Ipe for LA outdoor builds

Ipe is the longest-lived structural hardwood in commercial use. It's 3680 on the Janka scale (oak is 1290), naturally Class-A fire-rated, used on the Coney Island Boardwalk since 1923, and laughs off salt fog. The price reflects its rarity and density — ~25% more than Cumaru — but the 50-year lifespan and zero-maintenance weather behavior put it in a category of its own. We spec Ipe for clients who want to build once and forget about it. Handroanthus spp. is the botanical name; you'll see it sourced from south america (brazil, peru, bolivia). We've built with Ipe continuously since 2011, and it shows up on roughly 20% of our completed projects.

Vs Cumaru: Ipe lasts ~2x longer, costs ~25% more, weathers to silver instead of chestnut. Vs Garapa: Ipe is in a different category — twice the lifespan and twice the density. For most LA homeowners, the right ipe build comes down to three questions: how long do you intend to own the home, how much annual maintenance are you willing to do, and how the wood looks against your existing architecture. Ipe is our recommended spec when: architectural builds with a 50+ year horizon; coney-island-grade boardwalk applications; cantilevered hillside decks (no joist movement).

Pricing for ipe varies by application: $140–$225 per linear foot for fence builds, and $95–$195 per square foot for deck builds, fully installed. Raw board-foot pricing runs $11–$18 for reference. FSC-certified Ipe available with 4–8 week lead time. We confirm certification chain-of-custody at material delivery.