However, AtruWood takes pride in offering exceptional and comprehensive options. So, if you’re on the fence about which type of lumber might be the best decking material for your home, we’ve got a solution that will be the perfect fit. Here are a few important things to consider:

 Ipe Decking

Hailing from tropical forests in Central and South America, Ipe is wood species that makes a big statement.

• Characteristics: Dense, hard, and durable
• Look: Rich, deep brown or auburn coloring with fine to medium grain
• Climate Considerations: Ipe excels in moist, humid climates. It doesn’t do as well in dry environments. Use the Köppen climate classification system to determine if Ipe is right for your home.
• Other Things to Consider: Due to a spike in the demand for Ipe, there’s been an increase in unsustainable harvesting. Always purchase FSC-certified wood decking material to support responsible forestry.

Cedar Decking

Originating from AltruWood’s backyard, cedar has a distinctly Pacific Northwestern aesthetic. Its versatile nature and sustainable origins make it a great fit for most building projects.

• Characteristics: Low density, rot resistant, and lightweight
• Look: Robust, light brown coloring with pink or red undertones and rough grain
• Climate Considerations: Cedar is suitable for virtually any environment
• Other Things to Consider: Cedar is often considered a classic wood material. It delivers that quintessential look–unique grain, rich coloring, and graceful aging – that makes it quite versatile so you can use it for a wide range of projects.

If you’re anything like the Altruwood team, you’re excited for the warm spring weather and many hours of barbeque heading your way thanks to your new deck. Still have questions about which type of wood will work for your deck? Get in touch today.

Before we delve in, it’s important to answer a common question: “What is Ipe decking?” Ipe, which is often referred to as ‘Brazilian Walnut,’ is a hardwood found in South and Central America. The tree is known for its immense density and stands out as one of the hardest hardwoods on the market. Harder hardwoods have spiked in popularity in recent years, leading to dramatic deforestation. It’s essential to purchase FSC-certified Ipe in order to protect the sustainability of our planet’s forests.

Now, consider the following factors when deciding if Ipe wood decking is the perfect match for your home.

Climate: Ipe thrives in moisture-rich environments. It makes sense, too, since the wood hails from a tropical climate. While the Pacific Northwest and coastal regions are perfectly suited for the wood, it’s a good idea to choose another option if you live in a dry climate.

Hardness: The sheer density of Ipe – about three times harder than cedar – means that it is durable and rugged. It’s also resistant to insects and algal growth, making it one of the most solid woods. With proper care, you can count on your Ipe deck tiles to thrive for half a century or more. However, the hardness of this material can sometimes be problematic. You’ll need specialized equipment to drill holes in Ipe.

Beauty: Ipe has a deep, rich color that subtly shifts to silver as it weathers. These natural elements complement virtually any architectural style perfectly. However, due to a high concentration of tannic acid, Ipe doesn’t hold paint well. Thus, if you have dreams of a crisply painted porch, other wood options like cedar, or reclaimed hand hewn beams would work better. About 15% of the illegal forest trade is concentrated in this type of wood, so we’re happy to report our Ipe decking is responsibly harvested and sustainably managed. If you decide that this wood is the perfect fit for your deck, then make an investment in the wellbeing of our forests and commit to purchase FSC-certified lumber with us.

At AltruWood, we believe that one of the best ways to enjoy the beautiful weather is right in your own backyard. Eco friendly building materials make it possible to construct an outdoor space that will be the location of good memories for years to come. There are numerous different backyard deck ideas, and the beauty of a custom design is that it can completely reflect your tailored needs.

Seamlessly integrate your new deck with the rest of your home by selecting suitable and sustainable construction materials. Make sure to select lumber that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which ensures that the wood was harvested responsibly.

FSC® Certified Western Red Cedar Decking can be stained to align with a clean-cut modern aesthetic or a cozy, rustic style. For a natural look, simply seal the material with a clear coat to shield it from the elements. Different stains create distinctive appearances that can align with any architectural style.

Finally, explore a few backyard deck designs before diving into the project. This addition is an investment, and as such, you want to ensure that it will last for years to come. FSC® Certified Ipe Decking is a popular choice thanks to its rugged durability. Ipe, also referred to as ironwood, holds the same fire rating as steel or concrete, meaning that it is incredibly hardwearing and resistant to insect activity.

Whether you need help selecting sustainable materials or are ready to dive into your project, the AltruWood team is always on hand to provide assistance! Visit us today and create your outdoor oasis.

Ipe has dressed some of the nation’s most iconic decks, such as NYC’s Coney Island Boardwalk – which lasted for 25 years before needing replacement.

Thanks to a big branding campaign in the 1980s, word about Ipe’s indestructibility in everything from furniture to bridge beams spread like wildfire. As a result it has been the pick of the lumber litter ever since. However, there’s a downside to all the warranted hype and hoopla this tropical hardwood gets—there’s not enough Ipe supply to meet Ipe demand.

