Both of these decking materials are stunningly beautiful, cost effective, durable and very resistant to rot and decay. That being said, it can be a difficult task to choose between the two. Below I’ll explore the different characteristics between the two that will hopefully help your decision on which decking material (or siding material) is right for your project.
Before I jump in, I should mention that each of these two species have their own pages on our website. For more detailed information on these two species and other similar species, offered by Brazilian Wood Depot, go to our website, www.bwdepot.com.
Let’s start with Ipe Decking. Ipe is known for its incredible hardness, longevity, and natural beauty. Ipe is often compared to concrete in hardness, with a Janka Hardness Rating around 3680. Compare that to domestic Oak, around 1200-1300. Find out more about the Janka Hardness, on the Ipe Decking page. Its incredible hardness is why Ipe is rated to last many decades beyond its domestic wood or plastic/composite counterparts.
Ipe is also very beautiful. It varies from board to board, from light olive to darker, chocolate brown. Grain patterns are visible and obvious, with long arched grains and intermittent dark patterns. Hues of red are often visible in new Ipe boards, but quickly flatten to browns with exposure to sunlight.
UV protectant oil protects Ipe from the sun’s ‘bleaching’ effect. In fact, it does it very well. Without UV oil, Ipe will turn a beautiful silvery-grey color. Allowing these boards to turn grey will not affect the structural integrity of the boards, it only changes their appearance. The boards can be brought back to their original, brown condition with a simple cleaning, and a new coat of oil.
Its ability to be refinished, indefinitely, is one of the best characteristics of Ipe and why it’s such a popular choice for homeowners across the United States. For more information on what happens to Ipe and other Brazilian Hardwoods, in sunlight, check out this video, Tracking Sunlight Exposure.
Now, how is Tigerwood Decking different from Ipe? Tigerwood, also known as Goncalo Alves, is named for its characteristic dark brown or black stripes on a light wheat or amber background. Stripes are spaced out irregularly and provides a very unique character that is not found in many other species.
Tigerwood has a Janka Hardness rating of 2170. You will recall, Ipe was around 3680 and domestic Oak is around 1250. That said, Tigerwood is not nearly as hard as Ipe, but still much harder than Oak. While Tigerwood isn’t as hard as Ipe, it should not be the only determining factor in the decision. It is still expected to perform well for up to 40-50 years in outdoor conditions.
Often, Tigerwood will present very light or pale colors prior to sunlight exposure. With exposure to UV, the boards will gradually darken into deeper amber, as you can see in the image above. The striping will remain visible. UV Oil will not prevent the gradual darkening of the boards but will stifle the sun’s bleaching effects.
Tigerwood also tends to be more reactive to materials that it may come in contact with, than Ipe. Some materials that come in contact with Tigerwood boards may cause darkening on the face of the boards. Some of these might include sap from certain trees, runoff from asphalt shingles and contact with certain metals (this one can also be true for Ipe). Finally, Tigerwood performs best in areas that are moderately shaded. This means areas with all day, direct sun exposure, are not generally recommended for Tigerwood. Some applications might include a rooftop deck that is fully exposed to sunlight or a dock on a lake that has no shade. Other applications work great for Tigerwood like shaded decks, covered patios, front porches, siding (interior or exterior), and soffitting. Fortunately, most applications are somewhat shaded so, this isn’t usually the main issue. Check out this senior living facility near Kennesaw, GA that used Tigerwood siding.
Finally, Tigerwood Decking is less expensive than Ipe. Usually, Tigerwood is about 25-30% less than Ipe. So, if the price point is the deciding factor between the two, Tigerwood would take the cake.
It goes without saying that both species are amazing decking and siding materials. The decision between the two can be difficult, but will rely largely on aesthetic and pricing. While Ipe is technically harder, does the increase in price, over Tigerwood, make it better for your project? Only you know the answer to that. Want more information on these two species? Check out the video below where I describe each of the species; Ipe, Tigerwood, Cumaru, Massaranduba, Purpleheart and Garapa.
