|
IPE
(pronounced ee-pay)
(Tabebioa Giauacan, Corteza, Corteza Amarilla, Lapacho, Cortez)
|
| SOURCE |
Columbia,
Bolivia, Southeastern Brazil. Occurs mostly in more or less seasonal forests.
Ipe has been exploited and is becoming very rare with the exception of
national parks and preserves. |
| THE
TREE |
Ipe
is large and basically a canopy tree. In the rainforest, it grows to 120
feeet with a trunk diameter up to 3 feet and a clear bole of 60 feet.
However, some trees have been known to reach a height of 150 feet with
a 6 foot diameter trunk. |
| COLOR |
Ipe's
heartwood is olive-brown, sometimes almost black, with lighter and darker
striping. It's sapwood is yellowish white or whitish in color. |
| GRAIN |
Straight
to very irregular. |
| USES |
Quality
furniture, decorative veneers, decks, boardwalks, tool handles, turnings
and industrial flooring. |
| POSITIVE
PROPERTIES |
Very
durable. Virtually totally insect and decay resistant. Class A-1 Fire
Retardant Rating. Very hard at least 2 to 3 times as hard as oak. It weighs
about 70 lbs. per cubic foot and sinks in water. Ipe will weather naturally
on it's own. Has no harmful chemicals. Will not warp or twist. This wood
is knot free. Drys naturally with little difficulty. Usually polishes
well. Easily sanded. Takes stain well. Can be turned with a bit of effort.
Holds screws well. |
| NEGATIVE
PROPERTIES |
Very
difficult to saw due to it's very hard qualities. May slightly warp, cup,
twist or end check during kiln drying. Requires surface preparation for
best gluing results. Difficult to plane. (Reducing cutting degrees will
help). Requires pre-boring for nailing. Difficult to paint. Has patches
of yellowish lapachol powder now and then which must be removed. Difficult
to steam bend. |
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