Gabarro

Ipe

Scientific name: Tabebuia spp

Geographic origin: Central America and south America.

Ipe
Description

  • 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.

Capacity of being impregnated

  • Sapwood: medium capacity of being impregnated.
  • Heartwood: low capacity of being impregnated.

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.

Ipe
Mechanical properties

  • Resistance to static flexion 1,750 kg/cm2.
  • Elasticity module 200,000 kg/cm2.
  • Resistance to compression 890 kg/cm2.

Ipe
Observations

  • Wood that is currently in high demand and supply is scarce.
  • There are several species that can adequately replace it.
  • In terms of price, it is located in the high range because the offer is very limited, however, the demand does not stop growing because it is considered one of the best tropical woods for exteriors.