porch floor with tongue and groove IPE?


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Old 04-02-05, 12:21 PM
J
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porch floor with tongue and groove IPE?

Does anyone have any experience with IPE used as a sealed porch floor? This is on a summer cottage where there is no living space under the porch, but keeping it dry is desirred. Previously pine T&G has been used, but the painted was always peeling, and the wood doesn't hold up very long.

A neighbor used Tendura for the same purpose, but had it ripped up the following year. I think it warped because there wasn't enough drainage off the deck. They now have used IPE, which was milled tongue and groove and I am seeing some of their board separating at the end.

Another product that has been suggested is King Wood. It is also a south american hardwood like IPE. I don't know the botanical name of that, as I am sure "KIng Wood" is a manufacturer's brand name. Apparently, it is kiln dried and I am told it will do better in this application because IPE is not kiln dried.

The desired look is a rich, dark brown which IPE will have when sealed with a high end sealer. Maintence is not a problem as long as the sealer does not peel like paint. Anyone had any experience with this?
 
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Old 04-08-05, 04:33 AM
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Sorry I have no experience with ipe other than what I've read. I've never had a client ask me about it. My knowledge of it is that it's extremely hard and somewhat difficult to work with in that you will have to predrill to attach with fasteners and it eats saw blades for lunch.

Ever think about going with a composite material instead, the stuff has come a long way in the past few yrs, and there are many colors to choose from these days. It doesn't promote the stripping of the rainforest and is made in the USA instead of imported. Alot of +'s there in my book. If you'd interested I can direct you to several good sites to check out.

There are lot of places selling it on the web, check google. Good luck with your project.
 
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Old 04-08-05, 07:32 PM
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gotta be ipe in this instance

i've had a great deal of experience with numerous composites and have some things written about it. i also offered to moderate this forum and i'm waiting for them to get back to me.

i've also used ipe whichis great stuff. harvested correctly, it isn't deforesting the rain forest. it is damn hard stuff and won't warp, splinter etc. yes, you have to pre drill and countersink for the head or the screw will break off.

this client absolutely wants the rich real wood look. it's to replace a pine tongue and groove porch floor. the underside is not necessarilly liveing space, but they want to keep it dry.

tendura, which is a product made for porches was used on a neighbor's porch with disasterous results and it was ripped off the second year.

this client definitely wants wood. they have no problem with yearly sealing. (ipe looks like a dark rich hardwood flloor it is sealed with a transparent sealer). on. the pine requied painting every year, which you'd think was similar to the maintenence of the ipe, but the paint flaked and had to be scraped, what a mess!

since it is a wood product, i am concerned with the aspect of moisture in a tongue and groove configuratind the pine rots very quickly. i expect the ipe to last a long time.

thanks for he reply though.
 
 

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