What is Cumaru decking?

Cumaru decking is a type of hardwood decking made from Cumaru wood, also known as Brazilian Teak. It is renowned for its exceptional durability, natural resistance to rot and insects, and beautiful reddish-brown color. Cumaru decking is widely used to create elegant and long-lasting outdoor structures, such as decks, patios, and boardwalks.

What are the benefits of Cumaru decking?

Cumaru decking offers several benefits, making it a popular choice for outdoor projects. Its notable advantages include high durability, resistance to decay and insects, low maintenance requirements, and a beautiful appearance. Additionally, Cumaru wood has a high density, which enhances its strength and longevity, making it an ideal material for high-traffic areas.

Is Cumaru decking suitable for outdoor use?

Yes, Cumaru decking is specifically designed for outdoor use. It is highly resistant to weathering, UV radiation, and moisture, making it suitable for various climates. With its natural oils and dense structure, Cumaru wood provides excellent protection against rot, decay, and insect damage, ensuring its longevity and performance in outdoor environments.

How does Cumaru decking compare to other hardwood decking options?

Cumaru decking stands out among other hardwood decking options due to its exceptional durability and natural resistance. It has a hardness rating that exceeds many popular decking species, including pressure-treated pine and cedar. Furthermore, Cumaru wood's rich color and striking grain patterns add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any outdoor space.

Can Cumaru decking be stained or painted?

While Cumaru decking possesses natural beauty, it can be stained or painted if desired. However, many homeowners and contractors prefer to showcase the wood's natural color and unique grain patterns by applying a protective finish that enhances its appearance. Regular maintenance, such as cleaning and reapplying finishes, can help preserve the decking's aesthetics and performance over time.

Cumaru Decking Guide: Installation Tips, Weathering Insights, Fasteners, & Best Practices

Cumaru Decking is recognized as one of the toughest and most reliable natural hardwoods available, offering exceptional strength, rich color, and a proven service life of several decades. This page gives you a complete overview of Cumaru—from real customer project photos and long-term weathering examples to side-by-side comparisons with composite materials and pressure-treated pine. You’ll also find essential installation tips, care recommendations, and practical best practices to help you build a deck that performs for the long haul.

For customized planning help, try our interactive Decking Wizard or browse real-world projects in the Cumaru Decking Photo Gallery

If you’re ready to compare sizes, profiles, and prices, shop for Cumaru Decking Now!

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Cumaru T&G porch floor showing warm red, amber, and brown color variation in natural hardwood grain.

Overhead view of a Cumaru hardwood deck with smooth surface and hidden fasteners

Close-up of Cumaru hardwood decking showing bold grain patterns and deep red-brown color variations.

Cumaru 5/4x6 deck installation with uniform grain patterns and smooth hardwood finish.

Cumaru hardwood deck with varied red, brown, and amber tones installed in a forested backyard setting.

Cumaru 5/4x6 deck featuring a picture-frame layout with red and golden hardwood tones.

Large backyard deck built with Cumaru 5/4×6 grooved one side decking, showing clean transitions and a smooth border.

Outdoor deck built with Cumaru grooved one side decking featuring rich tones and outdoor seating.

What Exactly is Cumaru Decking?

Cumaru (Dipteryx odorata, pronounced Koo-Mah-Roo) is a high-performance Brazilian hardwood known for its exceptional strength, density, and long-term outdoor durability. Often compared to Ipe, Cumaru shares many of the same standout qualities—hardness, longevity, insect resistance, mold and rot resistance, and natural fire resistance—making it one of the most reliable hardwoods available for exterior construction. Its fine texture and interlocking grain also provide excellent slip resistance, adding to its practical advantages for deck surfaces.

Thanks to this durability, Cumaru is widely used for commercial applications such as boardwalks, beach piers, and public walkways that require long-lasting performance in harsh outdoor environments. At the same time, its warm natural color range and low maintenance needs make it a popular choice for residential decking, offering homeowners premium hardwood beauty at an exceptional value.

Full Video Transcript

[Music]

all right we’re here in the IPE shed so

that’s of course what’s in front of me

is one by six decking of eBay same

characteristics for the most part as the

other species which is naturally

resistant to insect attack naturally

resistant to fire naturally resistant to

rot and decay of course with eBay it is

the hardest going back to that Janka

scale that’s at the very bottom of the

genka scale but clustered in very

closely with three other species cumaru

masts are nuba and Purpleheart which

I’ll get to so some things to note

specifically about eBay the boards do

vary quite a bit in terms of color so

they vary board to board significantly

now it’s not that easy to tell on the

boards here in front of me because

there’s not oil on them I’ll put up an

image here on my right that will show

you a better idea of how much they can

vary but you’ll get everything from

light olive to almost a chocolate

colored board this sample is kind of a

good example of what it looks like with

oil and before oiled soap without oil of

course it’s matching the boards that are

in front of me pretty well and with oil

it’s significantly darker now it’s not

that the oil has a whole lot of color to

it it’s really not that tinted but it is

if you were to spit on your thumb and

rub it it would saturate the wood and

that’s what the the UV oil does its main

purpose of course is to protect it from

the wood from graying out due to

sunlight exposure but the other

characteristic that the wood that the

oil provides is that it saturates the

wood which again in the image on the

right you can tell so things to note

about eBay very very very hard a lot of

people compare it to concrete in its

hardness and like concrete

it does sink it doesn’t float on water

another thing to note

you will find that eBay tends to have

green patterns and maybe some black dark

brown striping out of the six boards

here only really one has it a lot this

one has a little bit and that’s about

how often you’ll see it one out of every

six boards will have significant black

striping and the black striping it adds

character and the reason I bring it up

is because you know we want you to know

exactly what you’re getting into with

eBay

it’s a beautiful species but it and it

does come with these certain

characteristics and that is that the

color varies from board to board you

will see some black striping certainly

it’s mainly brown hues other species

we’ll talk about our more blonde more

red certainly brown hues in eBay I think

that’s really about it let’s go over to

the cumaru shed alright so now we’re in

the Kim Bruce yet just like with the

eBay before this is our kuru 1×6 decking

profile

so again I’m going to throw up the genk

on the right here as you can see kumru

is very very close to ebay in fact in a

lot of commercial occupations it’s used

interchangeably with cumaru the Atlantic

City Boardwalk is a really great example

of where they couldn’t get enough eBay

at the time this was back in the mid 90s

so they used eBay and Coomera so all the

same benefits as far as insect fire rot

and decay all resistant to those the

differences really come with the

aesthetic so as you can see with kuru

they tend to have a little bit more of a

red hue to them especially when they’re

first cut or before they’ve been in the

sunlight so if you look closely to the

board’s in front of these six boards I

have turned over three of these so these

three here I have turned over to see the

fresh side so as you can see these three

are significantly more what I’ll say

pink or have more salmon pink hues to

them than these three these three have

had a little bit of sunlight exposure

they’ve had more oxidation exposure so

these three are brown this is more of

the color that you’re going to see with

cumaru so with EPA’s darker Browns two

lighter Browns with EPA it’s a little

bit our cumaru rather it’s a little bit

more consistent a little bit more of the

red hues this is a sample of kuru again

here is what matches the boards here

because they don’t have oil and here’s

one with the oil so as you can see

significantly browner than this side

again the oil is not adding the brown

it’s just that this sample has been

exposed to more oxygen

the undersides of these warts

particularly these through here so it’s

more saturated another thing that you’ll

notice with kumru I’ll throw a picture

up here on my right is that you’re not

going to see those black those dark

brown and black stripes that I mentioned

in the previous video but what you will

see are small what I like to call

hairline striations so striations is

just a fancy word for a line and if you

look really closely at these grades you

can see they have these tiny little

lines which in my opinion makes Cuba

really really pretty species and it

certainly differentiates it from equator

so just to give you an example here’s

one more there

[Applause]

you can see it’s even got some blonde

this one of course did not have much

sunlight or oxidation exposure and then

here’s one that has had some of that

exposure and it’s significantly more

ground

Our friends in South America have been using this hardwood lumber for fence posts and earth contact timbers for generations and brag about its useful life of 100 years. Cumaru is one of the densest woods on the planet and is VERY durable, which makes it ideal for deck building. It is common for a Cumaru tree to reach to 160 feet in height with a trunk diameter of 40 inches.

