Should You Oil Ipe Before or After Installation?

deck with ipe oil sm

If you’re installing an Ipe deck, you might be wondering when to apply Ipe Oil. Should you finish the boards before installing them, or wait until the deck is built? For most Ipe decks, we recommend applying the oil after installation. However, if your deck has limited ventilation underneath, finishing all four sides of the …

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Is Composite Decking Really Maintenance Free?

composite deck cleaning

If you’ve been shopping for a new deck, you’ve probably heard the phrase “maintenance free composite decking” more times than you can count. After all, decking manufacturers love to talk about how little work their products need compared to traditional wood decking. No sanding, no staining, and no sealing. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Well, …

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Should You Oil Your Hardwood Deck in the Fall or Wait Until Spring?

Ipe Oil with Roller

Every fall, homeowners with Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Garapa, Teak, and other hardwood decks ask the same question: Should I oil my deck before winter, or should I wait until spring? And I get why people ask. Once the leaves start dropping and the nights get cold, there’s often this feeling that you’ve probably got about …

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How Long Does Hardwood Decking Last? Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Teak & More

Decks by Kiefer Stowe Vt DECK 14

One of the first questions customers ask us when they look at hardwood decking is pretty simple: How long is this stuff actually going to last? Honestly, it’s a fair question. After all, if you’re spending the money to build a deck with Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Teak, or another premium hardwood, you probably don’t want …

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Why Hardwood Decking Can Outlast the Deck Framing Underneath It

deck with ipe oil sm1

Here’s a situation we’ve seen more than a few times over the years. A homeowner builds a beautiful Ipe or Cumaru deck over a traditional pressure treated wood frame. Then, ten or fifteen years later, they look at the deck boards and think, “These still look pretty good.” And I mean really good in some …

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What Happens If You Never Oil an Ipe Deck?

ipe wood decking grey

Ipe is one of the most durable decking materials, but homeowners often wonder whether regular oiling is necessary to keep it that way. You do not have to oil an Ipe deck for the wood to remain naturally durable. However, if you never apply a finish, the deck’s color will change over time. Without a …

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