When Ipe is selected, the logging commences and the wood is delivered to our manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Georgetown in Guyana. The sustainable harvesting process is heavily regulated by the government of Guyana and other agencies throughout South America. This strict oversight is helping to ensure future hardwood crops for generations to come. Each log is tagged, tracked, and cut to perfection by our talented and expert technicians. It is here that we begin to see the visual characteristics of Ipe.
As the logs glide through the mills’ saw blades, the prized lustrous rich brown color is revealed. Sometimes the color is olive-brown or has blackish tones. Unless an oil finish is applied to bring out more of the wood’s beauty, the manufactured wood will eventually fade in the sunlight to an attractive silvery-grey patina. Repeated treating of the wood with timber oil or a deck brightener and cleaner retains the brown hue and radiant texture.
The beautiful exotic South American Ipe is manufactured with no knots, borer holes or sapwood on at least three sides of every board cut. Meticulous cuts are made with great precision to ensure that all decking boards are straight, with the same thickness and appropriate width. After the boards roll out of the mill, they are air-dried to 12-18% moisture content to prevent cracking and excessive movement in the wood when the material is exposed to the natural weathering elements.
Kiln drying is also available but not necessary unless the materials are going to be used indoors where artificial heating and cooling are utilized. We evaluate each of our customer’s project locations and determine the best drying application.
Ipe is a dense wood that is smooth cut and rarely splinters. Because of this attribute there is little need for sanding the boards for exterior use.
When the Ipe lumber is loaded onto trucks at the plant, a final inspection occurs. The boards reveal two types of grain common to the Ipe wood (straight and cathedral grains) and have slip resistant properties. This is important since Ipe is commonly used in high traffic areas because of its toughness.
When Ipe reaches its destination, the blank canvas comes to life. As construction begins, it becomes apparent why Ipe is one of the best tropical hardwood choices for most outdoor decking projects. The end result is beautiful and incredibly stable. The installation of Ipe can be done by face screwing or by using hidden clip fasteners. Once the decking is installed our customers can use a deck brightener product to remove any dirt and give a fresh milled look to the final creation. Some might choose to achieve an ultra-smooth surface by sanding the decking and then add a natural stain to further enhance Ipe’s beauty.
Untreated, the wood has a class A rating, making it naturally almost as fire resistant as concrete and metal. In addition to this incredible attribute, we at Woods Direct will stand by our shipment with a 50-year product guarantee for as long as the original owner possesses the property. Other applications for Ipe include bridge building projects, boardwalks, marinas, outdoor furniture, siding and fencing.
At Woods Direct we only sell grade A lumber to our customers. Some companies may sell less-er quality products at cheaper prices. Unlike our lumber, this lumber may contain knots in the wood, pieces that are cut into the sap line, cracked ends and unevenly cut boards. our attention to detail and customer satisfaction is a priority. We ship throughout the US (including Alaska & Hawaii), Canada & the Caribbean islands. When you are ready to order Ipe decking and other tropical hardwood products, make Woods Direct your first choice.