Get a Quote! Shop Cumaru Decking Learn About the Pitfalls of Cumaru

Cumaru Color and Appearance

Cumaru shows a wide natural color range, which is one reason it’s often compared to Ipe. Boards can display everything from deep reddish-browns to warm golds, often with rich character and noticeable variation from piece to piece. This color diversity gives Cumaru a dynamic look upon installation.

Over time, these tones will gradually mellow and blend, especially with heavy UV exposure, shifting toward a more uniform medium-brown unless the wood is regularly oiled. The species features a slightly interlocked, irregular grain with a coarse, wavy texture, contributing to its distinctive visual appeal.

Browse the customer photos below to see real examples. Some Cumaru decks lean more red, others more golden, but most projects showcase a natural mix of tones that harmonize beautifully as the deck ages.

Customer Curated Cumaru Decking Photos

Cumaru Deck With Camo Edge Fasteners

Cumaru Deck Restoration – Before & After

More Cumaru Photos

How Cumaru Weathering Works + Real Color Change Progression

Cumaru weathers naturally and beautifully, shifting from its warm reds and golden-brown tones toward a softer, medium-brown patina when left unoiled. Sunlight, rain, and time gently fade the surface color — but the wood’s strength, density, and durability never change. If you prefer to maintain the original richness, a light coat of UV oil will restore Cumaru’s deep, warm luster instantly.

To show how this looks in real outdoor conditions, we performed a 12-week weathering test using Cumaru boards exposed to direct sun, precipitation, and daily temperature swings — exactly what a real deck experiences. Each board received one coat of Messmer’s UV Plus (Natural), and after 12 weeks we re-oiled half the board to demonstrate the dramatic before-and-after restoration you can achieve with a simple maintenance routine.

Watch the full progression in our Hardwood Weathering Video, and review proper care steps in the Messmer’s Certified Cleaning & Oiling Guide. For more real-world examples of aging and maintenance, browse our Customer Project Gallery.

Read Full Video Transcript

all right a lot of folks are interested

to know what happens to Brazilian

hardwoods after they’ve been exposed to

some sunlight what typically happens is

if you don’t put oil on them the boards

will turn gray if you do put oil on them

it will preserve the color of the wood

for a longer period of time now above me

on the roof here I’ve got each species

that Brazilian heart of wood depo

carries and it’s been exposed to

sunlight for now 12 weeks I originally

did put oil on these boards and I’ll

show some pictures of what they looked

like before I put them up there right

when they had oil I’ll show them at six

weeks nine weeks and now we’re gonna

look at them at 12 weeks what I’m gonna

do is I’m gonna take them down have a

look and then we’re gonna put oil on

half of these boards and put them up

there for another 12 weeks and see how

they do so let’s check it out all right

here are some images I took throughout

the process this is what the boards

looked like right when they went up with

one coat of Mesmer’s UV oil a lot of

color there here’s three weeks later and

then six weeks and nine weeks in and now

we’re about to see what 12 weeks of sun

exposure looks like alright so I have

the boards down here I took them off the

roof and remember I said they were up

there for 12 weeks and when I first put

them up there

I put a thin layer of Mesmer’s UV

natural on all of them on the whole

board and as you can see and I’ll go

through what each one of these

individually but as you can see they’ve

grayed out substantially now on a

rooftop

they are certainly exposed to

substantially more sunlight than they

would be on a typical deck typical decks

have at least some Sun Sun Shade from

either the house or from other trees

surrounding these are on the roof so

it’s substantially more sunlight I

wanted to hasten up the process so I can

show everyone what happens when they are

exposed to sunlight even with the oil

because remember had I not put the oil

on this would have happened a lot more

quickly what I’m going to do after all

this is I’m going to put oil on half of

these boards but not the other half and

I’m gonna stick them back up there and

we’ll have another video and then

another 12 weeks to see what happened to

the side that wasn’t oiled so let’s

start over here at ghurabaa all right so

here’s our APPA board drop as you may

know is the blond of the six species

that we carry here at Brazilian wood

depot it started off a nice golden

golden blonde color

I’ll stick up an image there of what it

looked like when we just put it down

over time and of course greyed out to

this really nice consistent kind of

silvery color if you look at the bottom

of this board you can see it still has a

lot of that blond color left there was

of course some sunlight sunlight

bouncing off of the roof because it’s a

white roof but look at that

even with Mesmer’s and all of that

sunlight exposure it still bleached out

a little bit

this board is thirsty and it’s certainly

ready for some more oil now here’s of

course Tiger wood Tiger Woods lost all

of that nice orange I’m getting some

dust here from the trash can Tiger Wood

had this really nice orange e red kind

of hue kind of amber looking behind

these tiger stripes now the tiger

stripes are still visible the background

boards of course became whiter and so

more silver if you turn it over there’s

our Tiger wood color this is almost

exactly what it looked like when we

first put the boards down with their oil

of course the bottom side we didn’t put

oil on but there you go

there is a really good example of what

what Tiger wood might look like in the

heavy sun exposure after about four

months three or four months with one

coat oil this is certainly ready for a

new coat here is purple heart purple

heart is nice and smooth very smooth

texture you can see some of this SAP is

starting to have has already surfaced

and it’s now flaking away if I take my

fingernail and just kind of go over it

lightly it all kind of flake something

flakes right off we’ve lost all that

original purple color put up the image

there so you can see compare it to what

it looked like when it first went down

still has substantial purple coloring on

the back of course this is where the the

board’s laid right on top of this pallet

here

so that’s nothing to worry about but

look at that purple all of the purple is

gone and it looks almost the same as as

if a would a little bit lighter I’m

certainly similar to the master and do

but we’re about to look at but still has

that really nice grain pattern well you

won’t really find this nice pretty grain

pattern anywhere else on any of the

other species because it’s created by a

little bit of a different process but

look at that just amazing and they’ll

really stay there like that I know like

I said over time this SAP will continue

to flake away but you can’t feel it you

can’t feel it at all all right we’re

gonna have to stop this for a second

while this train blasts its horn through

here

[Music]

alright the train is past and I’ve

shifted the camera over a little bit so

we can focus on these three boards the

first one here I’m going to start with

this maserin dooba you’ll remember this

started as a really really pretty brick

color very consistent very tight grain

still incredibly smooth but certainly

has weathered out very nicely not so

much silver like the Kaurava has over

here but submit’ substantially faded you

can tell this is definitely ready for

some oil but it’s still looking really

really nice flip that over there’s some

of the brick of course there’s some

moisture because these are sitting flat

on this pallet like it and it wouldn’t

be that way in a standard insulation you

can also see because these nails aren’t

stainless screws stainless steel screws

rather that they have oxidized on the

board a little bit which is why you

should always stainless steel screws of

course and that really wasn’t the

purpose of this demonstration so we

won’t worry about that this master

Anubha looks beautiful and it’s gonna

look great when I put some more oil on

this moving down here this is cumaru a

really good visual they’re really pretty

it used to start it used to be a little

bit more red just like moss or Anubha

was but now all the red is gone it’s

kind of an medium IPE brown very smooth

to the touch

it really really pretty board I think

it’s gonna look really good when we put

some more oil on this there’s the

original color there because I haven’t

gotten me some light exposure

so this cumaru has held up extremely

well we’re really happy with this

getting a little dirt on my hands

because it’s dirty up there but there’s

not a lot of trees

you know directly over the roof so it

really hasn’t gotten too dirty

and finally EPA probably what most folks

are wondering about this the the surface

of this EPA is incredibly smooth

probably more smooth than while purple

hearts really smooth kauravas not as

smooth Tiger was not a smooth purple

heart and –pay are the smoothest after

sunlight exposure again the oil probably

helped a little bit keep it let it

allowed it to keep it from drying out

easy for me to say but a lot of those

Browns are gone I’ll stick up an image

there so you can see what it looked like

when it first put in but that’s really

nice looking board and it feels just

great here’s the original color that’s a

really good example nice cathedral

arches no block striping and this one

sometimes you’ll see that but it’s just

really really pretty pretty board ready

for some more oil and I think it’s going

to look great once we get the oil back

on it like I said before I’m gonna do

half these boards with oil I’m gonna

leave the other half so they continue to

gray out so that over time we can see

what happens with the one thin coat but

remember these boards are exposed to a

lot a lot of sunlight up there and and

they’re meant to be typically decks

won’t have that much sunlight but this

gives you a good idea of you know the

changes that it’ll go through over time

so let’s slap some oil on these and

we’ll bring the camera back out and see

how they look

so you can see all I’m using here is a

piece of an old cotton t-shirt if you

are looking for tips and advice on how

to maintain your eBay cumaru or other

Brazilian hardwood deck visit the video

that I’ll put in the description

it’s called ebay deck maintenance that

is about 15 minutes long and it goes

through different stages a deck might be

in so that you can clean and oil it

effectively one of the effective ways is

like I’m doing here just an old cotton

t-shirt of course it’s more time

consuming if it’s a really large deck so

if it is a larger deck I’d recommend

using something like a deck pad or

there’s a product on Amazon called deck

boss it’s basically an oversized

paintbrush head and I’ve heard that that

helps folks get between the boards I

haven’t used that product myself but

from the looks of it it looks like it’d

be a very effective tool what you don’t

want to use when you’re oiling your deck

is a roller it just puts on too much all

right so I’ve read all six boards only

half like I said I’m going to leave

these half in the Sun continue to gray

out and see what happens over the next

12 weeks and we put another coat on here

just to track what that looks like but

as you can see we’ve brought back some

of the color for the ghurabaa again this

isn’t a stain it’s not a sealer it’s a

UV oil it protects from the sunlight so

it’s not meant to change the color

dramatically and just help saturate the

wood a little bit look how it brought

out the grain back in the tiger wood you

can see there’s more contrast on this

side then over here same thing with all

of them really purple hearts the same

deal here’s a cumaru it’s for a better

angle there

you can see it brought back some of the

grain pattern where it was a lot more

consistent here now you can see some of

that contrast again oh I’m sorry that

was maserin dooba

here’s your cumaru and you can tell by

the little striations in the grain

pattern it looks really nice I mean that

that this coloring really looks similar

to what it looked like before you see

that that oil really brings it back and

here’s your eBay

again just bring in the contrast back

we’ve got another train coming I

apologize but bringing the contrast back

some kind of what it looked like before

very similar just reapplying the oil

does that and you saw how quickly and

easy easy it was I use the cotton

t-shirt I could have used the paintbrush

but I think the cotton t-shirts easier

so there you have it

sunlight grays outboards the UV oil

helps to prevent that from happening or

certainly slow that down since these

were new boards they were ready after

about four three or four months for some

more oil typically decks are not getting

that much sunlight so we the rule of

thumb is really around six months

they’re usually thirsty for some more

oil in this case it’s going to be a

little bit more frequent because they

are like I said on the rooftop but I’ll

throw these back on the roof and we will

come examine them again and another

twelve twelve twelve weeks and see how

they look Brazilian wood Depot is the

Southeast’s premier importer of

Brazilian hardwoods for decking siding

and flooring for more information go to

www.fema.gov

Fresh Deck Boards

Deck boards with fresh coat of Messmers UV Plus Natural

Fresh Decking Boards Before Sunlight Exposure Finished with One Coat Messmer’s UV Plus Natural

3 Weeks Exposure

Three weeks of full sunlight and weather exposure.

6 Weeks Exposure

Deck boards with six full weeks of sunlight and weather exposure.

Six weeks of full sunlight and weather exposure.

9 Weeks Exposure

Deck boards with nine full weeks of sunlight and weather exposure.

Nine weeks of full sunlight and weather exposure. Boards are now almost grey, but certainly have lost their original richness, in tone.

12 Weeks Exposure & ReOiled

Ipe decking boards after twelve weeks of weathering and fresh re-oiling, showing restored rich brown color and contrast with weathered half.

At 12 weeks, the boards are uniform grey. The oiled top half shows the contrast between faded and freshly reoiled wood.

Cumaru Decking Maintenance & Care Requirements

Cumaru decking requires very simple maintenance to stay beautiful for decades. When left to weather naturally, Cumaru gradually develops a soft, medium-brown patina that many homeowners appreciate for its organic, low-maintenance look. If you prefer to keep its original warm red-and-gold tones, a quick annual cleaning and a light re-oiling will maintain the freshly installed appearance.

Routine care involves washing the surface with a mild wood cleaner to remove pollen and debris, then applying a thin coat of UV-protective oil to restore sun protection and color depth. Because Cumaru is an exceptionally dense hardwood, oiling once or twice per year is typically all that’s needed—even in high-sun or coastal environments.

For the full step-by-step process, explore the Messmer’s Certified Cleaning & Oiling Guide or watch our Messmer’s Cleaning & Oil Video for a live demonstration of proper maintenance techniques.

With proper care, your REALCumaru™ deck will continue to resist rot, decay, and surface wear—maintaining its natural beauty and smooth texture for generations.

Read Full Video Transcript

all right folks welcome back to

brazilian wood depot’s youtube channel

my name is sam and i go over everything

regarding brazilian hardwood

decking siding and flooring i’m really

excited to bring out this updated

video of ipe deck maintenance of course

it’s going to be relevant to all

brazilian hardwoods

you may remember about a year ago or so

i put out a ipe deck maintenance video

that video is still great but we’ve got

some new products mesmer’s changed their

product line a little bit we got rid of

the liquid cleaner

this is going to be the star of the show

today the part a and b powder

concentrate formula i’m going to go over

what it’s all about how to use it but

before we go any further

let’s roll the intro

[Music]

