Mataverde Ipe Decking
Choosing the right material for a home deck can be tricky; decks take a great deal of abuse from Mother Nature in the form of extreme heat and cold, rain, snow, ice, and the harsh rays of the sun. The right decking material should be able to stand up to all of these elements, while at the same time treading lightly on the planet. Premium Ipe Decking from Mataverde is just such a product.
Traditional decking materials are often made from wood treated with toxic chemicals like chromated copper (CCA) and ammonium copper quat (ACQ) to make it insect and rot-resistant. Traditional deck material also needs frequent maintenance in the form of staining or painting, which involves toxic petroleum-based substances.
While all of these chemical products may make the wood decking material last longer and look nice, they come at a cost. Coming into physical contact with these substances can lead to exposure to arsenic, a known carcinogen.
Avoiding Toxic Exposure with Metaverde Ipe Decking
Owners or builders of green homes may want to avoid exposure to toxic decking and the potential health risks they pose. Luckily, there are options available that are not only viable alternatives, but are superior products in almost every way.
Metaverde, a supplier of high quality wood products for over 60 years, offers their Ipe Hardwood Decking as a beautiful and sustainable decking material.
Ipe Decking
The name 'Ipe' is unfamiliar to most people, so what exactly is it? Ipe is a hardwood tree species native to Central and South America. Ipe is a very high-density wood, roughly three times harder than the more familiar red oak. Ipe is also known as iron wood or pau lope.
Why does Ipe hardwood make an excellent decking material? There are many reasons. Millions of years of evolution in the moist, bug-infested jungles of Brazil have given Ipe wood superior natural resistance to insect damage and decay from moisture. Its durability and resistance to damage have made it a choice for truck flooring, public decking, industrial flooring, and railroad ties for years.
Mateverdes' Ultimate Decking Material
For long-lasting beauty and durability, Ipe Hardwood Decking from Mataverde is the perfect choice. Ipe decking will last longer than just about any other type of decking material on the market today. Decks built with Ipe woods 40 and 50 years ago are still standing proudly today. Mataverdes' Ipe Decking carries with it a 25 year limited warranty against insect or decay damage.
Ipes hardwood is HARD wood, naturally resistant to abrasion. Without any toxic preservatives or protectants, Ipe will not shrink, crack, chip, split, or splinter like other traditional deck materials. With a hardness of 3,280 pounds, Ipe is scratch and gouge-proof.
Ipe has a bending strength of 23,360 psi, making it a perfect choice for longer spans; it will remain sturdy without bending, flexing, or bouncing.
Mataverde Ipe is Class A fire rated; it's an excellent choice for decks with grills or located near chimneys or other heat sources.
Mataverde Ipe is the highest rated deck material for resistance to termite and other insect damage, as well as damage from rot or decay. Again, all without chemical treatments.
The Natural Beauty of Mataverde Ipe Decking
The most durable decking material in the world is worthless if it doesn't have the looks to match. Mataverdes' Ipe decking carries the full spectrum of colors inherent in the natural wood; tans, olive brown, reddish and dark browns. No two pieces of Ipe wood are the same; the fine grain and varied appearance give Ipe decking an appearance similar to the highest quality natural hardwood flooring used inside the home.
Maintenance of Mataverde Ipe Decking
What maintenance? Traditional wood decking products need almost continual maintenance and care to keep their appearance and quality; Ipe is different. Mataverdes' Ipe decking is virtually care-free; keep it free of debris and it will be happy. Mataverde recommends a coating of Rosewood oil be applied annually to keep the Ipes' original colorations.
Mataverde Ipe Hardwood Decking: Sustainability
How any wood product is sourced is important to any green homeowner. Decking is no exception; Ipe is an exotic hardwood, so it is crucial that it be sourced in a way that does minimal damage to the sensitive ecosystems where it grows. Mataverde goes to great lengths to ensure that every piece of Ipe wood they sell comes from sustainably-harvested sources. They follow sustained yield forestry guidelines, which dictate that only enough wood is harvested that will grow back between cutting cycles. All Mataverde Ipe Hardwood Decking products are harvested under the strict guidelines of three Sustained Yield Forestry Programs that extract hardwoods in accordance with the highest accepted standards of sustainable yield forest management: IBAMA, SEMA and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
To learn more about Mataverde Ipe Hardwood Decking, visit their website by clicking HERE.
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