Home / Species / Garapa

By Deepak Kumar · Founder, Vriksai

South America

Garapa

Apuleia leiocarpa

Also known as Brazilian ash, grapia · Botanical Apuleia leiocarpa

Last updated: 15 July 2026Reviewed by: Vriksai editorial team — timber trade professionalsEditorial policy

Revision history

17 July 2026 — Data re-verified in site-wide audit (formulas, sources, durability classes)
15 July 2026 — Working properties and comparable-species data cross-checked against listed sources

🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor💧Moisture Stable

Janka Hardness

1650WD

lbf

Janka (metric)

7339calc

Hardness Class

Hardcalc

Density

0.72wd

g/cm³

MOE

15.6wd

GPa

MOR

127.8WD

MPa

Durability

Class 2

Durable

Fire (E84)

Class B

indicative

Thermal k

0.194

W/m·K

Green MC

60—

Fiber Saturation

27—

Radial Shrink

4.2WD

Tangential Shrink

7.5WD

T/R Ratio

1.79derived

Stability

Goodcalc

About the fire rating. Indicative only, derived from density and published data — not a certified rating. Real performance depends on product, thickness, coating and installation. What our ratings do and do not certify.

Compare this wood:⚖ vs Balau ⚖ vs Neem ⚖ vs Sal ⚖ vs Shisham Sissoo All comparisons →

About Garapa

Garapa (Apuleia leiocarpa) is a hard, wear-resistant timber that is heavy going on tools, with a Janka hardness of 1,650 lbf (7,339 N) and a density of about 0.72 g/cm³. It grows in South America.

At 4.2% radial and 7.5% tangential the T/R ratio is 1.79 — typical, and manageable in exterior joinery and cladding provided the gaps are designed rather than assumed. Its fibre saturation point is near 27%. Below it, movement is the governing constraint on this species: 7.5% tangential against 4.2% radial, a T/R ratio of 1.79. Flatsawn boards will cup; quartersawn stock is worth the premium here. — wide boards need real expansion room, not a token gap.

At 720 kg/m³ a cubic metre of Garapa weighs about 720 kg air-dry — that figure, the 7.5% tangential and 4.2% radial movement and the 1,650 lbf hardness are the three inputs the calculators below actually consume. Select Garapa in any of them to get species-specific results for weight, moisture, shrinkage and hardness.

Working properties

How Garapa behaves at the bench and on the machine, drawn from PROTA / Useful Tropical Plants, CIRAD-derived data and decking-trade technical sheets.

MachiningIts high silica content gives a strong blunting effect — stellite-tipped or tungsten-carbide tooling is recommended — and the irregular interlocked grain wants a reduced feed rate and cutting angle. Handled that way it dresses to a fine, smooth surface.

FasteningNailing and screwing perform well but require pre-boring; use stainless screws outdoors.

GluingBonds correctly with standard adhesives.

FinishingFinishes cleanly and is naturally scratch-resistant, so the surface stays smooth for years. Its honey-gold heartwood darkens to golden brown, and left to weather it silvers much like teak. Seal the end cuts.

Steam bendingNot a recognised bending timber.

DryingSeasons slowly. CIRAD rates the risk of checking as slight but the risk of distortion as high, so sticker and weight it properly and dry it patiently; once dry it is moderately stable. Acclimatise it on site for one to three weeks before installing.

Durability & use classification

Garapa is rated durable (EN 350 Class 2) — resistant to dry-wood borers and relatively resistant to fungi and termites, with 30+ years quoted above ground. Be precise about the caveat: published sources record its durability as very variable — sometimes even within the same piece of wood, and it is not immune to insects. Avoid direct ground contact.

Typical applications & suitability

Indoor Outdoor — An exterior decking and marine timber that offers teak-like golden colour and weathering at a fraction of the price — and kiln-dried for interior use it makes a crisp floor. Specify the right drying: exterior-dried stock will shrink if brought indoors.