all right so like i said i’ve already

put out one epedec maintenance video and

that video is still good you can still

refer to that

but i’m going to kind of go over some of

the same things that i went over in that

video

but with a slight change one of the

products is no longer being made it may

come back to market at some point but

anyways we may not carry it because i

like this one so much better

so the way i’d like to get started is to

talk about

different deck conditions and go through

what process is

fairly standard for those deck

conditions so the first condition

is you just got a new deck i mean it was

just finished built and the contractor

left it doesn’t have any oil

so your question to me or a common

question from customers is

do i need to clean it before i oil it

that’s really going to be largely up to

discretion i mean if it’s dirty

if it’s got work boot footprints on it

all over the place

then yes i remem i recommend probably

cleaning it with some light detergent

something that you can find at home

depot i think there’s one called bare

all-purpose wood cleaner oh my gosh i’m

gonna have to stop this and we’ll be

right back

all right so uh yeah dirty footprints

stuff like that on a new

deck a brand new build um

you could probably use something a

simple wood detergent bare all-purpose

wood cleaner i’ll put an image over here

uh but i think it’s called all-purpose

wood and deck cleaner

that’s fine it’s a it’s a light

detergent you probably don’t even need

that

you can probably use a push broom um

your perhaps yours is on a pole mine

isn’t

you could use a push broom and some

water and just knock it off that’s

really it

let it dry then use the oil i’ve talked

about this before there’s some products

that you can use outside of this

particular one

but not many most of them would be the

incorrect product we think

mesmer’s uv plus is the best so if it’s

a brand new deck

just get the dirt off i mean you

probably don’t even need soap just go

straight

to the oil uv plus and make sure you

follow my guidelines that are on our

website

don’t put it on too thick follow the

temperature ranges that you should be

putting it on

and never leave a rag in an empty can it

will catch fire

all right the next deck condition i

guess we’ll say

i’m going to go over is the standard

dirty deck

so this deck might be two three four

five years old

and maybe it’s been cleaned a couple

times here and there but it’s a standard

dirty deck it’s got dirt in it but it’s

not been neglected for

let’s say 15 or 20 years but it’s dirty

it needs to be cleaned so

before i think i probably said to use

that mesmer’s liquid cleaner

i think it’s called liquid brightening

renewer anyways it’s a green liquid jug

they don’t have that anymore i heard

some speculation that maybe they stopped

making that at the beginning of covid

because of the run on sanitizer

hand sanitizer they needed the alcohol

for the formula i really am not sure

exactly maybe that’s it maybe not

but in any case as soon as they stopped

having that available

they had these available and i was a

little skeptical

because i know that granule granules are

a little bit harder to mix with water

sometimes it requires warm water to do

it but i gotta tell you

i’m super super thrilled about this

product yes it’s a part a

and then a part b to be used separately

in other words you’ll mix one with water

and then you’ll mix the other one with

water after you’re done with the first

one

this is a it’s got the white cap b it

has the black

cap i am very very pleased about that

and i’m excited to show you

what i did to the table that i’m

standing next to uh it was in

just horrendous condition it’s sitting

here next to our ramp

getting all sorts of dirt on it because

it’s here at the shop

in our parking lot really and it gets

all sorts of dirt on it and my dad said

no you won’t be able to clean this and i

kind of took that as a challenge so i’m

really excited to show you that video in

a minute but again

standard dirty deck this is a fabulous

fabulous product we carry it i’m sure

you can get it some other places

but i believe each jar is supposed to do

600 square feet approximately

on its own but of course i really think

you should be using them together

i don’t want to go into too too great a

detail because the labels on these are

exactly correct i don’t think it really

requires a whole lot of

explanation but if you go to mesmer’s

website you can see the the directions

they have on the website

it’s pretty simple all right so i guess

the last condition

of a debt condition that i want to

briefly go over

would be what i call um

almost dilapidated that’s not the right

word um

seriously forgotten about for many many

years

and really i think that’s the condition

this thing was in i i really don’t see

any condition of a deck getting worse

than this

so again i mean it’s really the same

process i’m going to recommend doing the

and then going to the b the only

difference with a deck that’s

really really neglected that was the

word i was looking for neglected

um is perhaps you have a a palm sander

handy

maybe even a belt sander but i really

caution you against going too hard on

the belt sander

i really kind of caution against using

it really at all

but there might be a reason to be using

it but a palm sander with 60 or 80 grit

will help you get some of those areas

that the scrubbing just wasn’t quite as

effective at

i didn’t even do it on this deck because

i was on this

table rather i was so impressed about

how the

um part a and b did that i can see some

areas over there that you can’t see from

the camera

that if i think that if i took a 60 or

80 grit orbital sander

a little palm sander like a ryobi i

really think i could have knocked some

of that off

and made this just that much better but

again

i didn’t take the steps to do that in

any case

uh old old dilapidated neglected deck

part a just like the label says then

part b just like the label says

and then the oil basically just like the

label says

make sure again keep it really thin coat

and before you do the oil check and see

if there’s some spots you can take a

palm sander to

and see what results you get again

caution against the belt sander

yes you can use it but be careful don’t

go too hard on it i don’t want you to

have any like

indents in the deck because you just

went too crazy with the belt sander i

really think you should start with the

palm sander at 60 or 80 grit

and see where you’re at you’ll probably

be pretty happy with that after using

these two and the palm sander

and then go straight to the oil okay i

think i’ve gone over everything it’s a

much shorter video than last time

uh just because i think these two uh

with this one

one and two products go together so well

and they work so well there’s just not a

whole lot to say

so i’m gonna cut over to me cleaning

this and i’ll do some voice over with

that and kind of explain what i’m doing

uh and then i guess we’ll do the oil

intake of this table

so uh yeah here we go and just take a

second to look at the condition of this

i mean this

is this dirty as a deck gets you can’t

even really tell what species it is

uh turns out it is uh garappa of course

you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking

at it yet

and what i’ve got here is the part a of

the um

of the powders mixed in with some warm

water

and i’m just spraying it down just like

the label says get it nice and wet

leave it wet for a couple minutes

keeping it wet and then start scrubbing

so i’ve got this blue scrubber

i give this white one a shot here but no

that one doesn’t work

so back to the blue one i i think if

you’re on a deck that’s not this bad you

could probably use a push broom

uh with some stiff bristles and probably

get some pretty good results from it

uh this one uh obviously i can’t use a

push broom because i’m not really stan

can’t really stand on it but uh

get better leverage too with the with a

little scrubby

immediately you can start seeing that

this is really doing a good job of

lifting the dirt up

and then just rinse and repeat

try to keep it wet it’s a good thing to

do this a good time to do it is when the

sun’s

not all the way out maybe there’s some

overcast because it’s easier to keep the

deck wet

i mean if it’s a real hot day with

bright sun it’s going to keep drying it

up and then you have to use more of the

more of the formula but it’s a little

overcast right now so

and this is the hardest part just

scrubbing it the oiling is easy

the part b obviously is easier just

spraying something on but this is the

hardest part here and it’s really

not that hard so rinse again

directions say to rinse off

rinse off part a after you’re done

scrubbing

so i’ll do exactly that i’m just going

to rinse it off there

now for part b

mix that just like you did the first

time in the sprayer and look at that

immediately as the part b touches it it

starts brightening it up

by the time this is over it will be

really really nice looking

really impressed with the part b

and then i think you’re supposed to

rinse that off too which which i did

and as you can see this looks like a

whole new different table i’ve put the

original picture of it how before it uh

how it looked before i started cleaning

it in the corner there so you can see

the difference and it’s just amazing

i didn’t work on this very long in fact

it didn’t take me long at all

i could have done some sanding in some

areas like at the ends of these boards

for instance

so it’s not perfect but it is pretty

impressive

so in a minute here i’m going to oil

this

i just wanted you to take a look at it

before i put the oil on and really look

at the difference between what it looks

like now

and what it looked like before i cleaned

all right so once the decking boards

were completely dry and now it’s time

for the oil so as you see i’m just using

a cotton t-shirt rag

and mesmer’s uv plus natural which of

course is what we recommend um

i’m using a cotton t-shirt rag which

works fine uh perhaps it would have been

a little faster with a paintbrush i

think it probably would have but

i didn’t want to get a paintbrush dirty

and i’m not sure that i had one handy so

i just used this cotton t-shirt rag

another couple of good products that are

worth the investment i think if you have

a brazilian hardwood deck

is a a deck a deck boss which you can

find on amazon it’s a basically a

extra big paint brush head on the end of

a pole or a deck pad

i think the deck boss does a little

better getting into the cracks

either way it’s really really easy it’s

just wipe on

and again make sure you’re not putting

it on too heavy and follow those

instructions that are on our website

alright folks just finished with the

oiling and oh my god

am i impressed i really am i impressed

myself but

mainly i’m impressed with the mesmer’s a

and b cleaning product i knew the oil

was going to work well

but that cleaning product just really

blows me away so that’s it for this

video

thanks for watching stay tuned i have

more coming up i’m gonna grab the camera

and do one quick overview again

by no means is this perfect it wasn’t

meant to be perfect frankly

i can’t i can’t really believe it worked

this well um but yeah

let me pick up the camera and we’ll do

one more shot

[Music]

you

Messmer’s-UV-Plus-Natural-for-Hardwood-decks

Option 1 — Let Cumaru Weather Naturally

If you choose not to apply UV oil, your Cumaru deck will gradually mellow into a soft, medium-brown patina. This natural color shift does not affect structural performance, stability, or water resistance—it’s purely an aesthetic change caused by sun exposure and time. Whenever you want to bring back Cumaru’s original warm red-and-gold tones, a simple cleaning and light re-oiling will fully restore the rich color. See how hardwoods transform in our Hardwood Weathering Video.

