mahogany decking vs ipe

Thompson Mahogany Company has been a leading importer of Ipe decking for 20 years. to get the most of this side by side breakdown. Cumaru decking is imported by many of the same companies as Ipe, although the volumes are probably only 5% to 10% of the $100 million per year Ipe decking market. Your steel tipped snow shovel will test the decking boards in the winter months as well. Ipe Woods USA is the one stop shop for all your Ipe decking, siding, fencing, hardwood lumber and related Accessories online. It is with the utmost confidence that Green World Lumber can offer. This allows people to enjoy the beauty and versatility of mahogany, like mahogany decking, but to feel at peace knowing that they bought their lumber from a sustainable source. Ipe decking categorically outperforms all Shorea decking subspecies in terms of measurable characteristics such as; density, scratch resistance, hardness, structural strength, fire resistance, decay resistance, natural slip resistance and termite resistance. Ipe decking and “mahogany” decking are both very beautiful natural wood decking species. Before we get started however, I think it’s important to clear up a common misunderstanding; most “mahogany” decking is not actual mahogany at all. In all, there are over forty different Shorea subspecies - and their colors, characteristics and performance are as different as night and day. For the best performance of any of the Shorea decking species, it is essential to coat the decking material with a sealer or some type of paint or stain to protect it from weathering and possibly rotting and decay. Allowing your Ipe decking to silver out will not affect its performance or remarkable long-lasting durability. With that said, there are a lot of things you need to consider when contemplating what wood you want to use for your deck. I don’t know about you, but my dog alone can put a deck to the test! Whether ipe is any better environmentally than using Teak or Mahogany, I am not sure-it is cheaper though. Ipe vs. Cumaru: Comparing Hardwood Decking Materials. By Ben Nystrom, 06/28/11 . East Coast Office: Phone 860-444-7524 | Fax 860-444-0517 | [email protected] | New London, CT | M-F 8 am to 5 pm EST. It is truly a magic wood that remains stable and strong in every environment. KAYU®- Batu ™ is typically priced 30-50% lower than Ipe. Mahogany, however, does set itself apart from ipe in the look of its grain. KAYU Batu is about the easiest type of decking to maintain and also comes with a 25 year limited warranty. Advantages: Now more widely available, ipe (E-pay) is a durable teaklike tropical hardwood sold as Ironwood or Pau Lope (pow LOW-pay). Shorea mahogany decking shows a little bit of exotic graining, but depending on the subspecies, the colors may range anywhere from light pinks and tans to dark reds or browns. When building your backyard deck in Canada, the price of decking hardwood is always going to be a factor. Ipe Decking. Chris Nolan on Tue, Jun 4, 2019 @ 09:06 AM. We offer competitive prices that include freight to your location. From a color and appearance standpoint, Ipe decking and Shorea mahogany decking are both in the brown color range and exhibit some tropical graining. Shorea mahogany will not withstand this type of harsh exposure and will neither last long nor behave well if installed in an uncovered or unprotected environment. The popular 5/4×6 sized piece is a good example to show the price difference between ipe and genuine mahogany. Our Ipe wood and Cumaru decking are grade A and can be used for outdoor construction as well as for luxury interiors. The decking material commonly sold in the US market as “mahogany” is actually the “Shorea” wood species, sometimes also called Luan mahogany or Philippine mahogany. Annual refinishing with a penetrating oil finish is required to maintain this rich color. , the Fijian government has created one of the most successful plantation operations of genuine mahogany in the world. New mahogany decking. The question of, “is ipe wood sustainable,” is extremely difficult to answer. Price. Posted by ... Because of its reddish tones, it is often compared to mahogany. Ipe wood has been nicknamed “ironwood” due to it’s superior hardness and … This isn’t just a stylistic choice either—in many cases, these woods offer a lot of functional benefits in addition to a unique, aesthetically appealing look. Batu Wood (Red Balau – Mahogany) Hardwood Decking: Also known as: Mahogany, Red Balau | Origin: Indonesia | Janka Hardness Rating: 2,100 lb Batu Wood Color: Warm, rich Mahogany, reddish-brown color. It comes with an interlocking pattern wherein the fiber appears to twist as the tree grows. Guerilla loggers are either applying for permits while grossly inflating the quantity of ipe in a forest region or they are simply using violence to get what they want. The Sapele Decking has a medium level of hardness with a rating of about 1510lbs. These grain variations tend to mellow out over time as the decking material matures and ages gracefully to a silvery gray patina. However, these get overshadowed by the greedy, underhanded methods that illegal logging groups practice, as we have, . Below are just a few ways KAYU Batu compares with Ipe Hardwood Decking: KAYU Batu Versus Ipe . From a color and appearance standpoint, Ipe decking and Shorea mahogany decking are both in the brown color range and exhibit some tropical graining. Tropical Hardwood. Both ipe and mahogany have a past of being abused by loggers and cut without any thoughts to the future of the species. With Ipe decking, the two most common maintenance options are using an oil finish to darken and enrich the colors or to simply allow the Ipe decking to mellow out to a silvery gray “seaside” type of weathered appearance. Santa Maria Hardwood vs. Other Wood Decking, Architectural Details CS2 Rain Screen Design, Architectural Details CS10 Rain Screen Assemblies, Trespa Pura Siding for Architects - Vertical Cladding Details. Left to weather after an initial finish, Ipe will turn silver gray and provide decades of good service with minimal care. With the right oil, genuine mahogany looks like wooden marble. Once the wood has gone through the mill, it is almost impossible to determine if the ipe wood was logged sustainably or illegally. The common thread between all the Shorea subspecies is; they are hardwoods, they have beautiful graining patterns, similar in appearance to genuine mahogany, and they are typically in the brown color ranges. KAYU Batu has a Class “A” Flame Spread Rating. As ipe is an incredibly dense and hard wood, it is harder to work with. In conclusion, Mahogany provides natural beauty at a similar cost to Ipe has a fantastic simple glossary that explains these terms. This Janka hardness makes it harder compared to the domestic species in North America. We maintain one of the largest inventories of Ipe in the United States and have a wholesale customer base throughout the US and Canada. We will look at Mahogany decking and how it compares to other hardwood decking options like Ipe and Garapa. What this means is that once sanded and properly prepared for deck installation, your hardwood deck will be smoothe. Ipe Decking, 1-609-694-1283 [email protected] The Builder’s Source for Hardwood Decking It is almost two times harder compared to the Genuine Mahogany. You may occasionally find both ipe and genuine mahogany with interlocking grains, which would make them slightly more difficult to machine with. Ipe and Cumuru are Brazilian wood species but are readily available here, Mahogany is an American species. So if you are looking for hardwood decking in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, or anywhere else in Ontario and Quebec, request a quote from Green World Lumber. Both ipe and garapa decking have each have a rich color variation and beautiful graining. Give us the opportunity to earn your business today! It is with the utmost confidence that Green World Lumber can offer sustainably grown genuine mahogany that has been sourced from Fiji’s regulated plantation forests in order to be available to you, the consumer, to make your outdoor paradise come true. Today we are continuing our Wood Comparison Series with Part 2 of Ipe vs Mahogany Decking. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(112655, '40fcb9f6-d0f5-4338-aa95-259e693755bb', {}); Want to see some actual hardwood decking? Garapa and Ipe decking is a high density hardwood deck which are harder than whatever North American wood specie in regard to their hardness, bending strength, durability and density. When building hardwood decks, you ideally want to find a healthy balance of beautiful grain and pleasant texture that allows for people to easily walk on your deck in their bare feet. More and more homeowners are choosing to have their outdoor decks constructed with exotic, tropical, imported woods. That is just the cost of the wood on it’s own. 61 pages featuring over 150 actual deck projects and deck ideas. While genuine mahogany cannot compete with ipe in terms of its density or hardness, proper maintenance will keep your mahogany deck lasting as long for a fraction of the price. For exterior uses, Ipe does not have to be dried so the turn around time from forest to your job site is much less. We therefore recommend that you make sure you are looking for straight or moderately irregular grained lumber, especially if you are doing a DIY deck. of ipe in a forest region or they are simply using violence to get what they want. It is important to remember that you will have to pay for freight and labour costs for the wood you select. No matter what type of decking material you select, an annual cleaning is highly recommended. Recognizing that unregulated harvesting of old-growth genuine mahogany would lead to the extinction of the species, different countries have taken up initiatives to answer the question, “is genuine mahogany sustainable?” As we have. Both can come in in a variety of grain styles. best decking, East Coast Office: Phone 860-444-7524  | Fax 860-444-0517  |  [email protected]  |  New London, CT  | M-F 8 am to 5 pm EST, West Coast Office: Phone: 707-794-0510 | M-F 8 am to 4 pm PST  |  Cotati, CA, Mataverde® is a registered trademark of General Woodcraft, Inc.           Â©2020 All rights reserved, Ipe Hardwood Decking versus Mahogany Decking. This is important for obvious reasons, since your deck will be getting lots of foot traffic from humans and animals alike at your holiday BBQ. Red Balau Decking or Ipe? . 760 lbs. There are definitely places that follow proper regulations and international standards on ipe forest sustainability. Without a doubt, Ipe is the harder wood. While Ipe is the most well-known type of hardwood, there are many variations of wood that have similar characteristics of density, durability, strength and beauty, yet don’t carry the same price tag. If left untreated, as with all natural hardwoods, your deck will turn a silvery grey color. Your Direct Source For Ipe Decking ... Mahogany : Interlocked grain similar to true mahogany, but with a courser texture. Ipe decking is mostly in the medium brown range but also has some beautiful variations from light brown, olive brown to darker brown and almost black, earning Ipe the nickname “Brazilian Walnut”. Value. Before we get started however, I think it’s important to clear up a common misunderstanding; most “mahogany” decking is not actual mahogany at all. Compare Ipe Decking vs Mahogany Decking in this chart: Maintenance options for Ipe decking are pretty straightforward while “mahogany” decking depends on where the decking will be used and which subspecies you have. Characteristics You Can Touch – Grain and Texture. KD Ipe Decking is usually harder to find and a higher cost than AD Ipe decking, so you should incorporate this into your planning and purchasing. Mahogany Cost Comparison. Due to density variations and other factors, Ipe doesn’t always earn this top rating. ... Ipe Woods USA is the one stop shop for all your Ipe decking, siding, fencing, hardwood lumber and related Accessories online. Like Black Locust, Ipe is a beautiful and durable wood that can last a lifetime. However, these get overshadowed by the greedy, underhanded methods that illegal logging groups practice, as we have talked about before. Today we are continuing our Wood Comparison Series with Part 2 of Ipe vs Mahogany Decking. Ipe hardwood decking is from the Tabebuia species and is one of the finest and longest lasting decking materials found on earth. Save … Real Mahogany is not used in decking for a variety of reasons, including cost and the fact it’s illegal to export from certain countries. When a deck manufacturer refers to their wood as “Mahogany,” it’s likely from the Shorea family or a similar species. Some varieties are arguably as beautiful as ipe but even more durable with a lesser price tag. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(112655, '4f597f39-4ac7-4e26-89a0-6311601eb117', {}); Ipe decking is an outstanding decking material option for any exposed deck application, as it will last a long time, naturally and beautifully. Ipe decking and “mahogany” decking are both very beautiful natural wood decking species. Ipe... well it's nickname is "ironwood" so as you can imagine, it's very hard and very durable. Short answer; Ipe holds up better than mahogany and even teak. Ipe: No matter how you look at it, Ipe is the number one option for decking. There are definitely places that follow proper regulations and international standards on ipe forest sustainability. That’s why Shorea mahogany is used mostly for porch flooring in covered areas and partially covered areas where it won’t be exposed too much. You will find many similarities in ipe and genuine mahogany grain. Save big on the best wood money can buy. We offer competitive prices that include freight to your location. Twice as strong as oak, ipe is more durable than redwood and cedar. Ipe is a tropical hardwood grown in the rainforests of South America. These are just a few of the reasons why Ipe decking has become so popular in the US and Canada and throughout the rest of the world. If you are a homeowner and doing the work yourself, I would temper my recommendation on using IPE based without knowing about your woodworking skillset. These ipe boards are suitable for many applications, they are mostly used for Ipe decking wood. With Stonewood Products as your decking partner for three decades, you get the best in price, value, and inventory. Higher quality Mahogany can cost between $7-8 PSF. But exploitative deforestation has driven tropical hardwood trees such as Ipe, Big Leaf Mahogany, and Teak toward the brink of extinction. The hardness of a board is determined by the Janka test, when a steel ball approximately 1/2″ in diameter is pushed into the face grain of th… They are all milled with radius edges “eased-edge” to keep the corners smooth to the touch. Ipe hardwood is also prized for its exotic “figuring’ and tropical grain variations. 5.0 out of 5.0 for Green World Lumber by 6 client reviews. Mahogany is like most other exterior grade hardwoods. Ipe is the most popular choice for exterior decking for its durability and its ability to look good for many years. Comparing Ipe and Mahogany is like apples to oranges. Guerilla loggers are either applying for permits while. If you need a refresher or missed it, be sure to read. Shorea mahogany decking shows a little bit of exotic graining, but depending on the subspecies, the colors may range anywhere from light pinks and tans to dark reds or browns. The decking material commonly sold in the US market as “mahogany” is actually the “Shorea” wood species, sometimes also called Luan mahogany or Philippine mahogany. Ipe Decking vs. Composite Decking . Decking itself costs about $5 per square foot; the higher grades of redwood cost much more. Need some deck design inspiration? Once the wood has gone through the mill, it is almost impossible to determine if the ipe wood was logged sustainably or illegally. Ipe Decking vs. Pressure Treated Decking. Our tropical wood can be used for flooring, decking, docks, siding, cladding, for building pergolas and just about any other exterior construction project. Ipe tends to have a cool, grey color as it ages. Looking for deck ideas? There are 3 common species of hardwood decking, Ipe, Cumuru, and Mahogany. Ipe decking can be purchased for about $7 PSF. Ipe decking shipped direct to your home or jobsite. This is because ipe wood is significantly more difficult to machine and cut than its mahogany counterpart. Need help deciding the best decking material for your project? Depending on the supplier and the volume of lumber you are ordering, ipe wood is about 20-30% more than genuine mahogany. The cost of Mahogany can vary considerably based on species, availability, and quality. Depending on the supplier and the volume