Garapa Wood, also known as Brazilian Ash, is a dense and naturally durable Brazilian timber. Its golden color, fine grain and moderate cost make it an attractive alternate to more expensive hardwoods such as Teak or Ipe. Garapa Wood is resistant to rot and decay, making it an excellent choice for exterior applications such as decking. It not only lasts a long time, but has the beauty of an interior hardwood. It outlasts other popular wood decking species such as treated Pine, Cedar, Redwood and Douglas Fir.
- Home
- Garapa Wood
Garapa Wood
What is Garapa Wood?
OTHER NAMES: Brazilian Ash, Grapia, Brazilian Oak, Garrote, Barajuba, Marotoa Muiratua, Muirajuba
ORIGIN: Widely distributed throughout southern Brazil and in the Atlantic coast forests
APPEARANCE: Heartwood light to yellowish brown, becoming light brown with age, clearly demarcated from the whitish sapwood. Medium texture with marked straight or interlocked irregular grain and ribboning effect in some cut pieces; without distinctive odor or taste.
DENSITY: Janka scale hardness is 1650, making it hard and durable
WEIGHT: 54 lbs. / cu. ft.
DRYING: Moderate to stable. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 4.2%; tangential 7.5%; volumetric: 11.7%
WORKABILITY: The wood is moderately easy to work despite its high density, rated good in all operations. It nails and screws well but pre-boring is necessary. Gluing requires special care to acquire good bond. Slicing can be difficult due to high silica content and irregular interlocked grain.
DURABILITY: Very resistant against wood borer attacks. Moderately durable against fungi and termites.
PRESERVATION: Does not require any preservative treatment.
FINISHING: If left unfinished, like any other natural wood, Garapa Wood will turn gray. Due to Garapa Wood’s moderate density when compared with Ipe, it is less difficult for a treatment to penetrate the wood. Outside in the elements on a horizontal surface, caretakers can expect to regularly re-coat