3 Ipe Hardwood Alternatives

What Brazilian Hardwood should you use if you don't want Ipe?

Ipe has long been the gold standard in Hardwood Decking and siding, which is why there are many other species that are peddled as "Ipe Alternatives". We discussed Massaranduba, which we don't recommend, on a previous episode. This week we want to mention 3 hardwoods that are great options if you don't want Ipe.

1. Cumaru

The first Hardwood is Cumaru. Cumaru is almost as dense as Ipe and has a similar color and grain pattern. Cumaru tends to have more of a purple hue than Ipe and will gray out slightly darker than Ipe.

2. Garapa

The second Hardwood is Garapa. Garapa is golden in color, similar to Western Red Cedar without the knots. It's not as dense as Ipe, but still 5 times more durable than Cedar. Garapa is a great choice if you want the look of Cedar that will last longer and has a vertical grain.

3. Tigerwood

The last Hardwood is Tigerwood. Known for its reddish hue and tiger striping, Tigerwood is the perfect hardwood to use when you are looking to make a statement. Because of the striping, Tigerwood can look dirty when it grays out, so we recommend oiling your project as needed to keep the original color.

These three hardwoods all look different but will perform similar to Ipe. Install them like you would Ipe and you'll have a great looking project for years to come.

Be sure to subscribe to the TimberTown YouTube Channel and click on the notification bell to be the first to get the latest TimberTips video!