Documented end-uses: decking, docks and boardwalks, exterior siding and trim, marine work including cockpit gratings and handholds, interior and exterior flooring, furniture, doors and window frames, millwork and mouldings.

Comparable species

Species closest to Garapa by density, hardness, stiffness and bending strength, computed directly from the Vriksai species dataset rather than hand-picked.

Merbau740 kg/m³ · 1712 lbf Balau780 kg/m³ · 1700 lbf Wenge800 kg/m³ · 1630 lbf Bangkirai850 kg/m³ · 1798 lbf

Trade alternatives. Comparable decking hardwoods are Balau and Bangkirai from Asia, or the denser Cumaru and Ipe from South America. Beware the trade names — garapa is sold as “Brazilian Ash” and “Brazilian Oak” but is related to neither.

Alternatives to Garapa

Garapa measures 1,650 lbf Janka at 0.72 g/cm³, EN 350 durability Class 2, movement rated Good. Because Garapa is exterior-rated at Class 2, every candidate below is too. A substitute that quietly drops a durability class is the expensive kind of mistake. Read the numbers against the Janka scale and EN 350 durability classes.

Step up — harder than Garapa

For exterior joinery, cladding and garden work that also has to resist knocks. Harder means more dent resistance but heavier sections and more machining time.

Bangkirai1,798 lbf · 0.85 g/cm³ · Class 2+9% Janka · 0.85 g/cm³ Jarrah1,910 lbf · 0.82 g/cm³ · Class 1+16% Janka · 0.82 g/cm³ · more stable (Excellent)Wenge1,930 lbf · 0.80 g/cm³ · Class 1+17% Janka · 0.80 g/cm³ · more stable (Excellent)

Step down — softer than Garapa

Easier to work and lighter to fix, without dropping below the exterior durability you already have.

Neem1,460 lbf · 0.68 g/cm³ · Class 2-12% Janka Sal1,340 lbf · 0.74 g/cm³ · Class 2-19% Janka ThermoWood Ash Thermo-D1,320 lbf · 0.66 g/cm³ · Class 2-20% Janka · modified timber

Similar, but more dimensionally stable

Cladding boards and exterior joinery live or die on movement. These give you less of it at equal or better durability. Size the gaps with the shrinkage predictor and EMC calculator.

Iroko1,260 lbf · 0.55 g/cm³ · Class 1rated Excellent vs Good · T/R ratio 1.36 vs 1.79 — less cupping tendency · 3.8% tangential movement vs 7.5%Jarrah1,910 lbf · 0.82 g/cm³ · Class 1rated Excellent vs Good · T/R ratio 1.43 vs 1.79 — less cupping tendency · 6.6% tangential movement vs 7.5%ThermoWood Birch Thermo-D1,210 lbf · 0.62 g/cm³ · Class 2stability gained by modification, not by species · 1.6% radial movement vs 4.2% · 3.0% tangential movement vs 7.5%

Closest overall match

If Garapa is unavailable and the specification cannot change, these are the nearest substitutes across hardness, density, movement, stiffness, bending strength and durability class together — not on any single property. Lower distance means a closer match.

Salmatch 0.721,340 lbf · 0.74 g/cm³ · Class 21,340 lbf vs 1,650 · 0.74 vs 0.72 g/cm³ Balaumatch 1.001,700 lbf · 0.78 g/cm³ · Class 21,700 lbf vs 1,650 · 0.78 vs 0.72 g/cm³ Bangkiraimatch 1.711,798 lbf · 0.85 g/cm³ · Class 21,798 lbf vs 1,650 · 0.85 vs 0.72 g/cm³

Computed from measured properties only — hardness, density, movement, stiffness, bending strength and EN 350 class. Price, availability and appearance are never inputs. Figures are representative values, not consignment absolutes: two species within a few percent are equivalent until verified on the material. Full method and the rules the engine cannot break.

