Category Archives: Decking

Best Wood for Outdoor Kitchens

Building an outdoor kitchen is a major investment. You want to make sure you are using materials that are going to hold up to the outdoor environment as well as the abuse of kitchen wear and tear.

You are probably looking at spending thousands of dollars on top of the line stainless steel appliances for your outdoor kitchen.

The last thing you would want is to spend a lot of time and money on an outdoor kitchen and have your grill in your outdoor kitchen rust out after 5 years and force you to redo your outdoor kitchen.

Many homeowners want their appliances to sit in cabinets or an outdoor bar built out of a beautiful long lasting wood.

Woods You Should Not Use for an Outdoor Kitchen

We suggest staying away from softwoods such as pressure treated pine, cedar and redwood.

These softwoods are all susceptible to rot, wood boring insects and are can catch fire quickly. In addition they require yearly maintenance with waterproofing sealers that will peel off.

This will leave you scraping and sanding all the wood and then reapplying the sealer each year. Waterproofing sealers help keep water from penetrating the grain of softwoods which would lead to faster rot and decay.

Additionally your outdoor kitchen will more than likely be placed on a concrete slab foundation. Depending on the design of your outdoor kitchen your cabinets or bar will be sitting on top of the concrete.

Concrete wicks moisture so softwoods sitting on top of concrete will rot faster at the base.

These are just a few reasons why we don’t recommend these softwoods for an outdoor kitchen.

Best Woods for Outdoor Kitchens

There are a few species of wood that we’ve found to be proven to perform incredibly well in outdoor environments such as outdoor kitchens.

These species are Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Garapa and Massaranduba. They all come from South America and have proven to last up to 75 years or more with very low maintenance.

**Ipe wood decking and Ipe outdoor kitchen cabinets**

Above you’ll see a picture of an outdoor kitchen built with Ipe wood deck boards. The deck is also built with Ipe wood decking.

Ipe wood decking is one of the most durable, long lasting decking woods available. It is more durable than teak and is more cost effective as well.

It is also naturally resistant to mold, mildew, rot and decay, wood boring insects can not chew through the wood, It has a Class A rating against flame spread, does not splinter like softwoods and it has proven to last 75+ year on commercial boardwalks like Coney Island boardwalk in New York.

Here’s another outdoor kitchen built with Ipe Wood:

The second most durable wood we recommend for outdoor kitchens is Cumaru which is also known as Brazilian Teak.

Cumaru is almost identical to Ipe it’s just got a little more color variation which ranges from golden brown to a reddish brown. Ipe is more consistent in color which is a chocolate brown.

Many people are drawn to Cumaru because it’s typically 30% cheaper and also a very beautiful and durable wood. It has all the similar properties like Class A rating against flame spread which makes it an excellent wood for outdoor kitchens.

While we don’t have pictures of an outdoor kitchen built with Cumaru wood most of the jobs we supply are used to build decks.

Just like Ipe wood is most commonly used to build decks both of these woods are great for a wide array of outdoor projects.

Here’s a picture of a deck built with Cumaru:

Tigerwood Outdoor Kitchen

This is our 3rd most popular option for an exterior hardwood that is great for outdoor kitchens.

Tigerwood is not quite as dense as Ipe or Cumaru but it’s still a very dense and durable hardwood that’s great for outdoor use. In fact Tigerwood is more than double the Janka hardness compared to Teak.

These 3 wood species are the best woods that we recommend for outdoor kitchens.

When building an outdoor kitchen with wood you can often use short length boards depending on your design of course.

We sell short length boards at a significant cost savings that can save you up to 50 percent. Click here to view these discounted hardwoods

Best Wood for an Outdoor Table

The Best Wood for Outdoor Use and Tables

Deck with Fire Pit and Pavers — Deck built with Ipe wood

Ipe wood (pronounced EE-pay) is a South American hardwood that has proven to last on many commercial applications such as the Coney Island boardwalk for 75+ years with no treatment.

Here are some of the outstanding benefits of Ipe:

Lasts up to 75+ years
Low maintenance
Termite Resistant
No knots!!
Tight grain = No worry of slivers
Can outlast composite material
High density resist scratches
Nearly twice as strong as Oak
Better than teak
Environmentally friendly
One of the strongest woods in the world
Up to a Class A fire rating for flame spread
Mold & Fungi resistant
High slip resistance

We also recommend a few other species that have very similar properties to Ipe and offer different grain and colors.

The following woods are also extremely durable outdoors and are more affordable than Ipe.

