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IPÊ (ee-pay)
General
Characteristics
Installation
Guidelines
Structural & Decking Span
Values
Mechanical
Properties
Comparison Chart
An incredibly durable Brazilian Hardwood rated by the US Forest Lab for 25 years plus. Naturally resistant to fire (rated class A by the NFPA or class 1 by the UBC) insects, moisture, and movement, this air dried hardwood (16-20%) is perfect for exterior commercial and residential applications such as decks, docks, or exterior furniture. In service for over 25 years from Diner Key Marina in Miami, to the Atlantic City Boardwalk, IPÊ has proven durability. It can be sealed to maintain its natural beauty or it can be allowed to weather to be a beautiful silver gray.
It is available in a variety of standard dimensional lumber sizes and can be used for entire projects. It is easily cut with standard carbide tipped blades but requires pre-drilling and screwing with stainless steel screws. Hidden fastening systems are also available. Standard decking size is 4/4 material (net 3/4" thickness) not 5/4 or 8/4 and on 24" centers the 4/4 material will provide a 100 lb live load rating far surpassing any cedar, redwood or CCA pressure treated material. It has a hardness rating of 3640 Janka, almost 3 times that of northern Red Oak at 1260 Janka. IPÊ also resists surface checking and is naturally resistant to molds, which are the two most destructive forces to the face of decks.
When compared to other decking materials such as redwood, cedar, or copper chromium arsenate pressure treated materials, IPÊ gives longer life (3-5 times the life span), stronger resistance to fire, weather, insects and movement and is competitively priced with high grades of cedar and redwood. If you compare the one time cost of IPÊ to the 3-5 times you replace other materials over the life span of IPÊ, the value of IPÊ becomes very clear!
It
is the best timber product for exterior usage, period!
GENERAL
CHARACTERISTICS
Tabebuis spp. (Lapacho Group)
Ipe, Bethabara, Lapacho,
Family: Bignoniaceae
Other Common Names: Amapa (Mexico), Cortez (Honduras,, Nicaragua, Costa Rica), Guayacan (Panama), Guayacan polvillo (Columbia), Flor Amarillo (Venezuela), Greenhart (Surinam), Madera negra (Ecuador), Tahuari (Peru), IN (Brazil), Lapacho negro (Paraguay, Argentina).
Distribution: Throughout continental tropical America and some of the Lesser Antilles. The Tree grows on a variety of sites, from ridge tops to riverbanks and marsh forests.
The Tree:
May grow to 140 to 150 ft in height with trunk diameter of 6 ft. Frequently to
heights of 100 ft and diameters of 2 to 3 ft. Boles are clear to 60 ft and more,
with or without buttresses.
The Wood:
Heartwood olive brown to blackish, often with lighter or darker striping, often covered with a yellow powder: sharply demarcated from
the whitish or yellowish sapwood. Texture fine to medium; luster low to medium;
grain straight to very irregular; rather oily looking; without distinctive odor or taste.
Weight:
Basic specific gravity (oven dry weight/green volume) 0.85 to 0.97; air-dry
density 66 to 75 pcf.
Drying and Shrinkage: Generally reported to air-dry with only slight checking and
warping. Kiln schedule T3-C 1 is suggested for 4/4 stock. Shrinkage green to oven dry:
radial 6.6%; tangential 8.0%; volumetric 13.2%. Movement after manufacture is rated as small.
Working Properties: Moderately difficult to work especially with hand tools; has a blunting Effect on cutting edges, finishes smoothly except where grain is very
roey. The fine yellow
dust produced in most operations may cause dermatitis in some workers.
Durability: Heartwood is very resistant to attack by decay fungi and termites; not resistant to Marine borers. T.
guayacan, however, is reported to have good resistance in Panama waters.
Preservations: The wood is reported to be extremely resistant to preservation treatments.
