Furnishings

Ipe Deck Maintenance Tips

Ipe, also referred to as Brazilian walnut or lapacho, is among the hardest woods in existence, but it isn’t uncommon, and it makes a long-lasting and attractive material for decking. Installing ipe decking boards requires special techniques as it’s so tough to use. If you stick to the appropriate installation procedures, however, ipe doesn’t need much upkeep. The ipe boards at New York’s Coney Island boardwalk lasted 25 years under heavy traffic.

Wood Characteristics

Ipe’s Janka hardness rating of involving 3,342 and 3,510 places it near the surface of the hardness scale and also in the company of such dense materials as Brazilian ebony and Patagonian rosewood. It’s dense enough to sink in water, and it contains natural resistance to insects and decay. Ipe’s density could be troublesome for the deck installer; screws split if you don’t predrill holes for them, and also the heads don’t sink into the wood. Additionally, cutting ipe immediately wears saw blades out. Like most of wood species, ipe turns gray when exposed to sun because ultraviolet sunlight destroys its surface layer of cells.

The Best End

The end-grain is the most vulnerable part of an ipe board, and you need to seal it with paraffin wax within an hour or two of clipping it to prevent checking or cracking. The primary reason to finish the remaining portion of the board is not to protect it from rain and rust except to stop fading. Like most of wood species, ipe immediately turns gray as ultraviolet sunlight destroys the cells onto its surface. Film finishes, such as lace, are unsuccessful on ipe. The very best covering is a thin coat of ultraviolet-blocking petroleum – or water-based penetrating finish.

Restoring the Color

It is not a fantastic idea to sand ipe. It’s so hard that sandpaper doesn’t have much effect other than to destroy the luster of the surface. If you want to restore the natural colour of a graying deck, you can do it using a power washer. Once the wood has dried, use a fresh coat of penetrating oil to save the colour. Because so little of this oil penetrates, the best way to use it really is to get on your hands and knees and then use it using a rag or paintbrush. A roller or sprayer will render a thin, tacky surface coating.

Regular Care

If you prefer to appreciate the vibrant, gray tones which develop as ipe ages, you don’t need to do very much to maintain an ipe deck. Regularly crossing it and washing it with a garden hose will help keep it free of loose dirt, and if you want to eliminate scuff marks or spills, mopping it with a solution of dish soap and water should do the trick. If you live in a sunny, dry climate, then give the surface a fresh coat of penetrating finish every year to stop the wood from drying out and creating fractures or fractures.

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