For What It's Worth

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