Archive for March 15th, 2010

Compare Ipe Wood Decking to Pine Decking

By Jerry J. Jansen On March 15, 2010 No Comments

Ipe wood has been introduced into the market for use in outside decking, deck chairs, deck swings and outdoor playhouses. This is an exotic hardwood that is extremely hard and durable. It is also known by several other names as Cortez, Ironwood, Greenheart, Tahuari, Madera Negra and Ampa. Ipe is dark brown in color similar to a dark walnut. Pine decking material has a yellowish green tint to the wood. You can notice a distinctly green dust coming from the Ipe wood when cutting it and it is of a fine to medium grain.

Due to the hardness of the wood, a carbide saw blade must be used to cut it. Other types of blades will dull really quickly. Also, pilot holes must be drilled for the hardware to attach this wood. Whereas, treated pine lumber used for decking can be cut without the use of a carbide blade and does not necessitate the use of drilling pilot holes.

Pine decking is pressure treated with chemicals forced into the wood in order to make it more weather resistant and decay resistant. Even untreated Ipe wood is naturally resistant to mold, fungus, decay and termites because of the density of the wood.

Each of

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