Replies

1. 
   RobbyP | Feb 16, 2005 01:13pm | #1

   Ipe is great for out door applications.  Super tough and very water resistant.  It also is quite beautiful  It, like other woods, have some special rules that have to be followed.  The two I would suggest are...

   Predrill every hole.  This stuff breaks screws like no other wood I have worked with.  Predrilling is absolutely necessary.

   It does require special glues and I have had good luck with Gorilla Glue (polyurethane) and system three epoxy. 

   It has a very sharp smell and makes me sneeze something awful so a mask is very helpful.

   Hope this helps

   Robby Phelps RP Custom Woodworks

   
   

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   Edited 2/16/2005 5:18 am ET by Robby

2. 
   JMartinsky | Feb 16, 2005 02:31pm | #2

   I concur with Robby, predrill (buy extra bits), the dust is nasty, sort of a sulfuer color that stains & sticks to everything. We use "Anchor Seal" on the end grain. It's a sort of wax that seals the end grain. We find this to be absolutely neccesary to avoid checking. Beynod that, go forth and deck, my friend!

   John

3. 
   JMartinsky | Feb 16, 2005 02:37pm | #3

   In addition, there are some pretty good systems for "hidden" fastening. :

   Chechttp://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000950PJ.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

   Or check out Deckmaster:

   http://www.deckmaster.com/

   Good Luck!

   John

4. 
   douglas2cats | Feb 16, 2005 02:56pm | #4

   I actually tried the Marine adhesive that Tom whatshisname and Norm both recommend for Ipe, and I don't think it works worth a dang. Cheaper 5-min epoxy also doesn't work very well. Both of those were used after cleaning the oils off the wood with acetone too. I would definitely experiment on some scrap and try out the Poly and System3 that Robby is recommending.

   Yup - gotta pre-drill every hole.

   You dont need to finish it but if you do, Ipe's pretty fussy about what finish will work over it. Most threads I've seen have the majority of posters recommending Waterlox or Penofin. I tried Sikkens Cetol as I saw it highly recommended, but I wasn't totally satisfied with it.

   Use a back support if you have one. The stuff is very heavy. If you're lifting it up and moving it around all day, you're going to get muscle sore twice as quick with Ipe as you normally might.

    

   If you build it - he will come.

5. 
   KyleZ | Feb 16, 2005 05:52pm | #5

   As previously mentioned, predrilling is necessary.  Furthermore, you have to use the correct bit.  For example, if you use a #8 bit for #10 screws (like you can get away with on most other species) you will spend your day turning out broken screws with a pair of Vise Grips.

   Have a couple extra drill bits ready for when you break them, so you don't have to run to the store mid-project.

   Plan on your project taking about half again more time (or more) than if you were using P.T. or cedar.

   I don't use glue at the joists, but I do use stainless steel fasteners.

   Cheers

   Kyle

6. 
   MarkRoderick | Feb 16, 2005 06:40pm | #6

   From what I've read a positive thing about ipe is that it's incredibly strong, like metal, so you can use less wood than with another deck material. This also helps deal with the muscle-aching issue raised in another post.

7. 
   tommyp | Feb 16, 2005 06:48pm | #7

   agree with everyone else nasty dust hard, on saw blades,pre drill for screws and be carful on screwing they break easy.

   made a couple of lighthouses out of ipe if i can get the pictures smaller i will post them

   Thomas B. Palumbo

   CUSTOM WOODWORKING

8. 
   BSayer | Feb 16, 2005 07:26pm | #8

   I built a deck with it, and I didn't notice that it tore up blades, at least not the way teak would. Anyway, I used deckmaster under deck mounting which is nice if you have the room to work. No holes on the top side. For areas I had to secure from the face side, I used stainless steel square drive deck screws, countersunk and plugged. I cut plugs from scrap, soaked them in water and then glued with gorilla glue, brushed into the hole with a disposable brush. After the glue cured, I just ran a belt sander over them. Worked really well.

   You can span 16" centers with the 1" no problem. I ran my boards at an angle and used 5/4" for a span of nearly 38" (as I recall).

   I used the Penofin finish because I didn't want it to go gray. In hindsight, I would say every year for the first three years, then maybe ever two years after that is what I would try. We had a significant sun exposure.

   While the wood doesn't burn, the dust does. I caught my drill on fire from the dust.