Ipe
Handroanthus spp. · hardwood · South America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 3,510 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 64 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.91 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 8%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 6.6%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.2 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Deck wood so dense it barely floats. Every hole pre-drilled, every edge carbide, and still it moves — gap deck boards generously.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for ipe across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.103″) | 3/32″ (0.085″) |
| 12″ | 7/32″ (0.206″) | 5/32″ (0.170″) |
| 24″ | 13/32″ (0.411″) | 11/32″ (0.339″) |
| 36″ | 5/8″ (0.617″) | 1/2″ (0.509″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to ipe:
Typical swings:
Ipe questions
How much does ipe move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn ipe board moves about 7/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 5/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 8% and radial 6.6% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is ipe?
Ipe rates about 3,510 lbf on the Janka scale — noticeably harder than red oak (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 64 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is ipe good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.2:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is unusually balanced, so panels stay flatter than most. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Purpleheart · Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry) · Persimmon · Pignut Hickory · African Padauk · Wenge
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.