Bulldog Brand Cumaru™ takes a bite out of the competition. When you compare similar decking materials to beautiful Bulldog Brand Cumaru™ it is easy to see how Bulldog stands out from the competition.  All the data included on this page comes from the USDA Forest Product Lab (www.fpl.fs.fed.us) .

This chart shows Cumaru’s termite and decay resistance as compared to that of competitive decking products.  Cumaru is one of few species of Amazonian hardwood that resists marine borers, making it ideal for docks and boardwalks.   Download the complete chart here: hardwoodcomparison.pdf

The above graph shows wood density, or dry weight per unit volume. Density is an excellent predictor of mechanical properties, is typically viewed in relation to support against gravity, wind, snow, and other environmental forces.

The above graph shows the Janka Side Hardness, a measure of the hardness of wood, for competitive decking products.  The test measures the force required to push a steel ball with a diameter of 11.28 millimeters (0.444 inches) into the wood to a depth of half the ball's diameter (the diameter was chosen to produce a circle with an area of 100 square millimeters). The most common use of Janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring.

This graph shows Bending Strength for competitive decking materials.

Data Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/ The most well known tropical hardwood specie is Ipé. Ipé became the dominant specie of hardwood decking for three reasons: One, its natural durability and decay resistance;  Two, Ipé performs well green, meaning it does not need to be kiln dried; and three, Ipé was commercially available.  In the last year the price of Ipé has increased dramatically, while the supply is shrinking.   There are many factors impacting Ipé price and availability.  New forestry laws in Brazil, the weak dollar,  and the credit crunch  are all having an impact on Ipé supply. We chose Bulldog Brand Cumaru™ as a substitute for Ipé five years ago.  Cumaru’s physical and mechanical properties are the closest to Ipé of any material out there. Unlike Ipé, Bulldog Brand Cumaru™ is still commercially available, still competitively priced, and always kiln dried.