With Ipe shortages come rising costs, increased lodging concerns, and forest sustainability issues. However, by diversifying our hardwood choices we can slow the Ipe shortage and encourage forest sustainability.

Support sustainability and buy FSC® Certified Jatoba or FSC® Certified Mahogany

There are other tropical hardwood alternatives to Ipe, such as Jatoba and Mahogany. Both tropical hardwoods are just as stable and just as pretty as our masked avenger Ipe.

FSC® Certified Jatoba shares a similar stripe-like grain to Ipe, though Jatoba is lighter in color with its rich orange-brown tones. On a side note, Jatoba is also called Brazilian Cherry because its color resembles the reddish brown tones on domestic cherry-stained furniture.

Jatoba’s Janka hardness is 2350, sitting comfortably at the stronger end of the scale. Although it is 35% less hard than Ipe (3684), Jatoba is 40% harder than White Oak (1360). Like Ipe, Jatoba’s applications are just as varied: railroad ties, tool handles, and flooring. And Jatoba is rot and bug resistant, making it a sound choice for durable decking.

One more thing—you’ll find Jatoba a bit more budget-friendly compared to Ipe.

FSC® Certified Mahogany is another alternative to Ipe. There are several tropical types of Mahogany, some yielding a higher Janka hardness than others.

Santos Mahogany, harvested in Central and South America, has a Janka hardness of 2200. Though it looks like Mahogany with rich reddish brown and burgundy shades, Santos Mahogany is not true Mahogany – it is denser and harder to work with unlike traditional Mahogany hardwoods.

Honduran Mahogany is related to the Mahogany family. Its Janka hardness is 800, still a durable hardwood resistant to decay yet easier to work with compared to Jatoba or Ipe.

Other hardwoods that are included in the Mahogany group include African Mahogany and Philippine Mahogany. Ask your FSC® Certified vendor about FSC® Certified Mahogany and its tropical wood alternatives to FSC® Certified Ipe. 

A quick web search on Ipe turns up topics on its superior fire-rating and mildew-resistance. In 2008, Consumer Reports lauded Ipe number one in decking – you can find it on the Coney Island boardwalk, in SeaWorld, and around the Statue of Liberty. However, there are a few climate issues to be aware of before choosing Ipe decking.

Las Vegas Ipe fiasco

A number of years ago, some Vegas casino bigwigs caught wind of Ipe’s indestructibility and deemed the tropical hardwood hardy enough for their boardwalks. What they didn’t bank on was that this Ironwood wouldn’t be able to take the heat for too long. A major boardwalk overhaul had to be done a few years after installation… Ouch! Needless to say, Ipe that performs well in one part of the world may not make the mark in another.

5 climate control tips for Ipe decking

1. Use the Koppen climate method to find out if Ipe is right for your climate type. There are five major climate types based on the Koppen climate method. Ipe is a tropical hardwood harvested in tropical climates and performs well in moisture-rich climates, but not so well in arid climates.

2. Ipe decking needs to have high moisture content for it to remain stable outdoors. Moisture content between 14% and 18% prevents the Ipe decking from warping. When purchasing Ipe, ask for air-dried instead of kiln-dried decking.

Air-dried Ipe decking sustains its moisture, making it immune to climate variations. If Ipe is kiln-dried, moisture is lost. Kiln-dried Ipe decking ends up dry, thirsty, and less stable – this type of Ipe decking would soak up moisture too quickly in wet climates or become parched too soon in dry climates. In both climates, the kiln-dried Ipe’s stability is compromised.

3. Acclimatization is also important. Let your air-dried Ipe decking acclimatize for 14 – 21 days in the same area as the jobsite. Keep Ipe out of the sun and in an area with good ventilation. It’s not uncommon for decking to expand or contract as much as ¼” during acclimatization.

4. Proper installation design prolongs the stability of Ipe decking. When ground level decks are designed with side ventilation, the decking boards have room to breathe, expanding and contracting with temperature changes.

5. To prevent Ipe decking from splitting at the ends, seal the boards. Sealant acts a barrier to keep excess moisture out, further ensuring Ipe decking stability.

Want to go green? AltruWood’s FSC Certified Tropical Hardwood Ipe decking is a sustainable option. 

You can read more for yourself here:

Natural Home and Garden: A Healthier Home

Natural Home and Garden: All Decked Out

Many thanks to Natural Home and Garden Magazine for the shout-out!

We’ve also been Facebooking and Tweeting for some time now. Every once in a while we like to highlight the things we’ve been talking about on our social media sites. Especially when we think it’s worth further notice. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane for the month of March to see what’s been on our minds.

Buildings for sale at one measly Euro for residents to turn into a self-styled home. There have got to be similar deals in the U.S. right now. Know of any in your neck of the woods?

Creating a wall from reclaimed wood from Apartment Therapy. And we happen to know where you can get some reclaimed wood!

There’s lots of talk of prefab housing these days, but this advice seems to lend itself to homes both prefab and not.

Tiny spaces have also been all over the place lately, but this may be our favorite recently.

A skyscraper made of wood. It’s seems a retro idea, but what’s old is new again given how steel currently rules most cities.

On Facebook, we put forth this question: To glue down solids on concrete or not? This is something we are asked about frequently.

We were featured in Architect Magazine in March. Heading up a section on reclaimed wood, a pretty picture of one of our hand hewn beams.

Taking a step away from wood for a second…Have you ever seen leather floors? It was one of our crazy flooring pics of the day on Facebook.

For music lovers who also appreciate good design comes the ReAcoustic iPhone and iPad dock. Yes, it’s made from wood!

When old wood bridges are in need of a fix, their timbers are replaced with concrete beams. And although the bridge has been made over, the old timbers aren’t discarded – they’re made over too. That’s because the old bridge structures were made from old growth timbers, wood from trees that grew slowly and developed a higher ring count and increased durability. Reclaimed cedar from old bridge timbers has dried naturally throughout the decades, adding more stability compared to kiln-dried wood.

And when old wood bridges go bad, the bridge is decommissioned and deconstructed. Its wood is then salvaged and milled into reclaimed wood for structural and non-structural purposes. The Metro Vancouver Watershed Management Division in Canada did this with a portable milling project in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve (LSCR) in 2008. Old wood logging bridges, felled trees across logging roads, and stockpiled timbers were milled on site to produce reclaimed wood for other woodland projects in the LSCR, including the restored Bear Island Bridge.

The LSCR pilot milling project is just one example of how reclaimed wood from old bridges and logging roads can be used. Reclaimed cedar from old bridges and logging roads can be graded and converted into reclaimed beams, reclaimed cedar siding, and reclaimed lumber for non-structural uses, such as décor ceiling beams and mantel fixtures.

Reclaimed cedar can be processed to fit any profile. Ask yourself these questions and keep your answers in mind when shopping around for reclaimed cedar:

• Do you prefer reclaimed cedar with a clear appearance or a knotty appearance?
• Do you need the reclaimed cedar to be professionally graded?
• Does the surface of the reclaimed cedar need to be free of nail holes, metal content, and checking?
• Do you prefer a rough sawn, hand hewn, circle sawn, or wire brushed reclaimed cedar surface?

And don’t forget to ask your reclaimed cedar vendor about their buyer’s guide before placing an order. Doing so can prevent unwanted surprises and headaches when you buy reclaimed cedar and any other reclaimed wood product like reclaimed wood beams and hand hewn beams.

- Nicole Morales

Ipe is a challenge to cut, nail, drill, and paint. In a word, Ipe is indestructible. It’s resistant to decay, rot, and bug damage. Ipe doesn’t float in water, it sinks – it’s that dense (in a good way). Because of FSC® Certified Ipe’s strength and resiliency – it carries a Class A fire rating – this tropical wood is highly sought after.

In the last decade, word has spread about Ipe’s indestructibility. Ipe’e Janka hardness rating is a very high 3684, nearly 40% harder than white oak. As for Ipe’s longevity, Ipe decking can last 20 years with proper maintenance.

Naturally, Ipe is popular for home flooring and decking, not to mention railroad tracks, bridge supports, and hardy tool handles in commercial industries. But Ipe supply is not meeting Ipe demand. There’s not enough Ipe to go around. Ipe is hot stuff.

So as long as your holding out for Ipe, AltruWood would like to offer you a list of other fine tropical wood alternatives, similar in appearance and just as durable. And, yes, just as hot.

FSC® Certifed Jatoba or Brazilian Cherry is like Ipe’s kid sister – nearly as strong, just as stubborn (to work with), and a lot more subtle. Jatoba features warm orange brown tones in a similar stripe-like pattern – it’s a lighter shade of Ipe. Jatoba is commonly used for wood flooring and other applications where shock resistance is needed (e.g., tool handles).

FSC® Certified Cumaru or Brazilian Teak sits right along with Ipe on the Janka Hardess scale. Cumaru’s Janka Hardess is 3560, but the two tropicals look nothing alike. Cumaru is more like the chameleon of exotic woods, changing from yellow to red to brown depending on its region. Cumaru also has a distinct wave-like pattern and coarse texture. Cumaru is used for wood flooring and decking.

FSC® Certified Tigerwood is the sassiest of exotic wood species with its bold black stripes threading in and out of rich orange and deep honey hues. In other words, Tigerwood puts the tiger in the tropics. Tigerwood is harder than white oak – it has a Janka Hardness of 1850 whereas white oak has a rating of 1360. While Tigerwood is not as dense as Ipe, it has the same 20-year lifespan for any use. Tigerwood is used for flooring, decking, paneling, and shutters where appearances matter.

- Nicole Morales