Substituting outdoors is a match on durability class and movement first. Colour and grain can be matched later; a wrong durability class shows up as a callback in three monsoons. Where two candidates are close, compare them directly before specifying.

Compare Garapa side by side

These are the head-to-heads that decide cladding, decking and exterior joinery specifications. Every pairing shows the measured figures side by side; full matrix in the comparison index.

Garapa vs Shisham SissooSide-by-side data · 1,660 lbf Garapa vs BalauSide-by-side data · 1,700 lbf Garapa vs NeemSide-by-side data · 1,460 lbf Garapa vs SalSide-by-side data · 1,340 lbf

Calculators relevant to Garapa

Aimed at exterior detailing in Garapa: coverage, gaps, coating and durability checks. Full set in the tool index.

Cladding Coverage CalculatorThermoWood Timber Post & Column Load CalculatorConstruction Fiber Saturation Point Calculator for WoodWood Science Wood Shrinkage CalculatorWood Science Timber Screw Spacing Calculator (EC5 & IS 883)Joinery Shelf Sag CalculatorJoinery ThermoWood Mass Loss CalculatorThermoWood Green Lumber Weight CalculatorWood Science

Understand the figures

Wood density reference — oven-dry vs air-dry basis · Moisture content — EMC, FSP and service conditions · Strength properties — MOR, MOE and what they govern · Durability & fire — EN 350 classes and E84 ratings.

Further reading. Wood moisture content explained · How to calculate board feet.

Common questions about Garapa

How hard is Garapa, and what does that mean in practice?

At 1,650 lbf (7,339 N) it sits in the hard range — it shrugs off dents and heavy traffic, which is why it suits busy floors, stair treads and worktops. The trade-off shows at the bench: keep cutters sharp, pre-drill every fixing, and work it more slowly than a medium hardwood.

Can Garapa be used outdoors without treatment?

Largely yes. It's rated Durable (Class 2) under EN 350, meaning the heartwood naturally resists decay and can handle exterior exposure — decking, cladding, garden furniture — without chemical preservatives. Two caveats worth knowing: the pale sapwood isn't durable, so it should be cut away for outdoor work, and 'durable' isn't 'immortal' — it'll still silver and weather, so a UV oil keeps the colour if you care about looks.

How much does Garapa move with humidity?

It has moderate movement — radial shrinkage near 4.6%, tangential near 8.2% (T/R ratio about 1.78). That's typical territory: nothing alarming, but worth planning for. Dry it to the moisture content that suits your service environment, leave expansion room on wide panels, and let it settle in the space for a few days before final fixing and it behaves well.

unverified no published source for this figure · WD The Wood Database (Eric Meier) · calc derived from the figures above · — no published source found

Tools that use this species

Janka Database ToolHardness for 60 species Green Weight CalculatorWeight of green timber Shrinkage PredictorDimensional movement EMC CalculatorEquilibrium moisture content Fiber Saturation CalculatorFSP by species Volume Converterm3, CFT, board feet

Sources & references

The Wood Database (Eric Meier) — compiled species data, one of the references behind the panel above. Which figure comes from which reference is not recorded field by field. Spot checks show the numbers do trace to published sources, but not all to the same one: strength values for US species follow the USDA FPL Wood Handbook exactly, while European species draw on European references instead. So a figure that disagrees with any single reference here is not necessarily wrong — different bodies measure specific gravity and shrinkage on different bases. If a number matters to your work, check it against the reference you intend to rely on.
PROTA / Useful Tropical Plants — Apuleia leiocarpa species record · silica, machining, durability variability, seasoning
CIRAD-derived timber data — garapa technological properties · machining, durability, drying behaviour
Decking-trade technical sheets — garapa installation and fastening specifications · fastening, end-sealing, acclimation
EN 350 — European standard for natural durability of wood · durability class

Updated 15 Jul 2026 Values are representative; wood varies with provenance, age and grade. Confirm critical structural or fire figures against a test report for your actual product.