Uses:
Outdoor furniture and decking, turnery, shingles, home siding as well as
railroad crossties, tool handles, industrial flooring, textile
mill items, decorative veneers, and more.
See our USES
page
for more ideas!
Products, specifications, and techniques
shown are meant as a guide to better understanding for the designer,
builder, and/or homeowner.
Everwood Decking Partners, Ltd. assumes
no liability for and makes no claim to the suitability of any products
shown other than to report its history of usage.
It is the sole responsibility of the
owner or installer to adequately test for product suitability for a
particular application.
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COMPARISON
CHART:
| Common
Name |
IPÊ |
CEDAR |
RED
WOOD |
CCA/
TREATED PINE |
| Grade |
select
grade,
all heart, no sap |
varies,
common grade has knots & sap |
varies,
common grade has knots & sap |
available
grade has many defects |
| Appearance |
no
splinters, surface stays smooth & resists damage, sealer
required, patinas to silver gray with small surface checks |
scratches
easily, splinters & becomes dirty gray without regular
sealing |
scratches
easily, splinters & becomes black gray without regular
sealing |
surface
develops splits, checks, boards cup and twist, becomes rough
& gray to green without regular sealing |
| Decay
Resistance |
High
25 years |
Moderate
10-15 years |
Moderate
10-15 years |
Varies
with treatment |
| Fire
Rating Class NFPA |
A |
B-C |
B-C |
C-D |
| Resistance
to Termites |
High |
Low |
Low |
Varies
w/treatment |
| Resistance
to Marine Borers |
High |
Low |
Low |
Medium
to High |
| Movement
in Service |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium
to High |
| Weight
per Cubic Foot |
69
lbs |
30
lbs |
30
lbs |
35-40
lbs |
| Bending
Strength |
25,400
psi |
6,800
psi |
7,900
psi |
14,500
psi |
| Max
Shear Strength |
2,060 |
900 |
940 |
1,370 |
| Hardness |
3,680
lbs |
580
lbs |
480
lbs |
690
lbs |
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES:
(First and third sets of data based on the 2-in. standard, the second on the 1-in. standard.)
Moisture
Content |
Bending
Strength |
Modulus
of
Elasticity |
Maximum
Crushing
Strength |
| |
PSI |
1000
PSI |
PSI |
| Green
(73) |
22,560 |
2,920 |
10,350 |
| 12% |
25,360 |
3,140 |
13,010 |
| 12%
(24) |
25,200 |
3,010 |
14,000 |
| 12%
(44) |
28,000 |
3,350 |
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Janka side hardness 3, 060 lb for green material and 3,680 lb at 12% moisture contents.
Forest Products Laboratory toughness average for green and dry material is 404 in.-lb (5/8-in.Specimen). |
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| INSTALLATION
GUIDELINES
IPÊ IS AN EXTREMELY DENSE WOOD WITH EXCEPTIONAL DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE.
WHEN INSTALLED PROPERLY IPÊ WILL PROVIDE A LIFETIME OF BEAUTY AND SERVICE
HANDLING AND STORAGE - IPÊ IS SUPPLIED PARTIALLY AIR DRIED AND IS FOR OUTDOOR USE. IT SHOULD BE STORED IN A COOL DRY PLACE OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT, DUST, AND RAIN. IT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ACCLIMATE TO THE INSTALLATION ENVIRONMENT. IF STORED OVER OPEN GROUND, LEAVE SUFFICIENT CIRCULATION SPACE UNDER THE BUNDLE TO COUNTER THE EFFECTS OF CONDENSATION. ALLOW FOR GROUND SIDE VENTILATION IN YOUR DESIGN AS PROPER AIR CIRCULATION IS NECESSARY FOR LONG TERM STABILITY. WHEN FULLY SEASONED SHRINKAGE OF APPROXIMATELY 1/16" ON 4" WIDE MATERIAL AND 1/8" ON 6" WIDE MATERIAL CAN BE EXPECTED
CONDITIONING
- PRIOR TO USE, AIR DRY TO LOCAL MOISTURE LEVELS, THIS WILL RESULT
IN A MORE ATTRACTIVE AND STABLE PROJECT.
DESIGN
- ALL DECK SURFACES MUST BE DESIGNED WITH A SLIGHT GRADE TO
FACILITATE PROPER RUN-OFF OF WATER.
ALL PROJECTS SHOULD ALSO BE
DESIGNED WITH SUFFICIENT SPACE BETWEEN THE PROJECT AND GROUND,
PERMITTING CONTINUOUS CIRCULATION OF FRESH AIR; THIS IS CRITICAL
FOR LONG TERM DIMENSIONAL STABILITY.
CUTTING AND DRILLING - DUE TO THE DENSITY OF IPÊ PREMIUM CARBIDE TIPPED BLADES AND HIGH QUALITY DRILLS ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE SMOOTH CUTS. PRE-DRILL AND COUNTER SINK WHEN USING SCREWS.
END SEALING - SEAL ALL ENDS AFTER CUTTING WITH LATEX BASED END SEALER TO REDUCE END CHECKING
FASTENING - STAINLESS STEEL FASTENERS WILL PROVIDE SUPERIOR SERVICE LIFE AND ELIMINATE CHEMICAL REACTION OR STAINING OF THE IPÊ. COATED OR GALVANIZED FASTENERS CAN BE USED: HOWEVER SHORTER LIFE AND STAINING OF THE WOOD MAY OCCUR.
- SCREWS TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED SUPERIOR METHOD OF FASTENING REQUIRES PRE-DRILLING AND COUNTER SINKING
- HIDDEN FASTENER HELPS TO STREAMLINE LABOR OVER FACE SCREWING PROVIDES "SCREWLESS" DECKING SURFACE. SOME SYSTEMS PROVIDE AUTOMATIC SPACING
FINISHING: IS NOT REQUIRED UPON INSTALLATION OF IPÊ DECKING BUT IS RECOMMENDED TO MINIMIZE U. V. FADING A PENETRATING, PIGMENTED, U. V. INHIBITING SEALER, SUCH AS MESSMERS DECK SEALER, IS RECOMMENDED TO MAINTAIN IPÊ's RICH NATURAL COLOR. |
IPÊ STRUCTURAL TIMBER SPAN VALUES
IPÊ
Timber |
Spacing
between
Joists |
Live-Load
Rating |
| SIZE |
INCH |
40lbs/sf |
50lbs/sf |
100lbs/sf |
| 2x6 |
16" |
11'4" |
10'8" |
8'8" |
| 2x6 |
24" |
9'11" |
9'4" |
7'7" |
| 2x6 |
32" |
9'0" |
8'5" |
6'11" |
| 2x8 |
16" |
15'5" |
14'6" |
11'10" |
| 2x8 |
24" |
13'6" |
12'8" |
10'4" |
| 2x8 |
32" |
12'3" |
11'6" |
9'5" |
| 2x10 |
16" |
19'7" |
18'5" |
15'0" |
| 2x10 |
24" |
17'1" |
16'1" |
13'2" |
| 2x10 |
32" |
15'6" |
14'7" |
11'11" |
| 2x12 |
16" |
23'8" |
22'3" |
18'2" |
| 2x12 |
24" |
20'8" |
19'6" |
15'11" |
| 2x12 |
32" |
18'9" |
17'8" |
14'5" |
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| IPÊ DECKING SPAN VALUES |
| Nominal
Size |
40lbs/psi |
50lbs/psi |
60lbs/psi |
100lbs/psi |
| 1x4 |
32" |
30" |
28" |
24" |
| 1x6 |
38" |
34" |
32" |
28" |
| 5/4x6 |
42" |
38" |
36" |
32" |
| 2x6 |
62" |
58" |
56" |
48" |
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Includes dead-load
10lbs/sf |
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