Ipe (pronounced EE-pay) is one of the finest products available for exterior decking. Few decking materials combine the beauty of real wood with natural durability, strength and easy maintenance.

Quality conscious homeowners and builders have been using Ipe for years. It is now widely regarded as one of the best alternatives to treated wood and composite decking materials. Nearly blemish free, Ipe is strong enough to use 1" boards in place of 5/4" or 2" boards.

Ipe is the finest quality wood available. From the Atlantic City Boardwalk, to Las Vegas' Resort Hotel Treasure Island, to your own backyard, nothing keeps it's integrity or lasts as long as Ipe Decking. Ipe is an exotic hardwood that is naturally resistant to rot and decay, and is 8 times harder than California Redwood.

Ipe Specifications

Exterior Uses
Decks, boardwalks, docks, any outdoor wood project

Material
Natural durable, plantation-grown South American hardwood, rated by the
U.S. Forest Products Laboratory for 25+ years. An extremely dense, tight grained wood. Generally a deep rich brown with some pieces displaying red and amber hues.

Hardness Rating
640 Janka, almost 3 times better than Red Oak. 3600 lbs.

Load Rating
100 pounds on 24” centers, far better than cedar, redwood or pressure
treated decking. 22,560 psi bending strength.

Decay Resistance
Highest rating for insect (termite) and decay resistance. Offers up to 100 year lifespan.

Fire Rating
Class A NFPA, Class 1 UBC.

Colors
Natural variations of rich brown colors (maintained by sealing) or allowed to
weather to a lovely silver gray color.

Other Related Products

• Ironwoods
• Deck Tiles

Ipe Pre-grooved Decking

Ipe Installation

Tools
Conventional carbide-tipped saw blades and drill bits. The tool life of high speed
steel will be greatly shortened when cutting or drilling Ipe.

Pre-grooved Ipe Decking
with Ipe Clip Hidden Fastener

Hidden Fasteners
Hidden fasteners are the preferred method of installation for the beauty of a smooth blemish-free Ipe surface. Today, popular for use with Tarheel Wood Treating's 'pre-grooved Ipe' is the new Ipe Clip Extreme KD hidden deck fastener, available in several styles.

Other hidden fastener decking systems that attach the decking to the joist are EB-TY and DeckMaster.

Stainless Fasteners
Recommended is stainless steel screws through the face of every board or hidden fasteners for a blemish free deck surface. One of the best stainless steel screws to use is the Headcote brand which has a color coated head to match the Ipe. They are available with flat or trim heads, from Tarheel Wood Treating.
Note: Non-stainless steel fasteners will cause discoloration near the fastener.

Ground-side Ventilation
Build your deck so that the surface is at least 16” above the ground. There must be adequate air circulation underneath the deck in order to prevent cupping and warping of boards. In wet areas, additional clearance is recommended.

Handling Tips
Keep the material off the ground by placing a few pieces of lumber underneath the deck package. Cover the material with a tarp to protect from sun damage and rain.

Storage
Ipe should be kept out of direct sunlight and allowed to equalize to the
ambient moisture content. Although Ipe is not kiln-dried, it is generally shipped on
breather sticks and will equalize within a few weeks. Maximum possible shrinkage is 1/8” on 4” decking and 3/16” on 6” decking. It is recommended that there be a 1/16” to a 1/8" gap between deck boards when installed. When a deck package is delivered to a job site, most of the equalization has already occurred.

For more product and sales info, contact Tarheel Wood Treating at 919-467-9176.

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