Cumaru, Tigerwood, Garapa and Massaranduba

This outdoor table was handcrafted using Ipe and Tigerwood and it’s absolutely stunning.

Outdoor Table made with Ipe Wood and Tigerwood

If you are looking to build an outdoor table that will last a lifetime these woods will not disappoint you.

You can purchase them directly online from our website. We also have many deeply discounted shorter length boards that work great for outdoor furniture.

Since we primarily sell a lot of long length boards for decks we sell the shorter boards for a deep discount. Click here to see our discounted hardwood decking

Best Decking For Above Ground Pools

Pressure Treated Pine Decking

Many above ground pool decks are built using pressure treated pine because it’s readily available and its the most affordable option.

This is a real wood option that requires consistent maintenance to ensure the longest lifespan possible.

Pine is a softwood that is susceptible to rot, decay, mold, mildew and insect attack.

In addition pressure treated pine also typically experiences repeated cycles of thermal expansion and contraction (especially if you live in the north and get harsh winters).

Softwoods require the yearly application of water sealers that help keep the water out of the wood grain which can accelerate rot.

Treated pine commonly gives off splinters and slivers in your feet.

Most of the time you’ll be using your above ground pool deck with bare feet. So be prepared for annoyed guests and crying kids with splinters in their feet.

The average life expectancy for a pressure treated pine pool deck is 15 – 20 years. Many will see something more like 10 – 15 years. It really depends on how good you kept up with the maintenance each year.

Pools decks are constantly getting saturated with pool water especially if you have little kids who like keep getting out and jumping in the pool doing cannonballs.

The next real wood option is:

Cedar Wood Decking

This is another softwood option however cedar does offer some natural resistance to rot and decay but will eventually rot and decay as time goes on.

Above you can see deck boards being replaced and others have splinters as well as checking that can cause splinters and slivers in your feet.

Cedar requires a waterproofing sealer to help ensure a longer lifespan especially around pool decks with the constant exposure to water.

If maintained yearly you could expect a life expectancy of 20 – 25 years. Again this all depends on the wear and tear the deck sees as well as the annual maintenance.

The third option that most home owners think will be the best is:

Plastic Decking (Fake Wood)

composite deck fading — Composite Deck with Extreme Fading

Many homeowners think that composite decking will be “maintenance free”. In the early years when composite decking was first made, many manufacturers spent millions of dollars on advertising bragging that their products were “maintenance free”.

Unfortunately many people found out the hard way there really is no such thing as maintenance free. As a result there was several class action lawsuits for false advertising and other issues.

Composite decking has many issues including severe fading as shown in first picture as well as deteriorating and crumbling as shown in the second picture.

Many homeowners also complain about composites being extremely hot to walk on in your bare feet which is not good around pools. Another common problem is that it can be very slippery when wet which would not be good around a pool.

Homeowners should do a Google search for “composite decking complaints” and “composite decking problems”. We get calls from homeowners each week that need to replace their composite decking after only a year or two of having their deck installed.

We have yet to find a composite decking product that will meet or exceed our customers expectations so we do not sell any composite or plastic decking materials for now.

Last but not least your other option is:

Hardwood Decking

When we say hardwood we are talking about some of the hardest most durable woods on earth. In fact they are harder and more durable than Teak and cheaper too.

The decking species we recommend for above ground pool decks are:

These South American hardwoods are sustainably harvested and have proven to last up to 75 years with very low maintenance.

They are also naturally resistant to rot, decay, mold, mildew, splinter, class A rating against flame spread, resistant to wood boring insects, naturally slip resistant and not hot to walk on bare foot.

All of these qualities make them excellent around pools!

The only maintenance that’s required is cleaning the dirt and debris off the surface which is required by all decking manufacturers (especially composites).

Pollen, dirt, leaves, rain and other debris will land on all decks so a light power washing is a good idea when needed.

The only other maintenance that many homeowners choose to do is oiling the wood usually once a year. UV rays from the sun will bleach the color out of the wood and turn it grey.

Some homeowners like they grey look so they don’t have to do anything other than an occasional cleaning.

Oiling the wood will keep the beautiful color of the woods and enhance the beautiful grain. Once you see the beauty of these woods most homeowners want to maintain that look.

Do not be confused oiling hardwoods is incredibly easy and it’s not a top coat like water sealers for soft woods that will eventually peel off and leave you with a lot of maintenance.

The oil you simply roll on with a paint roller after that you wipe up any that did not soak into the wood. These woods are so dense they will only absorb so much oil. It will eventually fade away (usually spring time the following year). Then you just apply more oil.