Option 2 — Maintain the Original Warm Color

To preserve Cumaru’s natural hue, use Messmer’s UV Plus Natural for Hardwood Decks—the product we recommend for maintaining color stability and UV protection. This oil uses transparent iron-oxide pigments to absorb harmful UV rays while still allowing the wood’s grain and natural character to show through.

A single coat helps maintain color depth and slows surface fading without creating shine or altering texture. Most homeowners re-oil annually and perform a more thorough deep-clean every 2–3 years. For a full demonstration of best practices, watch our Hardwood Deck Maintenance Video, which covers Cumaru along with Ipe, Massaranduba, Tigerwood, and other species.

Ready for a Full Guide?

Download the Full Cleaning & Oiling Instructions PDF for detailed maintenance steps, or explore our Installation Guides for professional finishing and care recommendations.

Whether you allow your Cumaru deck to weather naturally or prefer to maintain its original warm color, Brazilian Wood Depot provides the right products, resources, and expertise to keep your REALCumaru™ performing beautifully for decades.

Optimizing Cumaru Performance in Real Exterior Conditions

Read Full Video Transcript

the tightening um the tightening points

here F but it should be a minimum of 3/4

in so so the bottom expands out uh I

don’t want to go into too too great a

[Music]

detail all right welcome back to

Brazilian Wood Depot’s YouTube channel

my name is Sam and I’m going over a

chart that I put together and I think

it’s going to be really helpful for a

lot of people out there I spend a lot of

time talking about this topic and kind

of putting it into a visual resource I

think is going to be helpful but I want

to explain some things the chart that

we’re talking about I’m calling bw’s

guide to exterior hardwood applications

by species I know it’s a bit of a

mouthful but basically as as you

probably know we sell uh a handful seven

technically different hardwood species

uh for decking and sighting and exterior

applications well these seven different

species of Hardwoods have different

performance characteristics based on

different conditions so I’ve basically

made a a visual chart and scored the

different species based on these

different conditions so I’m going to

shrink this video down so we can look at

this chart together and I’m going to go

through it from top to

bottom all right here’s our chart bwd

guide to exterior hardwood applications

by species first thing you’ll notice up

here is that we are breaking it down

into three categories application deck

fastening and sunlight exposure

applications are decking siding tongue

and groove ceiling which is very popular

Believe It or Not uh and porch tongue

and groove they’re slightly different

because they have different exposures um

and then deck fting surface screws

Groove for Clips camo Edge fasting and

sunlight exposure heavy moderate and

little to none so before we get into the

species cuz I’m going to go by each

species and then go across I want to

mention a couple things everything gets

a five because everything makes good

decking uh but that’s pretty broad

because the conditions are going to get

more specific uh like I said then we’re

going to get a fasten sunlight exposure

I could have just not had this but I

thought it was nice to have it so

everybody understands that they all make

good decking but then we’re going to go

more specifically into different

conditions um I guess that’s the only

thing I want to mention first let’s just

go ahead and start with eay then okay so

we already talked about decking get gets

a five rain screen siding gets a five

it’s very stable ceiling porch TNG

everything good there surface screws

five good why would eay get a four on

these and not a five what well if it’s

my opinion and it is my opinion that

surface screws is the best turn this

down if surface screws is the best way

to install it’s the most secure uh

mechanical

Fastener um available then the other two

have to be four so does eepe do great

with a Groove board and do well with

camo yes they should really technically

probably be able to get fives but um I

still think surface screws are better so

I get it a five and these are four um my

colleague thinks these should be five

and that’s fine it works well but

surface screws is always stronger uh

eBay does well and heavy moderate and

little to no sunlight exposure because

ePay is the most stable and you don’t

have any problems so that’s pretty easy

moving on to

kumaru we already talked about this

everything gets a five for decking rain

screen siding not as much because you

have to use use the clips and kumaru is

not as stable um ceiling don’t have much

sunlight exposure does well porch TNG

we’ve been doing porch TNG with kumaru

for a long time typically the 3 and 1

half inch tongue and groove we like that

that works great surface screws that’s

the way to go with kumaru for sure

because it’s not as stable uh Groove

boards with Clips if it was in moderate

sunlight exposure it’ be fine heavy

sunlight exposure not so great so it

gets a three which is kind of like my

neutral number uh one is like I really

don’t recommend it five is I highly

recommend it and three is like neutral

eh hit or miss so for Groove boards it

gets a three again it would do fine if

the sunlight exposure was minimal but uh

that’s why it gets that camo exposure or

camo Edge fastening rather also gets a

three again in heavy sunlight exposure

probably not great and minimal sunlight

exposure prob really just fine um so

that’s why it gets a three heavy

sunlight if it’s surface screwed it’s

fine if we want to use one of these

systems uh I don’t like it so much

that’s why it gets a three and in

moderate sunlight exposure you know it’s

better than heavy so four and then

little to none five because Kum does

well when it’s not being blistered with

sun that’s makes makes it want to act up

a little

bit okay moving on to

garpa decking we already talked about

that gets a five check that’s a weird

check let me start that over

here check uh r screen siding check

garpa is very stable like eBay it does

well in all of these conditions the only

reason it gets a four here is because I

don’t have a whole lot of experience

with using it as porch TNG uh it would

be a 5 in uh TNG for porch decking I I’m

sure we’ve done it but uh just because I

can’t really remember doing it too much

it’s just going to get a four I think it

would do fine it probably would earn a

five I just don’t have the data to

support it um surface screws like

everything that you’ll notice everything

gets five with surface screws so so does

garpa uh garpa does really well with

grooved boards for Clips it gets a four

I don’t really have any problems with it

also gets a four with camo um arguably

they could it could be getting a five

but I think four is fine um it does well

in all sunlight conditions so it gets a

five on all three so garpa and eepe if I

were to add them up probably would have

the highest scores uh garpa is

underappreciated and um very cost

effective so I always try to remind

people about

garpa all right moving on to Tiger Wood

take a sip of

water

okay decking gets a five we’ve already

talked about that rain siding I have a

lot of experience with it it gets a four

not quite as stable as epe so it’s going

to get a little ding there but still

gets a forward it’s pretty good uh

ceiling we’ve done a lot of ceilings

with Groove and they look awesome and uh

as you can see most of them most of

these get a five and ceiling because

ceiling doesn’t get much sunlight

exposure just by Nature so um tigerwood

also gets a five there porch TNG don’t

have a whole lot of experience with a 5

in tigerwood I mean I know we’ve done it

probably many times um I wouldn’t expect

there to be an issue and I’ve not heard

of any issues uh but since I don’t have

as much data on it as I do like the eBay

and kumaru I’m just going to get it a

little ding as a four because

I just don’t have as much data on it

surface screws like everything else five

Groove boards with Clips yeah if it’s if

it’s a moderate if it’s one of these

sunlight conditions then yes then maybe

it’s a four but if it’s this sunlight

condition then it’s probably a two so

overall tigerwood gets a three kind of

neutral on it depending on sunlight

exposure uh camo Edge fastening

yeah yeah not so much especially in

these two sunlight conditions heavy and

moderate it’s definitely a two in little

to none H it might even get a four in

little to none sunlight condition

um so all right let’s go to the

conditions himself the reason that it

gets a one in heavy sunlight condition

is because you start losing the black

veins that run through and that are so

characteristic for Tiger Wood if you’re

going to lose those in a matter of

months or a few years uh to an all gray

color then what’s the point of using

