Are you looking for a weatherproof
deck wood but don't like chemicals
and can't find good redwood or cedar?
Then you may be interested in Pau
Lope, a sustainably harvested Brazilian
hardwood that's being marketed as a
non-toxic alternative to treated wood
and that's priced competitively with
clear heart redwood or cedar. The U.S.
distributor claims the tropical hardwood
has a service life of around 60
years yet contains no preservatives. In
fact, it has earned a rating of "highly
durable" for insect and decay resistance
from the U.S. Agricultural
Forest Products Research Laboratory.
It has also been given a Class A rating
for fire resistance by the Uniform
Building Code.
Pau Lope's durability and fire resistance
come from its