What is Garapa?
The Wood Guide · Wood register
Wood speciesGarapa
One of the few tropical hardwoods that is light in colour. Garapa gives decking the warmth of hardwood without the heaviness of dark wood.
- Apuleia leiocarpa
- 770 – 830 kg/m³
- Outdoors without treatment
GarapaApuleia leiocarpa
Garapa
One of the few tropical hardwoods that is light in colour. Garapa gives decking the warmth of hardwood without the heaviness of dark wood.
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Light-coloured hardwood — a rarity
Most durable tropical species are dark and heavy. Garapa is durable, and light in colour.
Garapa is the wood of Apuleia leiocarpa, a broadleaf tree from the tropical rainforests of Brazil, Venezuela and Peru. The tree grows 25 to 30 metres tall, with a straight, branch-free trunk of 15 to 18 metres and a diameter of 60 to 90 centimetres — exactly what you need for long, knot-free decking boards.
The heartwood is pale yellow to golden brown, sometimes with a greenish tinge, and it darkens on exposure to light. The texture is fine to medium with a mostly straight grain; slight interlocked grain occurs. It has a natural lustre that makes the wood look finished straight away.
At 770 to 830 kilos per cubic metre it is dense and strong, and naturally durable enough to be used outdoors without chemical treatment. That is why you mainly come across it as decking.
As with almost every species, the sapwood — the lighter outer band of the trunk — is not durable. In a light-coloured species such as garapa that distinction is harder to see than in dark wood. Ask for heartwood if it is going outdoors.
- Botanical name
- Apuleia leiocarpa
- Origin
- Brazil, Venezuela, Peru
- Tree height
- 25 to 30 m; branch-free 15 to 18 m
- Trunk diameter
- 60 to 90 cm
- Density
- 770 to 830 kg/m³ at 12 % moisture
- Colour
- pale yellow to golden brown, sometimes a greenish tinge
- Outdoors
- durable without chemical treatment
To be fair: garapa turns grey quickly and unevenly. Precisely because it starts out light, the colour difference between the sunny side and the sheltered parts really stands out — more than with a dark species. If you want to keep the golden-brown tone, you are signing up for a yearly coat of oil. On top of that, in the first few months the wood can leach brown substances that temporarily stain light-coloured tiles or walls.
What garapa is used for
Decking boards
The main use. Dense enough to absorb little water, strong enough to carry loads, and light in colour — which makes a deck look more spacious.
Decks and jetties
It holds up over water too, provided it is heartwood and the structure can dry out.
Cladding
Possible, with the same caveat about uneven greying. Under a roof overhang the colour lasts longer.
Garden furniture
Pleasant to the touch and light enough in colour not to get too hot in the sun.
Indoor floors
Hard enough for living-area floors, with a warm, calm figure.
Structural work
Strong, but usually too expensive for work that stays out of sight.
Working and maintenance
- Pre-drillingAt this density, pre-drilling is the rule. Without a pilot hole the board splits or the screw snaps.
- Stainless steel fixingsGalvanised steel rusts away in a permanently damp deck structure and leaves black streaks on the wood.
- Let it acclimatiseLay the boards loose in place for a few days before you fix them. That way they do most of their moving before installation.
- Gaps between the boardsA few millimetres, so that water runs through and the wood can dry. That is the most important installation rule for any decking board.
- Seal the end grainEven with a durable species: these are the surfaces where water soaks in fastest.
- Wait for the leaching to stopIn the first few months garapa can release brown substances. Only lay light-coloured tiles beneath it for good once that is over, or rinse them off.
- Oil every year or let it go greyBoth are valid. Oiling keeps the golden-brown tone; doing nothing gives you an even silver-grey deck, after a few uneven years.
Frequently asked questions about garapa
Where does garapa come from?
From the tropical rainforests of South America, mainly Brazil, Venezuela and Peru. The botanical name is Apuleia leiocarpa.
Can garapa be used outdoors untreated?
Yes, the heartwood is naturally durable enough for outdoor use above ground. It will turn grey, though.
How heavy is garapa?
Between 770 and 830 kilos per cubic metre at twelve per cent moisture content — dense and strong, comparable to other decking species.
Why are the tiles under my garapa deck discoloured?
In the first few months the wood can leach brown substances that temporarily stain light-coloured surfaces. It fades and can be rinsed off.
Do I need to pre-drill?
Yes. At this density the board splits or the screw snaps if you work without a pilot hole. Use stainless steel fixings as well.
How do I keep the golden-brown colour?
With a yearly coat of oil. If you leave the wood alone, it turns grey — unevenly in the first years, then an even silver-grey.
More in the wood register
Compare garapa with the other decking species in The Wood Guide.
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Apuleia leiocarpa — Cirad, Programme Bois (xylotheek), Public domain · Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Apuleia leiocarpa — Juan Emilio Bragado, CC BY-SA 3.0