tigerwood in the first place not to

mention tigerwood is not one of those

that is very pretty when it turns gray

like for instance purple heart which is

why Purple Heart gets a five um so

overall heavy sunlight conditions I

always advise people against Tiger Wood

some people don’t listen to me and

presumably they’re happy with it but I

generally I don’t recommend it uh same

logic going into moderate moderates

better than heavy but still don’t

recommend it it does fabulous in little

to no sunlight conditions it holds its

color it keeps its black veins and uh it

works really well good moving on to Masa

which is short for Masa and Duba I just

didn’t want to type it all in um all

right decking five yeah we know that

rain screen siding five good yes I have

a lot plenty of experience and never

really any issues TNG ceiling everything

gets a five except for one of them so

yes Masa gets a five and I have

experience with it and it looks great uh

porch TNG don’t have much experience

with it for a porch TNG again like I

keep saying I’m sure we’ve done it many

times but I just don’t really have the

data in my

mind so anyways uh it it it could

probably earn a five but because the

data is not there to support it four

surface screws just like everything else

gets a five and it doesn’t really

typically have any problems with group

for Clips or camo Edge fastening

especially in moderate to little

sunlight exposure I would probably give

it a

three I’d probably give it a three under

heavy sunlight conditions for these two

methods of

fastening um actually I have a cool line

I can use for these two methods of

fastening

under this condition is probably a three

but those but these two method methods

of fastening in these two get a four and

five that may have been more confusing

than anything anyways uh heavy sunlight

condition master and Duba generally does

fine um and then of course in the other

two conditions master and Duba does fine

good moving along to the maybe the

Oddball of the group here in terms of

scoring of course five here wow are only

one there’s some reasons for that uh one

we’re assuming that rain screen sighing

is going to have a moderate to heavy

sunlight exposure typically these two

things typically go together um so

therefore and purple heart just very

similar to kumaru is just not that

stable um so therefore and not only that

it’s purple so most people don’t want

purple siding so all of that considered

it gets a one we really don’t do much

Purple Heart siding which I’m not

surprised about um we have done a little

bit of it but anyways it gets a one in

Rain screen

sighting uh ceiling TNG well it goes

from purple to Brown quickly in sunlight

but not in sunlight it takes a long time

which is why people typically don’t use

it on the ceiling they don’t want a

purple type wood ceiling so for that

reason it gets a one performance would

probably be fine but purple ceiling

that’s why it gets a one uh also purple

porch that gets a one not so much

performance probably but color surface

screws yes we definitely want surface

screws with purple heart because as you

can see I’m not thrilled on these

methods of fastening with purple heart

especially with these two sunlight

conditions so this one together is a

no but these two with this condition

probably gets more like

four that make sense it gets a two in

these conditions but a four in little to

no sunlight anyways the reason it’s

going 5 4 1 here is because we want the

sunlight to help it turn brown because

most people don’t want it purple these

two conditions will allow it to turn

brown very quickly in a matter of weeks

maybe typically somewhere around 6 weeks

um maybe in moderate sunlight maybe it’d

be more like I don’t know eight or 10 so

that’s the deal with purple heart most

of these

scores most of these scores have to do

with the fact that in these conditions

they’re not turning brown they’re

staying purple let me do a better job in

these type of conditions especially this

one I’ll put a lot of circles here

especially that one it’s not turning

purple very quickly it’s going to take a

long time so therefore they get ones but

we love Purple Heart in heavy sunlight

conditions boat docks that kind of thing

purple heart’s great all right for the

last one the Southeast Asian hardwood

Brown

blow of course it gets a five in decking

rain screen sighting four only because I

don’t have a whole lot of data yet but

everything seems fine um but it would be

in the you know a four in like sorry in

these two sunlight condition is better

so anyways moving on uh ceiling we’ve

done lots of ceilings Fabulous Five

porch T we’ve done a lot of that five

surface screws like everything five

Groove for

Clips Brown bow seems to have a little

more expansion contraction especially in

the heavy sunlight exposure conditions

so for that reason um it gets a three

like a neutral on these two fating

methods as you can see and I’m just

realizing this now

they’re all pretty much they get the if

you get a lower score with grooves it’s

pretty

consistent tigerwood oh yeah that’s true

I would prefer Clips with tigerwood than

camo anyway I’m just pointing out that

these two pretty much are always the

same score across the board uh which I

hadn’t noticed before but it is true let

me clear this again all right so anyways

Brown bow uh group for clips and Camo

I’m neutral on it because again they it

would do really fine here maybe a four

or five in that that condition but uh

maybe a two or a three in this condition

so overall for these two fastening

methods um I’m just going to stay

neutral and say three really i’ I’d

prefer to see people using just face

screws on Brown bow um and then finally

sunlight conditions yeah heavy it t it

tends to check a little bit more than

other species all species check to some

degree Brown blow seems to do it a

little heavier so it’s going to get a

three and heavy um same reason moderate

it’s not it’s not going to experience as

much checking so it gets a four there

and it’s doing fabulously in these low

sunlight conditions like porch TNG and

ceiling and covered decks things like

that which I think that pretty much

covers it

um I hope this was helpful um hopefully

I didn’t miss anything but if you have

any questions give us a call like I said

I’m trying to keep this video short so

uh stay tuned I’ll have another video

coming up soon but I hope this helped

thanks a

lot I just wanted to add a final

disclaimer to this video and remind

anybody who’s watching that uh the

scores on this chart that I went over in

this video they’re my opinions my

opinions that I’ve developed over the

course of many years with lots of

customer feedback and my opinions might

be slightly different than somebody else

here um even within Brazilian Wood Depot

uh my colleagues would probably fill in

this chart slightly differently and

that’s totally fine that’s okay um I

also like to put out there that I’m very

conservative when it comes to this stuff

because customers tend to call me if

they have issues and not when

everything’s going great so these scores

are probably pretty aggressive in terms

of being very conservative I like things

to go down and everything to be happy

with everyone so my advice tends to be

pretty conservative but anyways hope you

enjoyed the video go out there and watch

some more and uh thanks for

watching for

Every Brazilian hardwood species performs differently under various exterior conditions, and Cumaru is no exception. To make choosing the right material easier, we evaluate how each species responds to real-world factors like sun exposure, fastening method, moisture, and installation style. This chart reflects our experience supplying and installing Brazilian hardwoods for over two decades, along with conservative performance ratings based on field results—not marketing claims.

Use this guide to understand how Cumaru performs as decking, siding, porch material, or ceiling installation, and which fastening systems—surface screws, clips, or CAMO edge fasteners—are most appropriate for your project. For detailed installation best practices across all fastener types, visit our Installation Hub for step-by-step instructions and recommended techniques.

For a deeper walkthrough of these ratings and why each species scores differently, watch the accompanying video where we explain the application strengths, limitations, and best practices for Cumaru and other hardwoods.

Exterior Hardwood performance application grade chart

Air-Flow Management, Cupping and Installation Failures to Avoid

For a deeper look at how airflow, drainage design, and moisture balance affect hardwood movement, read our in-depth guide: Ipe & Hardwood Decking: Cupping, Warping, and Airflow. It explains the physics behind cupping, the most common ventilation mistakes, and the design strategies that keep Cumaru boards stable for the long term.

