SiteScapes - Lumber Comparison

Lumber Comparison

Compare Lumber Options

SiteScapes wood line products are offered with four lumber options: Ipe hardwood, thermally modified Ash, Kebony natural wood and recycled plastic. All four are proven performers in demanding outdoor settings, but each has its own look, feel and maintenance needs. Use the comparison chart below to choose the lumber that best fits your project, or choose an option to read more.

Ipe Hardwood

Thermally Modified Ash

Kebony Natural Wood

Recycled Plastic

	Ipe Hardwood	Thermally Modified Ash	Kebony Natural Wood	Recycled Plastic
Material	Natural tropical hardwood from Brazil	Domestically grown hardwood, thermally modified	FSC® certified softwood, modified to perform like a hardwood	Recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
How It Is Made	Naturally durable. No treatment or modification required	Modified with heat and steam. No chemicals used	Impregnated with a bio-based liquid, then heat cured to permanently strengthen the wood	Extruded from recycled plastic. No wood pulp, wood fiber or fiberglass
Hardness (Janka)	Approx. 3,500 - 3,700 lbf	Approx. 1,000 - 1,300 lbf	Approx. 1,600 lbf	Not rated on the Janka scale
Weight	Approx. 64 - 69 lbs per cubic foot	Approx. 35 - 39 lbs per cubic foot	Approx. 42 lbs per cubic foot	Approx. 58 - 60 lbs per cubic foot
Resistance to Decay & Insects	Very durable. Highly resistant to decay, fungi, termites and borers	Very durable. Durability Class 1 (EN 350)	Very durable. Durability Class 1 (EN 350)	Will not rot. Unaffected by insects, fungi, bacteria or rodents
Stability	One of the most stable of the durable timbers. Slight checking can occur	Reduced moisture absorption. Resists warping, twisting and cupping	Highly stable. Swells about half as much as untreated wood	Does not absorb moisture. Expands and contracts with temperature more than wood
Appearance When New	Olive brown to blackish, often with lighter or darker striping. Fine to medium texture	Rich, warm brown with pronounced natural grain	Rich brown with natural wood character	Consistent solid color or premium woodgrain finish
Appearance Over Time	Weathers to a silver gray if left untreated	Weathers to a silver gray if left untreated	Designed to weather naturally to a silver-gray patina	Holds its color. Does not weather to gray
Color Choices	Natural	Natural	Natural	Four standard colors and four premium woodgrain colors
Maintenance	None required for durability. Oil periodically with a UV inhibitor to hold the original tone	Very little. Oil periodically with a UV inhibitor to hold the original tone	Very little. No staining or finishing required. Clean with water and a brush	None. No waterproofing, staining or sealing. Clean with soap and water
Typical Service Life	25+ years	25+ years	30+ years	50+ years, depending on application
Sustainability	Natural, renewable material with a long service life	Domestically grown and responsibly harvested. Chemical free process	FSC® certified and sustainably sourced. Bio-based modification	GreenCircle Certified. Meets LEED v4 and v4.1 MR Credit. Diverts plastic from landfills
Why Choose It	Unmatched hardness and density with a classic exotic hardwood look	A domestic, chemical free alternative to tropical hardwood	Certified real wood that ages gracefully with minimal upkeep	Lowest maintenance, widest color selection and recycled content
To Specify	Standard on SiteScapes wood line products	Append “-ASH” to product model number	Append “-KB” to product model number	Append “-RP” to product model number and choose plastic color

Values shown are typical published figures from lumber manufacturers and industry sources and are provided for general comparison only. Wood is a natural material and actual properties, color and service life will vary with species, supplier, climate, exposure and maintenance. For project specific information contact SiteScapes.

Find by Product

Home

Signal

Products

Collections

Resources

Projects