites. When properly cared for it is not uncommon for this decking material to last 40-50 years or longer. |
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IPE HARDNESS |
Ipe has a Janka hardness of 3,680 lbs. (more than triple the toughness of red oak). That's why it has an unparalleled resistance to scratching and gouging. There simply isn't a stronger wood decking material. |
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IPE FIBER BENDING STRENGTH |
Ipe hardwood has an amazingly high bending strength of 23,360 psi. That means you would have to apply 23,360 pounds of pressure, (or the weight of two average male elephants), per square inch to break a board. Because of its strength, this hardwood decking can out span virtually every wood species on Earth and will exhibit only minimal flex or "bounce" when you walk on an Ipe deck. |
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IPE DENSITY |
Ipe wood has a density of 1.04 g/cm3 (it will actually sink in water) |
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IPE FIRE RESISTANCE |
Mataverde® Ipe has been tested and received a Class A fire rating. The ASTM testing conducted on Mataverde Ipe hardwood also meets the same requirements as the IBC (International Building Code) and the ANSI/NFPA (American National Standards Institute/National Fire Protection Association) for a Class A fire rating. The natural fire resistance of Ipe makes it a great choice for decks that are near fire pits, chimneys, outdoor fireplaces, charcoal grills and more. Cigar and cigarette burns are not a problem on Ipe decks. |
Builders, Architects and Homeowners
Users have been relying on the strength, hardness and durability of Ipe lumber and decking materials for many years. Wherever there is a sincere desire to use the best all natural outdoor wood products available, Ipe high density hardwood is the material of choice the world over. See more at Ipe Project Ideas by clicking here.
Ipe Deck Installation Tips and Techniques
Ipe wood decking is such a hard material, special techniques and fasteners have been developed to make installing it better and faster than ever. There are several decking installation methods to choose from. The traditional method of installing Ipe is to pre-drill the deck boards and then fasten the decking with stainless steel screws to the deck joists.
Another faster installation method for Ipe is to use the Ejector screw. The Ejector screw securely fastens your Ipe boards to the deck joists without pre-drilling.
If you do not want to see screw heads exposed on your deck boards, a hidden fastener can be used. The Mataverde Concealed Deck Fastener is a fantastic deck clip and makes for a quick decking installation and for a beautiful Ipe deck that will last for many, many years to come.
Click here for additional information and installation techniques for Mataverde Decking and other high-density exterior hardwood decking species.
Looking for deck ideas? Need deck design inspiration?
Download the "Deck Design Ideas E-Book"
61 pages featuring over 150 deck design ideas.
Mataverde Decking Care & Maintenance
Ipe and other hardwood decking options can be a very low maintenance material. Always remove debris and dirt off your deck with regular cleaning. Keeping your deck clean actually extends the life of the decking and looks beautiful at the same time.
If your goal is to keep the original color and appearance of your deck or other outdoor Ipe project, a coat of oil finish such as Penofin Hardwood Formula Oil Finish with a UV protectant, or similar product, is highly recommended. An annual maintenance coat of the oil finish is suggested to maintain the original look of your hardwood decking.
Will You Let Your Ipe Deck Weather Naturally
Allow your deck to silver? Or preserve the warm tones? Ipe is beautiful either way.
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Natural weathering of Ipe boards develops a silvery patina making it a low maintenance choice for decking. |
A rosewood oil finish on your Ipe deck darkens and enhances the rich colors and natural graining of Ipe hardwood. |
How easy is it to maintain a hardwood deck?
Click here to learn more about the care and maintenance options for Mataverde® decking
RELATED:10 Solid Reasons Deck Builders Choose Ipe
How Does Ipe hardwood decking compare to other decking material options?
Ipe is an all natural sustainable decking material that totally outshines virtually all other decking material options, wood decking, composite decking, plastic decking, and more in nearly every measurable performance rating.
For a fantastic comparison of all the most popular decking material options, Download the "Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Right Decking" today.
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