Ipe
Scientific name:
Tabebuia spp
Geographic origin:
Central America and south America.
- Sapwood: yellowish white colour.
- Heartwood: dark grey with a very characteristic greenish shade.
- Fiber: straight, usually intertwined or very intertwined.
- Grain: thin to medium size.
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
Capacity of being impregnated
- Sapwood: medium capacity of being impregnated.
- Heartwood: low capacity of being impregnated.
Mechanical properties
- Resistance to static flexion 1,750 kg/cm2.
- Elasticity module 200,000 kg/cm2.
- Resistance to compression 890 kg/cm2.
Mechanization
- Sawing process: ordinary problems due to hardness. Fast blunting.
- Drying process: Slow. Little risk of deformation and crack formation.
- Planing process: Difficult due to its hardness and high risk of repelling. Slow mechanisation is recommended.
- Gluing process: tannins hamper proper adherence.
- Nailing and screwing process: pre-drilling is recommended due to hardness.
- Finish: rubber deposits can locally hamper varnish adherence.
Physical properties
- Apparent density at 12% humidity 1.050 kg/m3 very heavy wood.
- Dimensional stability
- - Volumetric contraction coefficient 0.41 % stable wood.
- - Relation between contractions 1.27% no tendency to deformity.
- Hardness (Chaláis-Meudon) 8.5 very hard wood.
Observations
- Fusta que actualment té molta demanda i que l'oferta és escassa.
- Hi ha diverses espècies que la poden substituir adequadament.
- Pel que fa a preu està situada a la gamma alta pel fet que l'oferta és molt limitada, però, la demanda no deixa de créixer pel fet que és considerada una de les millors fustes tropicals per a exterior.