Why Choose Cumaru Decking? Key Benefits Explained

Exceptional Hardness & Strength
Cumaru’s 3,540 Janka rating makes it one of the hardest decking woods available, providing long-term stability and superior performance in harsh outdoor conditions.
Long-Term Durability
Evolved in rainforest climates with 100–400 inches of annual rainfall, Cumaru naturally resists rot, mold, and water penetration, resulting in decks that often last 25–75+ years.
Easy Board Replacement
Unlike composites or PT boards—which fade and mismatch over time—Cumaru’s natural color variation means replacement boards blend in seamlessly after light weathering.
Naturally Insect Resistant
Cumaru’s dense fibers deter wood-boring insects without relying on chemical treatments, making it a healthier, more durable choice for exterior applications.
Strong Fire Performance
Cumaru typically achieves high B ratings in flame-spread testing, outperforming most composite and plastic decking materials.
Low Maintenance
With optional oiling and simple cleaning, Cumaru maintains structural integrity and visual appeal without the sagging, drooping, or plastic breakdown seen in synthetic decks.
Environmentally Responsible Choice
Sustainably harvested Cumaru supports responsible forestry and preserves naturally forested land from conversion to agriculture.
Better Long-Term Value
While composite or PT may appear cheaper upfront, frequent replacement and fading make them costlier over time. Cumaru’s lifespan and structural reliability make it one of the most cost-effective decking materials available.

Nationwide Cumaru Shipping + Our Zero-Damage Guarantee

Your timeline matters, and we make nationwide delivery fast, predictable, and protected. Most REALCumaru™ decking orders ship out from our Atlanta facility in 3–5 business days, prepared and secured by our experienced in-house team.

What makes Brazilian Wood Depot’s shipping process stand out:

Read Full Video Transcript

okay welcome back to brazilian wood

depot’s youtube channel today i’m going

to tell you why brazilian wood depot is

the best at shipping lumber in the

industry we’re going to watch excuse me

we’re going to watch uh romer and with a

little help from william put together

one of our solid crates from beginning

to end we’re the only ones as far as i

know in the industry that do this

and it really goes a long way to

protecting the lumber from getting

damaged and shipping and this is

specifically for my ltl customers which

are most often out of state

sometimes we use flatbeds for regional

deliveries but most of my customers in

the northeast or out west

in the midwest or the west coast we’ll

be using the ltl carriers it’s the most

common way we ship lumber

and we have a very specific process

about how we create it

and i’m going to show you that process

right now

[Music]

okay thanks again for watching our

youtube channel this um

episode this video is all about shipping

and how we use the ltl carrier system uh

more importantly how we

bundle and create our materials when

they’re going on that on the common

carriers

we are the only ones

in this industry that do it this way to

my knowledge other

competing distributors

put it on a pallet and then

i think they put plastic over it which

the carriers in these terminals

aren’t very careful with their forklifts

in fact they’re not careful at all so we

go through a lot of

a lot of effort to make sure our boards

get to our customers in the same

condition they left our warehouse in

so of course we build the pallet pull

the lumber and now they’re putting the

first straps on it that’s roamer there

with the ear muffs and william helping

out there with the glasses

um we’re in georgia so

nearly all of our customers in the

northeast

the midwest the pacific coast will be

utilizing this carrier

ltl carrier service otherwise known as

common carriers

some of my customers in the north

carolina south carolina alabama

tennessee

we can use the

flatbed service for about the same price

maybe a little bit more

there are some benefits of using flatbed

services but it’s just not

it’s not cost effective to do that in

the uh

outside of the southeast

now what roamer is doing there is he’s

placing the gps device it’s a new

service we’re offering inside the crate

and a pre-labeled usps envelope

we’re right now we’re charging 125 bucks

for the service but we refund 100 when

the envelope gets back to us so it’s

only 25 bucks it gives both us and the

customers a lot of peace of mind

in some cases we

insist on it um in other cases it’s not

so it is important like north carolina

for instance

i really don’t need to keep gps on the

north carolina order but it can still be

helpful the carriers

are sometimes disorganized and we like

to know where our

nice big expensive crates are faster

than they sometimes are able to tell us

okay so we got the crate put together

the gps is inside

he’s putting sliders on the feet sliders

are very important

they they allow the crate not to the

feet not to roll over

and here is a surround view of that same

crate

now when customers are unloading these

um it’s generally one or two people on

the job site they climb into the back of

the truck with a crowbar and a hammer

and a knife and start breaking away this

crating

and sliding those boards out

individually now there’s we can make

other you know arrangements especially

if the customer has a skid steer or

forklift on site

those can be used also but in most cases

customers don’t have that stuff and it’s

real easy to unload

i included

this crate because it has step downs

it’s a little more common but it’s a

little more complicated to create

and i just wanted to make a nice easy

video showing

an easy crate but

it’s not unusual for a crate to look

like this would step down same process

same really everything

a whole lot more information about how

the shipping process works at bw

depot.com forward slash shipping

um again we’re real proud of the way we

crate and ship materials because nobody

doesn’t like us and nobody knows knows

how to do it as good as we do

we have heard horror stories of

uh competitors sending lumber and

you know the lumber shows up and it’s

just a mess so

don’t

buy lumber

that’s going on common carriers without

crating it’s very important thanks for

watching

🚀 Fast Turnaround You Can Count On

REALCumaru™ orders are typically processed and shipped in just a few business days — helping builders and homeowners keep projects moving without delay.
Learn more on our Shipping Page.

📦 Custom Crating for Maximum Protection

Every Cumaru shipment is enclosed in our reinforced, custom-built crates designed to prevent shifting, edge damage, and warping during freight. No other supplier offers crating at this level.

📡 GPS-Tracked Freight for Total Transparency

All shipments include a 4G GPS tracker, allowing you to follow your delivery from the moment it leaves our warehouse until it arrives at your site.
Watch how it works in our Shipping & Crating Video.

💯 Industry-Leading Damage-Free Record

We’ve maintained zero damaged material claims in over three years — a reliability benchmark unmatched in the industry.
See real customer examples on our Recent Orders page.

Let’s Get A Quote Started For You- Today!

Mail
Info@BWDepot.com
Call
770-242-0045
Text
678-678-7875 (text only number)
Schedule A Time To Talk
Choose a time to discuss your project with us!
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 3:00 pm EST
(except Holidays)
Mailing Address
Brazilian Wood Depot
6770 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30340

You will get a response within 24 hours. If you do not- our response may have gone to your spam/junk folder. If so, please contact us, we are eager to speak with you about your project!

Cumaru vs. Other Decking: Performance, Durability & Value

	REALCumaru^TM	TREATED PINE	COMPOSITE DECKING
Type	Hardwood	Softwood	Plastic
Maintenance	Low	Varies	Varies
Decay Resistance	High	Varies	Varies
Termite Resistance	High	Varies	Varies
Strength	High	Medium	Low
Movement in Service	Low	High	High
Fire Rating Class	High	Varies	Low
Hardness	3,540	690	940-1,390

For a broader breakdown of how REAL hardwoods compare to plastics and synthetics, visit: Composite Decking vs. RealWood

If you’d like to understand how Cumaru’s close relative, Ipe, compares to composite options, review our Composite Comparison page.

How Cumaru Compares to Plastic/Composite Decking

Because Cumaru and Ipe share many of the same performance traits—extreme hardness, long-term durability, natural decay resistance—the insights from our Ipe vs. Composite comparison are an accurate reflection of how Cumaru performs relative to synthetic decking.

Cumaru delivers far better real-world performance than composite decking in strength, wear resistance, firmness underfoot, heat tolerance, and long-term appearance.

Composites attempt to mimic the look of hardwood but often fall short in areas such as:

Heat retention
Structural strength
Mold and mildew resilience
Long-term color stability
Stiffness and movement in service

Cumaru’s 3,540 Janka hardness, high density, and natural resistance properties result in a deck that stays beautiful and reliable under harsh environmental conditions—something few non-wood products can match.

Composite and plastic decking try to mimic the look of hardwood, but they can’t match the natural beauty, repairability, or long-term performance of Cumaru. Composites offer uniform, manufactured colors with printed grain patterns—where every board looks identical. Cumaru, on the other hand, features real wood colors and real wood grains, giving every project natural variation and a richer, more authentic appearance.