Best Wood Decking for Extreme Climates and Projects

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Building a deck in a climate that sees extreme weather such as extreme heat, extreme cold, hurricanes, lots of rain, ice and snow requires some extra planning to ensure your deck will last and resist unwanted movement such as warping, cupping, bowing and twisting.

Dry Climates

In dry climates like Arizona, wood decking materials will shrink due to the lack of moisture. All building materials will expand and contract with temperature and humidity changes. Composite decking materials generally expand in the warm temperatures and shrink in the cooler temperatures.

Wet and Humid Climates

Climates like Florida that see extreme heat, rain, humidity and hurricanes are some of the harshest environments on homes and the materials they are built with. Constant rain and humidity will cause wood decking to expand, composite materials will also tend to swell in these climates.

These climates also tend to promote the growth of mold and fungi, especially in the areas that do not see full sun all day. This can also lead to faster degrading, rot and decay of building materials.

Extreme Sun and UV Rays

Many areas such as Florida, Arizona, California and more see extreme sun and UV rays. The UV rays from the sun are one of the harshest elements that attack many materials and building materials like decking are no exception.

The UV rays will fade most materials including wood which will eventually turn gray and composites can significantly fade from their existing color that you loved originally.

Extreme Cold, Ice and Snow

If your area gets very cold and see lots of ice and snow in the winter and then hot and humid temperatures in the summer. Your deck is going to see the widest ranges of extreme conditions which means the most expansion and contraction.

Material Selection

All of these different climates can be harsh on building materials especially horizontal surfaces like decking. There are materials that have proven to stand up to these harsh climates better than others.

South American hardwood decking such as Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Garapa and Massaranduba have proven to last up to 75 years in some applications.

These hardwood decking species have shown to work in every climate from the dry dessert to hot and humid Florida all the way to cold and snow covered Buffalo, NY.

Sizes

The most common decking size is 5/4 x 6” which will have a finished dimension of 1 inch thick and 5.5 inches wide.

However just like hardwood flooring the wider your deck boards are the more likely they will be to cup.

Use Narrower and Thicker Boards

Narrower boards are less likely to cup.

Using narrow boards such as 1×4 (finished at 3 1/2″ wide), is not only more stable but it can save you money and give a more interesting look.

Thicker boards such as 5/4 x 4 (finishes at 1” thick and 3 1/2″ wide) are also more stable then 1 x 4 (finishes at 3/4” thick and 3 1/2″ wide) it’s a quarter inch thicker and gives you more stability.

Sawn Lumber Differences

Quarter Sawn Decking:

Quarter sawn decking comes at a premium due to the labor it takes to mill each plank. To mill quarter sawn wood, each log is sawed at a radial angle into four quarters. Then each quarter is plain sawn. This method of quarter sawing does leave some waste, but much less than rift sawn lumber.

This method of sawing produces a plank where the tree’s growth rings are near, or totally perpendicular to the plank’s surface. Quarter sawn decking offers even more stability and the following benefits:

Decreased expansion and contraction on the plank’s width
Twisting, cupping, and warping resistance
Ages evenly over time
Chances of surface checking are significantly reduced
More resistant to moisture penetration
More character beauty with ray flecks

Are Your Project Conditions Less Than Ideal?

We recommend a minimum of 18 inches of unrestricted air flow underneath your deck. Unrestricted means plenty of air can flow underneath your deck so it’s not completely sealed off with skirting.

Closing off the underside of your deck will not allow enough air flow under your deck.

This creates different moisture levels on the underside of your deck boards as the top surface gets air flow and heated by the sun.

Creating two different climates for your deck boards causes the top of the deck surface to expand and contract at different rates.

This makes the deck boards cup which is undesirable for many reasons.

Some homeowners have projects like boat docks and ground level decks that can not meet the ideal conditions but still want a beautiful hardwood deck.

In these cases, even though we don’t recommend it unless you can create the ideal conditions we suggest using 5/4 x 4 decking or 5/4 x 4 quarter sawn decking.

You should also take as many precautions as you can to mitigate any moisture issues or differences underneath your decking.

Oiling the underside of your deck boards before installing them can also help reduce moisture absorbing into your deck boards.

Projects that used our 4 inch wide decking for their projects

4 Inch Ipe Wood Decking — 5/4 x 4 Ipe Decking was used because the deck is low to the ground, skirted off and sits directly on top of a blue stone paver patio.

