Garapa decking is a high density tropical hardwood species that has some similar physical properties to Ipe wood decking. Garapa decking and Ipe decking each have beautiful graining and rich color variations. Both Ipe decking and Garapa high density hardwood decking materials are stronger than any North American wood species with respect to their bending strength, hardness, density and durability. The best quality Garapa wood and Ipe wood are harvested mainly in Northern Brazil which has one of the best growing climates for trees that are harvested and milled into high quality decking materials in the world. Ipe decking is considered by many to be the absolute best natural decking material on earth. Garapa decking has many of Ipe's great qualities as well.
GARAPA DECKING |
IPE DECKING |
Garapa decking varies from pale yellow hues to a rich honey brown color. Sometimes you can see this exotic color variation within the same piece of
Garapa decking material. The high strength, soft colors, finer graining and subtle striping of Garapa decking have earned Garapa the nickname “Brazilian Ash”. The color of Ipe decking varies from lighter browns to darker olive browns. Compared to Ipe, Garapa has less grain
variation but garapa still shows the rich exotic graining found in tropical hardwood decking species.
Other than the color differences and graining variation Ipe decking and Garapa decking have a lot in common. While Ipe is considerably harder than Garapa wood, Garapa is nearly one and a half times harder than Oak. The extreme hardness of Ipe and Garapa decking make either decking material a great option for a scratch resistant deck. If you have active children or pets playing on your deck, don’t be afraid to choose either Garapa or Ipe for your decking material.
The high density of Ipe wood and Garapa wood make each hardwood decking species very resistant to rot and termites. The high durability of both Garapa and Ipe decking assure you that your high density hardwood deck will last, and last beautifully, for many years.
From an initial price standpoint, Garapa decking costs less than Ipe decking. Garapa is one of the most affordable decking options on the market. If you are also concerned about how much a deck will end up costing you long term, life cycle cost analyses have been performed for Garapa and Ipe decking with great success. With their extremely low lifetime costs, both hardwood species (Ipe and Garapa) are among the best value decking material options to choose from. Ipe decking and Garapa decking are eco-friendly and sustainably harvested. Both Garapa and Ipe wood are available FSC Certified.
For a comprehensive overview of all your decking material options (including other wood decking species and composite and synthetic decking materials), please download "The Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Right Decking Material" by clicking on the link below.
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