IPE decking problems
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Steve Todd (Bethesda MD) 04/29/2015
Checking and splitting on 2x6s put in last summer. Ive never seen IPE do this under any circumstances, in fact that is one of the 1 reasons we choose IPE for out top rails on our projects. Some of the wood installed on the same project at the same time shows no hint of any problems other piece are actually splitting, a bad batch?. I have pictures. Barons Lumber who we purchased the material from will not comment and is totally ignoring our inquires, the customer uses the materiel at his home on the beach so he is fully aware of the properties of IPE. Can you help?
John Register (SC) 03/26/2015
My ipe has been acclimatizing for about 3 weeks now and I have to leave for a month and my deck project will have to wait till then. My wife is worried about theft so asked if we can put it in the house. Well raise the ac up to 83 while we are gone to save on electric bill and so the humidity will be between 50 and 60 percent. Will acclimatize again when I get back. I can also lock up in a large shed which is insulated. Is either option acceptable?
Thanks
Mai Kibena 08/22/2014
My husband tried staining our IPE deck with a roller and did not remove the stain immediately. Now the floor is sticky and we cannot remove it. I would appreciate any help you can give to remove the stickiness. Up until now I have loved the IPE and we have refinished the floor several times before without any problems. Thank you.
Bob (St.Louis, MO) 04/22/2014
Response to Dave of New Rochelle: I learned through trial and error that maintaining a beautiful Ipe deck requires annual maintenance. First, make sure the Spring pollen has fallen, then thoroughly sweep and clean the deck with a mild deck cleaner. I found that using a power washer is inconsistent so I use a sponge mop, garden hose and push broom. Then I use a 60 grit orbital sander, doing a one time pass following the boards. After thoroughly sweeping the dust off and washing off with a garden hose I let the deck dry then apply a clear stain. I first used Penofin but found it was tougher to spread and tended to puddle, so a few years back I moved to Cabots Australian Timber Oil (Natural) and it works great. It really lets the natural beauty of the wood show through. You should apply the stain when theres not much sun but thats not always possible. Regardless, after applying the stain you quickly have to wipe off the excess or it will leave a sticky glaze. I used to apply the stain with rags, then quickly wiped off the excess. But in recent years Ive used a roller and that has made it easier ion my knees. You still have to wipe off the excees oil! Im not a fan of a sprayer because it takes too much prep covering things, and its a mess to clean up. It seems like a lot of work but for 2 days effort its worth it. Finally, dont listen to those that say Ipe doesnt need annual maintenance. You cant get away with a simple power wash and adding more stain. You must thoroughly clean it every year because dirt and grime build up and stain eventually wears away due to the elements.
David (New Rochelle, NY) 03/14/2014
Hi, I wonder if you could help. We installed an Ipe deck at our home 2 years ago. The contractor applied S... stain. After about 1 year (maybe even less), the finish really looked bad. Will refinish this year but hate the idea of it again looking bad after such a short period of time.
Any ideassuggestions to maintain a good looking Ipe deck? I spoke to S... who said the denseness of the wood prevents too much stain from absorbing - hence the problem.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks