IPE / Brazilian Walnut

Heartwood can vary in color from reddish brown to a more yellowish olive brown or darker blackish brown; sometimes with contrasting darker brown/black stripes. It has a fine to medium texture, with the grain varying from straight to irregular or interlocked. Moderate natural luster.

Tropical Central and South America (Brazil accounts for over 90% of exports by volume)

Ipe is a wood of extremes: extremely dense and durable, as well as extremely difficult to work. Its incredible hardness and strength make it well suited for flooring applications, though it’s usually referred to by the halo name ‘Brazilian walnut’ among flooring dealers—though it’s not related to true walnut in the Juglans genus. Because ipe is so difficult to work (both in shaping and surfacing, but also in gluing and finishing), it’s common to see the wood used mainly in unjoined, single-piece applications (e.g., decking planks) where mechanical fasteners can be used.