Our experience with Brazilian Wood Depot was and is exceptional! We originally ordered our IPE wood for our deck from another company. The material was of poor quality, delivery issues (3x's) and eventually we got it returned and… More our money back. We found Sam and his Dad at Brazilian Wood Depot, and explained everything that happened. We were not the first to have had issues and Sam guided us through their process, explained the delivery and promised us a beautiful product. They exceeded our expectations! The wood was delivered in a crate, no spilling in the truck, no broken pieces, no worm holes! Their IPE quality is far superior than the other company and we are so happy that we found Sam and his Dad!! We would recommend them and we do not recommend just anyone, only the best of the best! Check our their videos! Thank you very much Sam and Dad!!! The pic is the wood getting acclimated to our environment prior to installation. We will add another photo when it is done.
Sam, I want to thank you for the care your crew showed while loading my order. Your attention to my questions as well as making sure I would not have any problems getting home with the decking is deeply appreciated. I have come to expect… More this from your company over the years. Yes, I am very pleased with all of my purchases over the past several years.
We have a 14 year old IPE deck. It’s never been cleaned. I watched the “How to” videos and my deck looks almost new. I went into the shop to buy oil for the deck - people were friendly and very helpful. I highly recommend this place if… More you have any decking needs. The label on the wax cracked me up ;-)
IPE from Brazilian Wood Depot transformed my home!
Highly recommend the Brazilian hardwood rain screen siding from Brazilian Wood Depot.
Sam was awesome to work with. The wood arrived perfectly packaged and in my case, earlier than promised.… More It was also easy to install.
As you can see from the photos, I covered up some of the red brick that I hated with IPE and painted the rest. I get tons of compliments on the wood features.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Drove from Dallas Texas to meet with Eric and Sam about Ipe in-person. Very knowledgeable team, great customer service 5 stars don't do these guys justice. The patience and understanding of what it takes for job/ matiral alternative… More methods. The problem solving on this team is impressive to say the least. Can't thank you guys enough. Skip the brokers guys call Brazilian wood depo.
Sincerely Johnny Luna
Dmj Construction
Ps. Go cowboys
Ordered few thousand lf of cumaru from sam (who's super helpful ) at brazillian wood depot. I had watched his videos online and found them informative, that they had a sizable google review and an establishment address not a townhome… More (like some other similar named online sites) I felt comfortable ordering from them and getting shipped to florida. Sam answered every question, email, and couldn't be happier with how helpful everyone was and the product received looks better than even the top of the line hot, weak composite samples i had piled up here. You can't beat the real look and feeling of wood, depending on your needs of course. Did i mention they got this order out weeks faster than the other big guys could? and actually seemed enthusiastic about making a sale.. Yeah...I recommend you use bwdepot like i did, i'll be ordering again soon.
I manage a brand new apartment community in Gwinnett County and we have a HUGE sundeck behind the pool overlooking a lake. The deck was built with Tiger Wood from Brazilian Wood Depot and is BEAUTIFUL. I have reached out several times… More with care questions and Sam was quick to respond and extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I definitely recommend them for any of your specialty wood needs.
We had a wonderful experience with BWD. We are adding a deck on the back of our house made of tigerwood and ipe. I had the displeasure of attempting to do business with one of BWD’s largest competitors. For at least 4 months I was strung… More along and mislead (if not outright lied to). I could write a novel about my frustrations with them. I finally gave up and luckily stumbled across BWD online. I emailed them and gave them a call and it was like a breath of fresh air. They were actually friendly and helpful....what a novel idea. My order was fairly complicated and they took the time to go over each and every piece with me. The cherry on the top was when I asked how soon I could get the wood....expecting weeks, if not months. From the time I made the call until it was delivered to my house was two weeks...and it was that long only because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The wood was carefully packed and delivered safely to my driveway exactly when they said they would. The quality of the wood is second to none and I can’t wait to see the finished deck. I can definitely recommended BWP and will not hesitate to use them for future projects!
