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Ipe vs Other Hardwoods

Ipe Wood is the Best All-Around Wood. Period.

Yes, better than Cumaru, Massaranduba, TigerWood, Purpleheart, Angelim Pedra, Southern Yellow Pine, California Redwood, Cambara, Bankirai, Yellow Balau, Western Red Cedar, and any other wood!

  • Class A fire-resistant
  • Can have an outdoor life of 75+ years.
  • More than 2.7 times harder than even White Oak.
  • So dense it sinks in water.
  • Resistant to scratching.
  • Harvested legally and in a sustainable fashion.
  • Life is so long, wood is so strong and so resistant to decay and rot that it is used for railroad ties.
  • Splinter-resistant.
  • Does not require any treatment (untreated it turns a beautiful grey)

Don’t take our word for it here are the facts!

Strength and Durability Characteristics of Typical Residential and Commercial Decking Woods

SPECIES Approximate Weight per MBF at 10% MC Modulus of Rupture (psi) Modulus of Elasticity (1000 psi) Maximum Crushing Strength (psi) Side Hardness (lbs) Shear (psi)
Ipe 6,400 25,400 3,140 13,010 3,680 2,060
Cumaru 6,300 24,800 3,050 12,200 3,200 1,980
Massaranduba 6,400 27,300 3,450 11,640 3,190 2,500
TigerWood 4,600 20,120 2,390 10,320 1,850 1,960
Purpleheart 4,800 21,300 2,420 11,380 2,060 1,830
Angelim Pedra 4,400 17,600 2,050 8,990 1,720 2,010
Southern Yellow Pine 3,100 14,200 1,880 7,750 750 1,490
California Redwood 2,600 7,900 1,100 5,220 420 1,110
Western Red Cedar 2,500 7,500 1,110 4,560 350 990

WINNER: IPE

Moisture Related Shrinkage, Expansion and Stability

SPECIES Shrinkage Radial to Grain Shrinkage Perpendicular to Grain Differential Shrinkage Volumetric Shrinkage Stability Ranking
Ipe 6.6% 8.0% 1.4% 14.1% #1
Cumaru 5.4% 8.4% 3.0% 13.3% #6
Massaranduba 6.3% 9.4% 3.1% 15.1% #8
TigerWood 4.0% 7.6% 3.6% 11.3% #7
Garapa 6.5% 10.0% 3.5% 15.9% #11
Purpleheart 3.2% 6.1% 2.9% 9.1% #2
Angelim Pedra 4.4% 7.1% 2.7% 11.2% #3
Bankirai, Yellow Balau 4.5% 8.3% 3.8% 12.4% #9
Red Balau 4.8% 8.8% 4.0% 13.2% #10
Dark Red Meranti 3.4% 6.6% 3.2% 9.8% #5
Cambara 4.2% 9.1% 4.9% 12.9% #14
Southern Yellow Pine 4.8% 7.4% 2.6% 11.8% #4

WINNER: IPE

Ipe lasts the longest of all these woods. Ipe has the best characteristics for outdoor use and is the most stable species of all iron woods. You can buy with confidence knowing Ipe is the best. For more information, visit our page on hardwood lumber for decking.