To you dedicated deck guys. I like Ipe but was told on CT that it doesn't take sealer well so you powerwash and seal once or twice a year. Don't care for the composites as much as I like wood. Would a better grade of cedar such as select be a better choice for someone who would only wash and seal every couple of years. I have trees around the house but not over the deck and I'm in Minnesota. I work all week as a GC and don't want a high maintenance deck. I'm considering aluminum joists, but want wood decking. I will use aluminum for the rails and vertical cable for my pickets.
Cedar vs Ipe
silvertree
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To you dedicated deck guys. I like Ipe but was told on CT that it doesn't take sealer well so you powerwash and seal once or twice a year. Don't care for the composites as much as I like wood. Would a better grade of cedar such as select be a better choice for someone who would only wash and seal every couple of years. I have trees around the house but not over the deck and I'm in Minnesota. I work all week as a GC and don't want a high maintenance deck. I'm considering aluminum joists, but want wood decking. I will use aluminum for the rails and vertical cable for my pickets.
Sealer or no, Ipe is your better bet. Like all woods if left untreated, Ipe will turn to a nice silver gray. Unlike most woods, Ipe will not suffer as much if you do not seal it.
Ipe will take special sealers, but like all woods, including cedar, it is a ongoing process.
Ipe will take special sealers, but like all woods, including cedar, it is a ongoing process.
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Ipe takes finish just fine, I use twp.Cedar is too soft x 100 the grade we are using now.
There is no reason to powerwash any deck. The chem we have now will get anything off but really if the project is kept up just a good cleaning/another coat is all thats needed.
TWP 116 is a good choice for ipt or for a less red color mix cedartone natural 3 parts to two parts dark oak. If anyone thinks ipe wont take twp finish just put a brush load on a test block and try and get it off. John
There is no reason to powerwash any deck. The chem we have now will get anything off but really if the project is kept up just a good cleaning/another coat is all thats needed.
TWP 116 is a good choice for ipt or for a less red color mix cedartone natural 3 parts to two parts dark oak. If anyone thinks ipe wont take twp finish just put a brush load on a test block and try and get it off. John
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It's not that I don't want Ipe, but I posted a while back about decking and said I liked Ipe but didn't want to seal every year. A deckbuilder from CT said he sealed once or twice a year to keep the Ipe looking good. I just want a deck to relax on, not to practice wood refinishing. I have not seen a composite that I like better than wood, yet. I'll check out the cyprus, but I'm willing to spend the money on a better grade of lumber. Years ago I built a clear redwood deck for a couple on a lake, I don't think I could even get clear redwood around here anymore.
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Any wood is going to require care to keep the natural color ghesssss its not all that hard like washing/waxing your car....of course thats not done all that much latley. I enjoy cleaning up my 97 two door Tahoe its very relaxing to me.I like drying it off in the wind with that new jacobs 350 high lift.
Anyway it is possible to build coats of twp and come off with a finish that will hold up for 5 years or so but it takes time,work and good weather if a person is not liking that just let the ipe go silver all the com jobs done with it get no care at all.
Port Orford cedar is not Cypress total different trees.
The price of old growth cvg heart Redwood over here is around $8 a bd ft, now this is some sweet stuff to work with, its the only grade of Redwood that can be compaired to Ipe. J.
Anyway it is possible to build coats of twp and come off with a finish that will hold up for 5 years or so but it takes time,work and good weather if a person is not liking that just let the ipe go silver all the com jobs done with it get no care at all.
Port Orford cedar is not Cypress total different trees.
The price of old growth cvg heart Redwood over here is around $8 a bd ft, now this is some sweet stuff to work with, its the only grade of Redwood that can be compaired to Ipe. J.
You're right John. Port Orford is actaully considered a false Cypress (Hinoki Cypress). I always thought that Hinoki Cypress was a Cypress, but I guess not.
Anyway, the point I was trying to make is that P.O.C. is not quite as maintenance intensive as Ipe. Stains penetrate more deeply and evenly and last longer. With good conditions you will probably get a couple years out of a seal as opposed to maybe one year with Ipe. I would definitely not recommend building up coats of sealer. You might be able to get away with it in Oklahoma, but the conditions in Minnesota would cause it to be a complete peeling mess. I've seen what happens here in CT, and it ain't pretty.