When composite decking gets scratched, stained, or damaged, it cannot be sanded, refinished, or restored. Because composites fade unevenly over time, replacing even a single board creates a permanent mismatch. Brazilian hardwoods like Cumaru can be lightly sanded, cleaned, or oiled, and damaged boards can be swapped out without standing out—thanks to the natural variation in color and grain.

Composites also tend to retain heat, can be affected by UV reflection from windows, and are more prone to sagging or drooping between joists as the plastic components soften or break down. Cumaru is a dense, stable hardwood with far better dimensional stability, higher strength, and excellent heat dispersion-making it more comfortable underfoot and more resistant to long-term deformation.

Cumaru Sustainability, Forest Stewardship & Responsible Harvesting

(The following information applies to tropical hardwoods broadly—including Cumaru.)

Tropical hardwoods such as Cumaru, Ipe, Purpleheart, Tigerwood, Massaranduba, and Garapa are known for their remarkable durability—resisting rot, insects, and decay while offering natural beauty that synthetic materials can’t replicate. These characteristics make Cumaru one of the most sustainable long-term decking choices, especially when compared to composites made from plastic or pressure-treated lumber loaded with chemicals.

However, discussions about tropical hardwoods often come with concerns about deforestation, illegal logging, and environmental impact. While these issues are real in some regions, responsibly sourced Cumaru actually plays a vital role in protecting tropical forests. When harvested through regulated forest management plans, tropical hardwoods create economic value for standing forests—discouraging clear-cutting for agriculture, cattle, or monocrop farming.

To better understand the realities of sustainable hardwood harvesting, legal compliance, and how responsible forestry protects the Amazon, read our full article: Ipe: Deforestation, Sustainability & Illegal Logging.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cumaru Decking

How long does Cumaru decking last?

Cumaru is one of the hardest woods in the world (3,540 Janka), and real installations routinely last 25–75+ years with minimal maintenance. Its density and natural resistance to rot, insects, and decay make it one of the most durable decking materials available. For care guidance, see the Messmer’s Cleaning & Oiling Guide or watch the Hardwood Maintenance Video.

Does Cumaru move, cup, or warp?

Cumaru stays extremely stable when installed with proper ventilation and fasteners. Cupping occurs when moisture gets trapped under the boards. For airflow and drainage best practices, read Ipe & Hardwood Decking: Cupping, Warping & Airflow. To choose the right fastener for your conditions, watch the Scoring Hardwoods Video and explore the Fasteners Page.

Can Cumaru be used with hidden fasteners?

Yes — Cumaru works with hidden fasteners when matched to the right conditions. Use the Hardwood Fastener Scoring Video to compare clips, CAMO, and undermount styles. For step-by-step guidance, visit the Installation Guides Hub or see individual guides for Surface Screw, BWD Clip, CAMO Edge, and DeckMaster Undermount.

How does Cumaru compare to composite decking?

Cumaru outperforms composites in strength, longevity, heat resistance, rigidity, and repairability. Composites often fade, stain, sag, or warp — and replacement boards never match. For a full comparison, see Composite Decking vs. RealWood and the Hardwood vs. Composite Comparison Guide. For real project photos, browse the Decking Gallery.

Will Cumaru turn gray if I don’t oil it?

Yes. Cumaru naturally transitions to a silver-brown patina if left unoiled. This change is purely cosmetic and does not affect performance. See the color aging process in the Hardwood Weathering Video. To maintain the original color, apply Messmer’s UV Plus Natural and follow the Messmer’s Certified Cleaning & Oiling Guide.

Is Cumaru sustainable and legally sourced?

Yes — when purchased responsibly. Cumaru harvested under Brazil’s regulated forestry system supports legal, sustainable forest management. Learn how responsible sourcing protects tropical forests in Ipe: Deforestation, Sustainability & Illegal Logging. For deeper training, explore Sustainable Ipe Certified, which applies to Cumaru as well.

What sizes and profiles does Cumaru come in?

Cumaru is offered in several standard decking profiles and board sizes. View all milling options on the Profiles & Dimensions Page. For Cumaru-specific guidance, see the Cumaru Decking Overview. If you’re comparing board lengths, the Full vs. Random Lengths Guide is extremely helpful.

How do I choose the right fastener and board profile?

Your ideal fastener depends on sun exposure, airflow, framing, and drainage design. Start with the Decking Wizard for a personalized recommendation PDF. Then confirm installation details in the Installation Guides Hub. For environment-specific performance (high sun, low airflow, wet sites), watch the Scoring Hardwoods Video and review Cupping, Warping & Airflow.

Lucy, the Brazilian Wood Depot dog mascot wearing a Go Natural shirt.

Get Expert Guidance & A Fast Cumaru Quote

Whether you’re comparing materials or ready to order, our team can help you select the right Cumaru boards and provide fast, accurate pricing. Use the form below and we’ll follow up with next steps tailored to your project.

Mail
Info@BWDepot.com
Call
770-242-0045
Text
678-678-7875 (text only number)
Schedule A Time To Talk
Choose a time to discuss your project with us!
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 3:00 pm EST
(except Holidays)
Mailing Address
Brazilian Wood Depot
6770 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30340

You will get a response within 24 hours. If you do not- our response may have gone to your spam/junk folder. If so, please contact us, we are eager to speak with you about your project!

Interactive Multimedia Resources

Decking Wizard – Interactive Recommendation Resource for personalized hardwood and fastener guidance.
IPEcertified – Certification Course for Ipe and Hardwoods covering decking, siding, and installation best practices.
MessmerCertified– Interactive Cleaning & Oiling Guide for maintaining hardwood decks and siding.
ClipCertified – Step-by-step Installation Guide for BWD Deck Clips and hidden fastening systems.

SurfaceScrewCertified – Installation Guide for proper stainless-steel surface fastening on hardwood decks.
CamoCertified – Interactive Guide for installing Brazilian hardwoods with the Camo Edge hidden fastener system.
DeckMasterCertified – Multimedia Guide for mastering the Deck Master undermount hidden fastening method.
ProPlugCertified – Complete Guide for using the Pro Plug hidden fastening system with hardwood decking.

Cumaru Decking Guide: Installation Tips, Weathering Insights, Fasteners, & Best Practices

What Exactly is Cumaru Decking?

Cumaru Color and Appearance

Customer Curated Cumaru Decking Photos

Cumaru Deck With Camo Edge Fasteners

Cumaru Deck Restoration – Before & After

More Cumaru Photos

How Cumaru Weathering Works + Real Color Change Progression

Transcript

Fresh Deck Boards

3 Weeks Exposure

6 Weeks Exposure

9 Weeks Exposure

12 Weeks Exposure & ReOiled

Cumaru Decking Maintenance & Care Requirements

Transcript

Option 1 — Let Cumaru Weather Naturally

Option 2 — Maintain the Original Warm Color

Ready for a Full Guide?

Optimizing Cumaru Performance in Real Exterior Conditions

Air-Flow Management, Cupping and Installation Failures to Avoid

Why Choose Cumaru Decking? Key Benefits Explained

Nationwide Cumaru Shipping + Our Zero-Damage Guarantee

Transcript

🚀 Fast Turnaround You Can Count On

📦 Custom Crating for Maximum Protection

📡 GPS-Tracked Freight for Total Transparency

💯 Industry-Leading Damage-Free Record

Let’s Get A Quote Started For You- Today!

Cumaru vs. Other Decking: Performance, Durability & Value

How Cumaru Compares to Plastic/Composite Decking

Cumaru Sustainability, Forest Stewardship & Responsible Harvesting

Frequently Asked Questions About Cumaru Decking

Get Expert Guidance & A Fast Cumaru Quote

Interactive Multimedia Resources

Contact Us

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