Tips on How to Build a Deck in the Fall

Now that Summer is finally over, many people are taking advantage of our ipe decking sale and asking, “Do you have any tips on how to build a deck in the Fall?”

In fact, there are some critical things you can do to make your ipe deck installation easier. These tips will ensure that, when you’re done building an ipe deck, you can rest easy knowing that it will remain strong and look great for many years to come.

1. Let your bundles of ipe decking acclimate to your immediate environment and humidity levels. We recommend that you allow for 3-5 days to pass before you start cutting the decking.
2. Even though ipe is naturally resistant to mold, if you’re concerned about excess moisture or wet leaves covering your ipe wood, we recommend building a simple canopy over the wood. Why not just cover the wood with a tarp? Simply covering the wood in this manner will prohibit and extremely slow down the acclimation process. A canopy that covers, but allows for easy air circulation is a much better and time-saving solution.
3. Do NOT apply a deck oil finish until after:
   1. The Ipe wood has acclimated and
   2. You install the ipe decking. Applying a finish prior to installation will lead to more work later on since, during the installation process, the finished ipe can scratch. If that occurs, then you’ll have to reapply your finish. Save yourself time and energy.
4. Apply an ipe end sealer immediately after you cut the decking. This is a critical step when it comes to ensuring the overall health of the ipe deck boards. If you wait over an hour to apply the end sealer, the ipe can end up with checks/split ends
5. Finally, since the next few months tends to be both rainy and, in certain areas, snowy, installing an ipe deck in the Fall means that your decking will have a higher moisture content. This is why you’ll need to build as tight and as stiff of a deck as possible. During the Spring and Summer, the decking will naturally dry and start to contract. If your deck was not as strong as it could have been, you could end up with loose, or warped boards come the warmer months. How can you ensure that your ipe deck installation is as tight as possible?
   1. Pre-drill, baby! Pre-drill! Seriously. Pre-drilling ipe with high-grade deck screws will help ensure a tight fit to the joist.
   2. With pre-grooved ipe decking, always use deck fasteners that require installation at a 45° angle. Independent scientific studies prove that installing at an angle provides a much tighter fit. Installing ipe this way also ensures that each individual deck board does not act independently and that the decking, as a whole, moves as one solid structure.

Finally, be sure to buy premium grade ipe decking from AdvantageLumber.com. We have everything you need to make building an ipe deck in the Fall an enjoyable experience. Remember, we’re running two great decking sales that will help you save hundreds of dollars on your order.