You'll have to clean and seal Ipe yearly, but it's not really that big of a deal to do. The nice thing about Ipe is that you're really only keeping it sealed to maintain the look. You don't have to seal it if you don't want to, and it will still last a very long time, it'll just turn grey. If you do seal it, and you happen to let it go for a while and it turns grey, it's pretty easy to get it back to looking brand new.
Anyway, the point I was trying to make is that P.O.C. is not quite as maintenance intensive as Ipe. Stains penetrate more deeply and evenly and last longer. With good conditions you will probably get a couple years out of a seal as opposed to maybe one year with Ipe. I would definitely not recommend building up coats of sealer. You might be able to get away with it in Oklahoma, but the conditions in Minnesota would cause it to be a complete peeling mess. I've seen what happens here in CT, and it ain't pretty.
You'll have to clean and seal Ipe yearly, but it's not really that big of a deal to do. The nice thing about Ipe is that you're really only keeping it sealed to maintain the look. You don't have to seal it if you don't want to, and it will still last a very long time, it'll just turn grey. If you do seal it, and you happen to let it go for a while and it turns grey, it's pretty easy to get it back to looking brand new.
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Thanks guys. I got a couple months to figure this one out. My girls are talking about deck parties with their friends. Man to be a teenager again! Dads gonna build a deck and polish the shotgun all at the same time. :thumbsup:
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So Funny Silver,gutta keep them Girls on the Farm!!!
The weather over hear is the worst for outdoor finish but thats ok most Folks dont belive what I have been doing for the last 10 years far as building coats with twp. Your right it only works over here. J.
The weather over hear is the worst for outdoor finish but thats ok most Folks dont belive what I have been doing for the last 10 years far as building coats with twp. Your right it only works over here. J.
So what is the chemical you're using?
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One easy place>> www.restore-a-deck.com Ol Ken sells some pretty good stuff. J.
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Side Note>>> I have Never had a build coat TWP finish peal,lift,or do anything but lay there like a $2 ho from the day I strated using it to now.<<<
With the given I have pushed the stuff,and the twp folks still dont belive it,its against the read on the can, It works. I did it and am still doing it. No other outdoor finish I have tried will work this way. It takes good weather,work,and a comparitive long set up time. If you want a 6 year out door finish it is possible.
When I first started with TWP I got in contact with a Guy in on the begining of the finish...using a high grade in shop conditions... they treated some ipe manhole covers placed in one of those S Cal driving/skating boardwalks. We are talking major trafic over them. At that time they had been in service for 5 years or so.
Live,Learn,make money and Keep your Mind Open. J.
With the given I have pushed the stuff,and the twp folks still dont belive it,its against the read on the can, It works. I did it and am still doing it. No other outdoor finish I have tried will work this way. It takes good weather,work,and a comparitive long set up time. If you want a 6 year out door finish it is possible.
When I first started with TWP I got in contact with a Guy in on the begining of the finish...using a high grade in shop conditions... they treated some ipe manhole covers placed in one of those S Cal driving/skating boardwalks. We are talking major trafic over them. At that time they had been in service for 5 years or so.
Live,Learn,make money and Keep your Mind Open. J.
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Found this article that was pretty interesting comparing the two option
http://www.eastteak.com/ipe-vs-cedar-deck/
I guess it really depends budget and how long you are going to be keeping your deck.
Cheers
Paul
http://www.eastteak.com/ipe-vs-cedar-deck/
I guess it really depends budget and how long you are going to be keeping your deck.
Cheers
Paul
I'd be more concerned about the framework holding the deck up... yea most of the decks we tear down look like crap, but the framework is equally garbage so long lasting decking is foolish if the framework doesn't last.
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Yeah agreed. A facing that lasts forever is not that great if the substructure is junk!
Ipe is great for the decking. Atlantic City replaced the decking on the boardwalk outside of the casinos using Ipe and hadn't had to be replaced until Sandy hit. That is a lot of foot traffic.
Ipe is much denser than cedar. I prefer to use the cedar for the rail caps than decking.
I would let the Ipe weather naturally. Buy extra saw blades!
Ipe is much denser than cedar. I prefer to use the cedar for the rail caps than decking.
I would let the Ipe weather naturally. Buy extra saw blades!
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Silver go w/IPE Just like your name. Keep it clean and you'll fall in love with it every time you're on it. Seal it and you'll have a love hate affair Either way it's win win all the way. :thumbsup:
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