I have a client asking about Cumaru as a more budget-friendly alternative to Ipe for a freshwater dock project. I've worked extensively with Ipe but limited experience with Cumaru in marine environments.
Anyone have long-term performance data or project photos comparing the two in dock/waterfront applications?
Saltwater is a different story though. I'd stick with Ipe for anything marine/saltwater. Cumaru doesn't have quite the same silica content and I've seen some degradation in coastal installs after 5-6 years.
I did a Cumaru dock on Lake Norman in NC about 4 years ago. It's held up great honestly. The main difference I notice vs Ipe is it checks a bit more on the surface, but structurally it's been rock solid. Client is still happy. For freshwater I wouldn't hesitate to use it.
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