Home / Wood Compare / Ipe Lapacho vs Burma Teak Premium Grade
Professional Comparison · Verified Engineering Data · Updated 19 July 2026
Ipe Lapacho VS Burma Teak Premium Grade
Which wood is better for your project? Scores are computed from the verified figures on each species page — how we score.
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Ipe Lapacho
96/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor🔥Low Flame Spread💧Moisture Stable
- Better dimensional stability (Excellent vs Moderate)
- Harder wear surface (Janka 3680 vs 1070 lbf)
- Stronger in bending (MOR 177.0 vs 100.0 MPa)
- Better flame-spread class (Class A vs Class B)
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Burma Teak Premium Grade
64/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor
- Easier to machine and fasten
- Lighter (0.66 vs 0.92 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
Ipe LapachoBurma Teak Premium Grade
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Ipe Lapacho |
| Hardness | Ipe Lapacho |
| Strength (MOR) | Ipe Lapacho |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Ipe Lapacho |
| Flame spread | Ipe Lapacho |
| Machining ease | Burma Teak Premium Grade |
| Lightness | Burma Teak Premium Grade |
Engineering data
| Property | Ipe Lapacho | Burma Teak Premium Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 3680WD lbf | 1070 lbf |
| Density | 0.92FPL g/cm³ | 0.66PROSEA g/cm³ |
| MOE | 22.0FPL GPa | 10.7 GPa |
| MOR | 177.0FPL MPa | 100.0 MPa |
| Durability | Class 1 Very Durable | Class 1 Very Durable |
| Stability | Excellent | Moderate |
| Fire (E84) | Class A indicative | Class B indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 6.6WD % | 2.5 % |
| Tangential Shrink | 8WD % | 5 % |
| T/R Ratio | 1.21 | 2.0 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor decking / pergola | 🥇 Ipe Lapacho | ★★★★★ |
| Exterior cladding | 🥇 Ipe Lapacho | ★★★★☆ |
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Ipe Lapacho | ★★★★★ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Burma Teak Premium Grade | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Ipe Lapacho | ★★★★★ |
Advantages & limitations
Ipe Lapacho
Advantages
- Rated for exterior exposure (EN 350 Class 1)
- Very low movement in service
- Hard wear surface, dent-resistant
- Best flame-spread class (E84 Class A, indicative)
Limitations
- Hard on tooling; pre-drilling recommended
- Heavy — consider structure and handling
Burma Teak Premium Grade
Advantages
- Rated for exterior exposure (EN 350 Class 1)
Limitations
- Noticeable seasonal movement — allow for it in design
Recommendation
Choose Ipe Lapacho if…
- You need minimal movement (doors, decking, panelling)
- The surface takes traffic or impact
Choose Burma Teak Premium Grade if…
- Ease of working and fastening matters
- Weight matters — ceilings, wall panels, transport
- Its profile matches the application better than a single overall score
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Ipe Lapacho or Burma Teak Premium Grade?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 1, Very Durable). For outdoor decisions between them, weigh dimensional stability and hardness instead.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
Ipe Lapacho — outdoor performance combines decay durability with dimensional stability, and it leads on that combination.
Is Ipe Lapacho harder than Burma Teak Premium Grade?
Yes — Janka 3680 lbf vs 1070 lbf.
How we score. Each wood gets a weighted composite of the verified figures shown above: durability 22%, stability 18%, hardness 12%, bending strength 12%, machining ease 12%, stiffness 8%, flame spread 8%, lightness 8%. The Library Score is that composite's percentile rank within our 60-species library — 50 means the library median, 90 means it outperforms nine of every ten species we cover. No price data is scored — cost guidance is qualitative. The score summarises the data; it does not replace judgement about your specific application.