Why is IPE decking so popular? Well it is popular for several reasons.
The first and most important thing is the incredible density of the IPE wood. The IPE wood is one of the few woods that isn’t affected by water and can easily sink into the water. The wood is incredibly tough and it is very resistant to many of the things that often affect wood.
Things that often affect wood are for example insects, moisture and mould. None of these things have an effect on the IPE wood. What is even more impressive of this wood is that it has the same fire rate as steel and concrete. This way the IPE wood is suitable for fire hazardous places as it is pretty much resistant to fire.
With the right care and treatment of the wood, the lifespan of an IPE terrace is two to three decades. It can even be longer with the right treatment. It outlives virtually every other alternative decking material.
The great durability of IPE has a few disadvantages. You will need quality drills to pre-drill every hole and it takes more time to properly build it up, more than other hardwoods. Also the cost is somewhat higher in comparison with some other hardwoods. But with great durability it is a good investment.
