IPE Decking - Rated The Best Decking Material In The World

You can get IPE wood decking in either air-dried or kiln dried varieties. If you want to use IPE decking material outdoors, then it is best to buy the air-dried IPE decking. If you use it inside, it will shrink, so it is intended only for outside use. It is also possible to use this kind of wood decking indoors. Kiln dried IPE is suitable for inside uses because it will expand in this environment. When you are planning to install this wood decking, IPE decking experts advise that you allow it to sit for a few days first so that it can get acclimatized to the temperature of the surroundings. You should also allow room for ventilation on the deck so that the wood decking will remain stable in the ground.

IPE Wood Decking is seriously hard stuff, and that's good.

IPE decking is extremely hard so you will need a premium carbide tipped saw blade for cutting the planks of wood. When you have to drill holes in the IPE wood decking, it is better to use brad point bits or fastner bits because these will give you cleaner holes. When you receive this wood decking, IPE ships it with a clear wax seal on the endgrains so that there won't be any end checking. When you have to cut the ends of the decking, you need to seal the fresh cuts that are exposed within 24 hours. You can buy this sealant when you buy the decking and one quart will be enough to seal 500 sq. feet of wood decking. You simply use a paintbrush to apply it.

There are three methods you can use for fastening the IPE decking to other structures. There are plastic clips that you can buy that fit into slots on the edge of the wood decking. IPE allows for a stainless steel screw to be then screwed into the joist. This method of fastening IPE wood decking is the recommended method because the other two require installation from the bottom of the deck. These other methods are the face screw method in which you countersink the screws into the face of the wood decking and the finish screw method, which also affects the face of your IPE deck.

When you are installing IPE decking, you should allow 1/16-inch gaps between the boards. This is so the water can drain off and that the wood decking will have room to expand. In addition, the gaps in the decking allow the air to circulate properly. Before you apply a finish to the IPE wood decking, you should test it out on a small piece of scrap material first. Some oil and water based finishes will not dry properly on this wood decking. Ask your retailer about the recommended finishes before you go to all the work of installing IPE decking and then not be able to enjoy it.