of lumber you are ordering, ipe wood is about 20-30% more than genuine mahogany. Choose from FSC® massaranduba, FSC® cumaru, or mahogany. We have many other species of exotic hardwoods as well. Recognizing that unregulated harvesting of old-growth genuine mahogany would lead to the extinction of the species, different countries have taken up initiatives to answer the question, “is genuine mahogany sustainable?” As we have mentioned previously, the Fijian government has created one of the most successful plantation operations of genuine mahogany in the world. Pronounced “e-pay”, Ipe is widely recognized as one of the hardest and most durable timber species in the world. That is just the cost of the wood on it’s own. On the same note, both ipe and genuine mahogany have textures that make them both great for decks. from Green World Lumber. Download the "Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Right Decking". hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(112655, '5f171767-bd93-4fbb-8834-180cfa8de9b2', {}); Topics: From "the proof is in the pudding" department, see the incredible results of our 15-year actual field test to discover how Mataverde Ipe decking, mahogany decking and other species would handle New England's worst weather conditions. When you are comparing ipe vs mahogany for your hardwood deck, you will want to know everything about the wood in order to make a sound buying decision. Inventory. They are normally found with a straight grain, however, both are known to have irregularities. On a older homes it may actually be genuine mahogany but these days that is very hard to come by in the quantity needed for home decking. Cumaru is also used for interior flooring, as is Ipe; and both offer beautiful grain and color characteristics. Although called “Eased-edge” these are standard Ipe decking boards. Ipe is the second hardest hardwood in the world, and it is also the most expensive. We have Mahogany Decking deals that can start at about $1/sf, trailerloads of Cedar Decking, prefinished decking with oiled finish, and outstanding options and prices for Ipe Decking. So if you are looking for hardwood decking in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, or anywhere else in Ontario and Quebec. As a hardwood, Garapa decking resembles its physical properties to Ipe wood decking. Species is generally medium to dark brown. While you’re researching hardwood decking and porches you may hear people talk about “Mahogany” decking. Ipe decking is mostly in the medium brown range but also has some beautiful variations from light brown, olive brown to darker brown and almost black, earning Ipe the nickname “Brazilian Walnut”. NovaUSAWood.com isn't just a platform for promoting and selling Nova's high-quality hardwood flooring and hardwood decking materials. Genuine mahogany and ipe are both strong woods for creating your outdoor paradise. The look and feel of wood can be a big decision maker when people are selecting wood for a project. While ipe is the most popular type of tropical hardwood, there are other varieties of wood that have similar characteristics. Read More While genuine mahogany cannot compete with ipe in terms of its density or hardness, proper maintenance will keep your mahogany deck lasting as long for a fraction of the price. genuine mahogany that has been sourced from Fiji’s regulated plantation forests in order to be available to you, the consumer, to make your outdoor paradise come true. They can range from uniform-medium to fine. 1-905-655-3939. As mentioned earlier, they both have long lifespans and this is in part due to them both being durable woods. The question of, “is ipe wood sustainable,” is extremely difficult to answer. The Wood Database has a fantastic simple glossary that explains these terms. If you are able to install in the winter or wet season where you can allow your decking board to acclimate longer, you can probably go with AD Ipe Decking. 1×6 ipê is a common choice for decking applications. How Contractors Can Save Time and Money Installing Ipe Decking. If you need a refresher or missed it, be sure to read Part 1 to get the most of this side by side breakdown. Genuine mahogany will often have beautifully intricate and wavy patterns, the kind of look that first made European royalty fall in love with the wood. It is important to remember that you will have to pay for freight and labour costs for the wood you select. Decking Supplier. These grain variations tend to mellow out over time as the decking material matures and ages gracefully to a silvery gray patina. Contractors charge more to install an ipe deck as the wood requires more hours of labour and machine parts. Mahogany decking will serve you for long because the wood is resistant to insects and secondly, the wood is not susceptible to dents and scratches. Ipe decking is mostly in the medium brown range but also has some beautiful variations from light brown, olive brown to darker brown and almost black, earning Ipe the nickname “Brazilian Walnut”. Comparison of Ipe decking to other decking material. Buy Online And Pickup At Warehouse When Ready, Have A Question? This allows people to enjoy the beauty and versatility of mahogany, like mahogany decking, but to feel at peace knowing that they bought their lumber from a sustainable source. The common thread between all the Shorea subspecies is; they are hardwoods, they have beautiful graining patterns, similar in appearance to genuine mahogany, and they are typically in the brown color ranges. Ipe hardwood is also prized for its exotic “figuring’ and tropical grain variations. Call A Specialist OR Chat Online Call