Ipe	Cedar	Redwood	Southern Pine
Grade	Clear, all-heart, no knots, no sapwood	Varies, common grades have knots and sapwood	Varies, common grades have knots and sapwood	Varies, available grades have knots and sapwood
Appearance	No splinters. Surface stays smooth and resists scratches. No sealers required. Develops a silvery patina from UV exposure and small surface checks.	Scratches easily. Splinters, becomes a dirty gray without regular cleaning and applying of sealers.	Scratches easily. Splinters, becomes dirty black/gray without regular cleaning and applying of sealers.	Surface develops large splits. Splinters, boards twist and cup, surface becomes rough without regular application of sealers, cleaners, and power washing.
Decay Resistance	"High" 25+ years	"Moderate" 10-15 years	"Moderate" 10-15 years	Varies with treatment
Fire Rating Class NFPA	A	B-C	B-C	C-D
Resistance to Termites	High	Low	Low	Varies with treatment
Resistance to Marine Borers	High	Low	Low	Varies with treatment
Movement in Service	Low	Medium	Medium	Medium to High
Weight (per cu.ft.)	69 lbs.	30 lbs.	30 lbs.	35 lbs.
Bending Strength	25,400 psi	6,800 psi	7,900 psi	14,500 psi
Modulus of Elasticity	3,140,000 psi	930,000 psi	1,000,000 psi	1,700,000 psi
Max. Shear Strength	2,060	900	940	1,370
Hardness (Janka Scale)	3,680 lbs.	580 lbs.	480 lbs.	690 lbs.