WoodSense Spotlight on Ipe The Brazilian construction that wears like iron

By Pete Stephano Technical consultant: Larry Osborn

lthough it’s often History in Where the frustratingA to woodworkers, Durable and very hard, ipe has comes from the world’s lumber marketers been and still is employed for Where it grows best, in the of imported stock try to everything from bridges to Amazon region of South make wood choices easier for boardwalks, decks to docks, America, ipe is king of the customers by creating a trade jungle, towering 140' or more name with a familiar ring ipe veneer, which resembles a with trunk diameters to 6'. Logs darkflooring, Ceylon and satinwood, railings. Figured are normally available in 100' common name. Take the subject becomes highly expensive lengths. Although Amazon- ofrather this piece,than use ipe its (pronounced scientific or doors and other millwork. grown ipe is larger, the Among the heaviest and naturally grows throughout subspecies (spp), most dense of commercial and has been planted which“ee-pay”). may Its also scientific include name , ipe also has a in plantations there and in Handroanthus spp, applies adjoining countries, as well as to a few other with given to iron and steel! and Mexico. nearly indistinguishable ClassIn North A fire America,rating, the same This commercially valuable characteristics. These include woodworkers principally tree grows in many types of lapacho, Brazilian walnut, employ the beautiful wood landforms–from marshes to and guayacan. Ipe, pau lope, in decks, railings, outdoor riverbanks and ridge tops–and ironwood, and Brazilian walnut in such abundance that it is make up the trade names. Because of its weight and not an endangered . Due to ipe’s toughness and long structures, and flooring. life outdoors, the popularity of What you’ll pay this attractive and dark olive- complexdifficulty joints, to work, such you as won’tdovetail You probably won’t see ipe at brown wood continues to rise andfind mortise-and-tenon.ipe in furniture with You smaller lumberyards and home along with its availability. Its use in construction, however, sites that sell lines of simply selection of boards and milled dates back decades. The Coney constructedwill, however, ipe find furniture online partscenters, at storesbut you’ll specializing find a wide Island Boardwalk, which for use both in the home and opened in 1923, was made of outside on the deck and patio. products and at online sites. ipe. It has supported the foot in Ipedecking lumber and has flooring few grades, with Select & Better (S&B) the the weight of garbage trucks It’s a fact that… best. Three-quarter inch thick andtraffic rescue of millions, vehicles. as In well 1960, as Ipe weighs 69-80 lbs./ nominal boards in widths to it survived hurricane Donna cubic foot. It’s so dense 10" surfaced two sides (S2S) relatively unscathed while that it sinks in water. nearby concrete was mangled. Decking is offered in two grade run about $12 per board foot. 74 woodcraftmagazine.com April/May 2014 categories: “clear heart,” the best, and “rustic” (with knots and color variations) at about 35% less. All decking material is sold by 3 the lineal foot, with 4" S4S 1×4s ⁄ expensive–ipebeginning at about veneer, $2.25 destined a foot. forHighly architectural figured–and applications, highly is available online. Here, you’ll 4×4 post depending on the degree find that costs vary widely 4/4 surfaced deck board ofHow figure to and select sheet size. 2×4 the best stock Ipe is generally straight and close grained, although you routing. So if you want to do some mottle and lace more than minimal machining, go to high quality carbide cutters themight interlocked find grain, coupled and high-speed drill bits. Pre- wash. To reestablish the original withfigured the stock. wood’s Unfortunately, hardness, drill pilot holes to avoid splitting. color, you can also use ipe oil. will make the boards The sawn ends of ipe boards sawing and light passes to can check if left unsealed. Here, Heartwood color varies from removeUse a materialmodest feed at the rate jointer when or consider a wax-based sealer, reddishextremely brown difficult to yellowish to work. olive thickness planer. The interlocked and reapply as needed. n brown to a dark blackish brown, grain can tear out when planing, and contrasting stripes are not so do it at a slight angle. unusual. However, the wood Ipe Quick Take obtained from other in the glue up. Preparing mating or from differing growing surfacesIpe can with also a be swipe difficult of strong to Cost Moderate conditions can offer stock that solvent such as lacquer thinner Weight More than a third ranges from tan to a dark grey! will remove extractives. Then heavier than red So the best advice here is that use an adhesive with a long when buying ipe in quantity, open time so that it may absorb Hardness Twice as hard as make sure it all comes from properly in the dense wood. hickory, three times the same imported shipment to (Note: In its traditional outdoor harder than ensure similar color and grain. use, mechanical fasteners Stability High Also note that ipe, a jungle wood, are the norm, not glue.) Strength High doesn’t fare well in hot, arid Ipe sands relatively easily for climates, or indoors, where it such a hard wood and doesn’t Durability High can dry out and crack. Air-dried splinter, but the resulting dust Toxicity Potential irritant ipe with a moisture content may cause an allergic reaction. Tool Power tools with of 14% to 18% has proven Always wear a dust mask and carbide cutters more stable than kiln-dried. long sleeves when sanding, and be sure to wash up afterwards. Common Flooring, outdoor Working ipe in the shop Most ipe projects (decks) Uses structures and Ipe may be one of the most furniture, tool to sunlight will lighten ipe to a handles and hardness and density resists pleasingare left unfinished. grey, but color Exposure can be other turned sawing,difficult planing,woods to jointing, work. Its and refurbished with a high-pressure objects, veneer

Ipe samples photo: Larry Hamel-Lambert April/May 2014 woodcraftmagazine.com 75 SUBSCRIBE! 2 YEARS for $29.99!

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