4 Inch Ipe decking — Ipe Decking and Blue Stone Patio

4 Inch Tigerwood Decking was used because the deck was skirted off and sitting on top of concrete.

Ipe Decking Steps built using 4 Inch Decking because the deck sits directly on top of a concrete slab and has limited air flow underneath.

Ipe Decking Cost

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If you are searching for the cost of Ipe decking you have come to the right place. For nearly 30 years we have been transparent about publishing all prices and all costs associated with ordering Ipe decking directly on our website.

You can find the most up to date pricing here: Ipe decking prices

Looking for the Cheapest Price on Ipe Decking – Read This First!

Ipe decking is one of the most well known decking materials. It’s one of the only proven decking materials to last up to 75 years in some of the harshest commercial applications such as The Coney Island Boardwalk.

As a result of its durability and beauty, Ipe wood prices have steadily increased over many years due to the increase in demand as well as many other factors such as fuel costs, increased government regulations to ensure sustainable logging as well as increased importing costs to get the Ipe wood into the USA.

As the leading importer of Ipe decking we are the only American company that owns our own lumber mills in Brazil.

We opened our own mills in Brazil for many reasons including being able to ensure the highest quality Ipe decking is being shipped to our customers.

We are also able to ensure all logging is being done legally and sustainably as our staff in Brazil are working everyday to ensure all aspects are legal and sustainable.

Being the largest importer also allows us to offer the best pricing on quality Ipe decking. We have seen others offer Ipe for a cheaper price to entice a customer on buying “cheaper Ipe”. Be warned that not all Ipe decking is equal.

Some will offer cheaper prices on the decking while everything else is more money. We are also one of the only Ipe decking sellers that consistently offers free shipping on many items.

We also do not have any minimum purchase quantities on Ipe wood. Some sellers impose expensive minimums so they can focus on making more profit and not be bothered with a smaller order.

We are glad to package and ship $100 worth of Ipe so you can build planter boxes or an Adirondack chair.

Yes it costs us more money to package these smaller orders but we are happy to do it so we can prove and show our commitment to customer care and satisfaction no matter how much you spend.

We have even seen some sellers that are drop shipping Ipe selling other cheaper species as Ipe and charging a premium for it. They have no control over what they are selling since they are a middle man with a website and don’t own any inventory.

These sellers simply have other brokers ship you what they have left over and could not sell to their own customers.

The people that fall for that found they got what they pay for… “Cheaper Ipe Decking” or sometimes not Ipe at all but some other cheaper specie.

We welcome all of our customers to stop into one of our 4 US factories to view what you are going to purchase ahead of time. We also welcome wholesale buyers looking to purchase large quantities to tour one of our Brazil mills.

Make sure you are going to buy from someone that is very transparent and willing to show you their operation and what you are purchasing.

Ipe Decking Grading Standards

For nearly 30 years our customers have come to rely on the quality of Ipe decking that we have consistently delivered.

We pioneered the grading standards of Ipe and are the only ones to offer (SMR®) Select Mill Run® Ipe decking.

SMR® Grading is Ipe decking that we sort because it does not meet our standards for our premium Ipe but it is not B grade either. So we created SMR® which is a grade between the premium and B Grade.

We offer this grade as a cost savings for those customers that don’t mind a little more character but want to save some money on their Ipe decking purchase.

Below is a picture of our SMR® Ipe deck tiles. They are very beautiful and just as durable as our premium Ipe wood decking.

If the cost of Ipe decking has really got you sweating we took it one step further. We also offer B Grade Ipe decking which offers you a significant cost savings on your Ipe.

Our B grade Ipe exceeds most of our customers expectations since our grading standards are the highest in the industry.

Watch this short video below to see what a customer built with our B grade Ipe and see what he has to say.

Ipe Wood Discounts

Having 4 factories in the US and 2 in Brazil gives us a large quantity of Ipe wood that we offer at huge discounts.

We have a lot of short length materials and odd lots of Ipe wood that are perfect for many projects but do not meet our most common requested sizes.

We sell these Ipe wood boards and many other species for prices up to 50% Off. Check out our Ipe decking discount prices

What’s The Best Wood for Boat Docks?

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If you are looking to build or rebuild a boat dock you want the most durable wood that will last a lifetime with very little maintenance.

A boat dock see’s some incredibly harsh conditions since they are so close to the water they are typically getting abuse from waves and are often constantly saturated with water.

Constant moisture is an enemy for all boat dock materials whether they are wood or composite. In fact constant moisture can lead to faster rot and decay, mold and mildew and leave you with excessive maintenance.

Boat Dock Materials Pros and Cons

Pressure Treated Pine

Pressure treated pine is the most common and affordable type of wood commonly used for boat docks.

The pros of using this material is the initial cost is the cheapest compared to other options. This material should last you 20 years or more with annual maintenance.

The cons are the annual maintenance that will be required. A Pressure treated pine boat dock will need to be sealed every year or every other year with a water sealer to keep the water from saturating the wood.

If this is not done it will lead to early rot and decay of your boat dock since pine is a soft wood. Soft woods are more prone to rot and decay, insect attack as well as mold, algae and fungi growth.

The regular maintenance costs will add up over the lifetime of your dock so make sure you plan for the square footage of you boat dock and how much water sealer you would need as well as the other materials needed (pressure washer, brushes and etc…)

Pressure treated pine is also known to splinter overtime which can be bad for a boat dock if you are using your dock with bare feet. Many boat docks also serve as a swim platform with a ladder built on.

The pressure treated pine boat dock above has weathered severely. Additionally the wood has splinters all over and is rotted in parts that had seen more water.

Cedar Wood

Another softwood option is Cedar which is considered an upgrade compared to treated pine.

Although Cedar is known to have some natural rot resistance but it still requires a water sealer applied every year or every other year to keep the water from rotting the wood.

In the picture above you can see it still splinters and will rot which is why the deck board above is being replaced. The waterproofing sealer will eventually flake off as seen in this photo.

Pros:

25+ year lifespan
Can be stained
Some natural rot resistance
Not hot on bare feet

Cons:

Requires annual maintenance with a waterproofing sealer that will eventually peal off.
Contains knots
Splinters will eventually occur
Will eventually rot

Composite Dock Materials

Composite deck and dock materials have built a notion that it is maintenance free. For years composite decking manufacturers advertised their products as maintenance free.

Eventually there were some class action lawsuits that followed once homeowners found that these products were not maintenance free.

The truth is there is no such thing as maintenance free especially outdoors. Even inside you don’t have maintenance free kitchen floors so you should stop thinking maintenance free and realize that everything will require some maintenance.

On top of that some of these man made composites have held up well and some have completely crumbled causing more class action lawsuits for these decking products.

In the picture above the boat dock was built with a composite decking material. It has mold growing on the surface, the surface has been wearing off and is badly pitting which leads to more mold growth.

The outer skirting board is also badly deteriorating and crumbling.

Pros:

Low Maintenance
Made from recycled materials
Rot resistant
Most manufacturers offer 20+ year warranties

Cons:

Can be hot on bare feet
Many homeowners report that it’s very slippery when wet
Can not be refinished
Expensive

If this is the option you are choosing we advise you to do some Google searches for reviews on the brand you are interested in. For example ” Brand Name decking complaints” and “Brand Name decking problems”.

If you do your research on Google you will often find if other homeowners have had a lot of issues with those products.

Exotic Hardwood Boat Dock Materials

There are many South American hardwood products that have proven to last 75+ years with very little maintenance. These species we recommend are Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Massaranduba and Garapa.

These hardwoods are sustainably harvested and are naturally resistant to rot, mold, mildew and wood boring insect

In addition they do not deteriorate like softwoods so even after many years they are still safe to walk on barefoot. Also the wood is not hot to walk on barefoot like most plastic decking materials. This makes them some of the best choices for boat dock materials.

If you plan to build your new boat dock with one of these hardwood species you can save significantly by using short length boards

Pros:

Low Maintenance
Made from sustainable wood
Rot resistant
Proven to last 75+ Years
Resistant to mold and mildew
Does not get hot on bare feet like plastic materials
Can be refinished
Can be left to gray for the ultimate low maintenance dock

Cons:

More expensive initial investment
Requires annual oiling to maintain color

Special Deals on Boat Dock Materials:

https://www.advantagelumber.com/docks/

Best Wood for Outdoor Use

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Do you have an outdoor project you want to build and want the best wood for outdoor use?

When most people think about exterior grade wood they think of pressure treated pine and cedar. Both of these woods require annual maintenance with a water sealer that will peel off.

How about a wood that…

Won’t rot, won’t leave you scraping, sanding and sealing every year and can last 75+ years outdoors.

There are several Exotic lumber species that hold up outdoors better than Teak, are more attractive looking than Teak and are significantly cheaper as well.

These species are Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Garapa and Massaranduba

These wood species have proven to last up to 75+ years outdoors with very little maintenance on commercial applications such as the Coney Island Boardwalk.

In addition these wood species are: