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Stephen Saar
09-30-2009, 8:39 PM
Making some flower boxes for my mother and I was thinking of using Ipe as the wood. I've never worked with it before, but it seems to be very popular for decking and is supposed to be naturally very resistant to bugs, mold, rot, etc.... Anyone ever worked with this for this type of application? Will it handle being filled with dirt?

Thanks.

-Stephen
David Winer
10-01-2009, 4:24 PM
I don't know Ipe, but I've had flower boxes last for years out of redwood, ordinary white pine, and cyprus. All of them received a thick coat of roofing cement inside, where soil would otherwise be in contact. I made sure to provide good drainage.

Roofing cement is an inexpensive tar-like gloppy substance available at hardware stores in gallon cans. I use a metal spreader or trowel to smear it on. Based on my experience, I recommend this treatment regardless of wood species--it can only improve the durability and is out of sight.
Lee Schierer
10-01-2009, 4:29 PM
It probably will work, but the boxes will be very heavy. Ipe is so heavy and dense it does not float.
Jim King
10-01-2009, 7:47 PM
Ipe is used here in the Amazon for sidewalks, oil drilling platforms and mats for roads as it lasts a long time even here where everything rots.

Will it make long lasting flower boxes----Yes.
Matt Armstrong
10-02-2009, 12:48 AM
Making some flower boxes for my mother and I was thinking of using Ipe as the wood. I've never worked with it before, but it seems to be very popular for decking and is supposed to be naturally very resistant to bugs, mold, rot, etc.... Anyone ever worked with this for this type of application? Will it handle being filled with dirt?

Thanks.

-Stephen

Hey Stephen,

I had some good hands-on time with Ipe when making an outfeed table. I wanted trim pieces that were durable and I definitely got them. Ipe is a great wood, machines well, but does not glue well and requires pre-boring if you're going to screw it together. Some people have better luck than others with glue but it is an oily wood. Also, it finishes very nice with just plain ol' linseed oil. For what it's worth, I'd probably go with redwood or something a little softer.