The expert's guide
Tropical Hardwood Decking — Compared
Ipe is the gold standard — and priced like it. But several species deliver a huge share of Ipe's hardness, strength and durability for far less. Here's the engineering data, side by side, so you can choose with confidence.
Hardness (lbf Janka) — Resistance to denting & wear — the headline number for foot traffic.
| Species | Hardnesslbf Janka | Breaking strengthpsi MOR | Stiffnessksi MOE | Densitykg/m³ | Durability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Ipe | 3,680 | 25,400 | 3,140 | 1,050 | Highly resistant to fungus and termites. |
| Cumaru | 3,200 | 24,800 | 3,050 | 1,080 | Rated as very durable, resistant to brown and white-rot fungi, and has exemplary weathering characteristics. |
| Massaranduba | 3,190 | 29,200 | 3,450 | 1,000 | Rated as very durable with good resistance to most insect attack. Susceptible to marine borers. |
| Jatoba | 2,350 | 19,400 | 2,160 | 800 | Brazilian Cherry is rated as very durable. It is very resistant to brown-rot and white-rot fungi, and dry rot termites. |
| ★ Red Balau | 2,100 | 18,400 | 2,560 | 850 | Excellent. Nova offers a 25 year warranty on Meranti Batu against rot and decay in temperate climates. |
| Purpleheart | 1,860 | 21,300 | 2,420 | 1,050 | Rated as very durable and resistant to termites. |
| Muiracatiara | 1,850 | 20,120 | 2,390 | 930 | Highly durable, resistant to insect attack. |
| Merbau | 1,840 | 20,700 | 2,465 | 750 | Heartwood has an average service life of 6 years in Malayan stake tests but generally reputed to have good durability; highly resistant to termite attack. Sapwood prone to powder-post beetle attack. |
| ★ Golden Balau | 1,798 | 20,950 | 2,900 | 930 | Rated as durable. |
| Kempas | 1,750 | 17,700 | 2,690 | 880 | Durable except for inground |
| Angelim Pedra | 1,720 | 18,255 | 2,050 | 690 | Very durable and resistant to white and brown-rot fungus. |
| ★ Garapa | 1,700 | 18,100 | 1,835 | 830 | Rated as durable |
| Angelique | 1,290 | 17,390 | 2,190 | 650 | Heartwood is resistant to very resistant to attack by decay fungi but is somewhat susceptible to dry-wood termites. The wood is resistant to attack by marine borers. |
| Apitong | 1,270 | 19,900 | 2,070 | 790 | Medium durability. Not resistant to powder post beetles or termites. Above ground exterior exposure is rated as 7 to 15 years. |
| Thermally Modified Korina | 670 | 8,860 | 2,119 | 573 | Highly resistant to rot and decay once thermally modified — and because the process removes what fungi feed on rather than adding a preservative, that resistance runs through the whole board and cannot wear off, leach out or need re-applying at a cut end. Untreated Korina is the opposite: not durable, and not a wood to put outdoors. |
Hardness (Janka)
How well the deck resists denting, scratching and foot-traffic wear over decades.
Strength & stiffness
Breaking strength (MOR) and stiffness (MOE) let you span joists farther with less flex.
Density & durability
Denser, naturally durable species shrug off rot, insects and weather — often 25+ years.
Not sure which species fits your project & budget?