[Wooderra]

Some excellent tropical hardwood decking species that offer diverse look and splendid performance:

	Appearance	Bending strength	                Hardness	          Benefits
Ipe deck (Brazilian Walnut decking)	An extremely dense wood casted with a deep rich brown and olive colour. Some pieces might display hints of red and amber hues. A fine texture and tight-grain look.	25,400 psi	3680 lbs.	Highest in resistance to insect and decay. Lifespan of over 75 years. Low maintenance No need to be dried for exterior uses
Cumaru deck (Brazilian Teak decking)	Colour varies, from honey to reddish brown Dark grain accents similarly to teak throughout the wood	24,800 psi	3540 lbs.	Over 50 years lifespan Natural resistance to decay Superb durability Low maintenance About 2/3 the price of Ipe
Cambara deck (Cambara Mahogany decking)	Light to medium brown hues A coarse to medium open graining pattern	13, 080 psi	941 lbs	The ability to hold coatings well allows flexibility in colour design for different projects Stable, harder and denser than softwood decking once kiln dried Rot and insect resistance
Tigerwood deck (Brazilian Koa decking)	A bit of brownish orangey background Accented with intermittent black and brown streaks Smooth texture Different and unique look, when darkened will turn to a deeper reddish brown	19,285 psi	1850 lbs.	Low maintenance Naturally durable and stable in many climates Lifespan: over 30 years
Garapa deck (Brazilian Ash decking)	Light yellow to luxurious honey hues A fine-grained structure that weathers to gray quickly	12,900 psi	1210 lbs	Lifespan: over 30 years Without any chemical treatments, it possesses a natural resistance to rot, decay and splinters Durable Class A in fire ratings
Massaranduba deck (Brazilian Redwood decking)	Colour variations of velvet red to dark reddish brown Straight, subtle grain. Grow out of large trees so decking boards typically have consistent grains. Fine texture	27,280 psi	3190 lbs.	Lifespan: over 30 years More stable in wet climates, rather than dry ones Exceptional durability Low maintenance Resistant to rot, decay and insects
Meranti deck (Dark red meranti decking)	Dark reddish colour Straight or interlocked grain	12,710 psi	800 lbs	Moderate resistance to decay and insects

To learn more about tropical hardwood decks and softwood decks, check out: https://www.wooderra.com/en/wood-and-timber-articles/pros-and-cons-of-the-most-popular-wood-deck-materials

Happy learning!

[Karl Harrison Landscapes Ltd]

Nice list and a sensible presentation, but whilst these species are harder, appear durable but what about consideration for the ability of these species to perform in different areas of the world. 

I have seen many of these tropical species underperform with regard to stability. With the exception of Ipe, the others certainly need a thicker material to maintain performance in stability. if this is not achievable due to limited supply then consideration should be for tighter joist layout (300mm C) and also much bigger fixings (min 5.5mm x 75mm)

There is far too much bad advice proffered to Landscapers and Contractors regarding these specialist materials… there should be much more information out there.

[Author]

Posts