My wife and I had been planning to add a deck to our home for the past eight years. Our modest country home is located on ten acres in West Central Georgia literally in site of Pine Mountain ridge. Since retiring in 2013, we began in… More earnest planning our deck. Our primary objective was a deck that would require minimum maintenance and be as durable as possible, and affordable. We had settled on the most popular composite decking, despite the extravagant cost of materials.
Our contractor voiced as an option using Brazilian hardwood decking and suggested a vendor website to allow us to begin our research. The vendor had several mill sites in the US with the closest being in North Carolina. They were very accommodating and sent us quotes and samples. My research on even the best composites made me even more skeptical as to their longterm durability. Material cost for the best composites was 25-50% higher than the Brazilian hardwood we eventually settled on using on our 600+ sq.ft. deck with pergola. We took advantage of the offer to drop in anytime to visit Brazilian Wood Depot in Duluth, GA, choosing this vendor over the initial one due to it being 90 miles away. A kind staff member put us in personal contact with Mr. Sam Hoover within five minutes. Sam was as knowledgeable, kind, patient and as accommodating with our many questions and requests as any warehouse vendor I have ever experienced. He showed us their warehouse organization, cut us samples for decking and railing, discussed delivery options and made us very much at home. He even removed samples stored on the roof to demonstrate fading potential since we initially favored grey decking. We were so impressed with our hour+ visit, we knew when we left that if the price was reasonable, the Depot would be our choice of vendors. Subsequent phone conversations on pricing and delivery with Sam’s father Eric made us even more confident in our vendor. Within two weeks, we had selected our species of hardwood, received very professional and well documented quotes and installation instructions, and had our materials on site to begin the project.
We cannot say enough positive as to the most professional and kind, accommodating service we received from everyone associated with the Brazilian Wood Depot. This was our contractors first experience with hardwood decking using hidden clips. They build new homes with decks using either treated pine or composite materials. Like many homeowners, they have become less enchanted with the environmentally challenging and high maintenance treated decking. Long-term durability issues and hot surface temps, not to mention escalating cost have made composites less attractive for the investment. Even with the installation learning curve, they joined us in praising the finished product... both the beauty, structural integrity and promise for long-term durability.
After three months of joyful use, we are pleased to say the experience of working with the Depot, the craftsmanship of our contractor and the finished results have ALL far exceeded our expectations. I am confident as well that this business will continue to thrive in the Atlanta area and grow in more rural settings like Harris County. Thanks to all and may your business continue to serve communities all over Georgia and the Southeast in all their hardwood needs.
Great customer service, very friendly & helped us with our deck choice from start to finish! We love the look & quality IPE wood from Brazilian Wood Depot. Would definitely use them again!
Sam and Eric are extremely knowledgeable about all hardwood Brazilian wood decking and siding. The Ipe decking quality they showed is of the highest grade, and they are responsible Eco-friendly suppliers. Anyone who demands excellence and… More upscale decking, I recommend to Brazilian Wood Depot without hesitation. Excellent products, and responsive customer service.
I ordered a large quantity of Ipe wood from these guys and I was very pleased with it. I placed the order and it was ready when we got there to pick it up. They made special arrangements to meet us because we were unable to get there… More during normal business hours. I greatly appreciated their service.
We are repeat customers of Brazilian Wood Depot. They have supplied the ipe wood boards and the 2' square ipe deck tiles for a bridge and two rooftop terraces for our residential building. The beauty of the wood is unsurpassed. The… More owners have been exceptionally helpful with advice about installing and caring for their products. I recommend this company without hesitation.
I'm a paint Contractor, I have used Brazilian Wood Depot for years. Their knowledge of exotic Woods is second to none.
I highly recommend them for all your exotic Woods, and all the products that keeps them looking beautiful.
Sincerely… More
Tim Warren/ AllStar Custom painting and pressure Washing .
They handled our order very professionally. The wood was delivered on time and was excellent quality. They later send me a small order that went just as well.
We are general contractors that have used Brazilian Hardwood Depot. We have enjoyed working with Eric and his teams products for a while now and are very happy with his customer service, selection and pricing. We look forward to using them… More again on our next project
BWD has excellent wood products, prompt & courteous service and delivery, and responsive customer service. All around good company to do business with.