In the picture depicting Brian trimming the shower, you'll note a different wood.
This is the wood we ordered from a company in Florida to use on our steps that lead from our bedroom doors to the terrace. It was the cheapest wood Pat could find that fit our parameters. It had to look good, last without being finished and not overly expensive.
When the fellow delivered it, only then did we learn it was Brazilian Walnut from a 400 year old tree. We have looked upon it with reverence ever since. It is so beautiful that Thom suggested we use some of it to frame the shower and it looks lovely. However, when Pat and I were at our daily visit, immediately my nostrils started hurting and Brian mentioned the sawdust was extremely acidic. My throat hurt and we left. Pat looked it up on the internet and found out that the sawdust from this particular tree can kill you. It must be cut outdoors, you must wear a mask and you must be extremely careful because you can get brown lung disease from it. Nature's revenge.
Pat was so distressed, he printed this out and ran a copy up to Thom, catching him on the way home.
Brian and I were talking about Ipe, which is the official name, and he asked what Ipe meant, I replied, "death wood," and he countered with "wood of despair," and the final theory is this wood is prevalent in one of Dante's rings of hell.
It is beautiful, but to my mind, barely worth the risk. Now you know what we didn't.
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