Composite Decking Material or Ipe??

[Roy Wall]

Hey all,

Looking into a major deck refurb this summer. THe deck is 16x16 with cedar 1x6" decking on 16" centers. The joists are 2x12 CCA. We are considering a new decking of these comp. materials or Ipe....or other suggestions....
I know what the dealers say about the new stuff - I want to know what you guys think of it:)

We will also add a stairway down and create a "screened in porch" underneath the deck. We will make a Watertight ceiling underneath, add a brick herringbone pattern for the floor....hopefully make it pretty bearable during hot summer Missouri nights....

[James Carmichael]

I've looked at the composite stuff, it looks about as asthetically-pleasing as particle board, IMO. Looks like it would make good stickers for drying lumber, though, nothing to leach out and stain the lumber.

I havent worked with Ipe (aka Brazilian Walnut), but have worked with Tauari and Jatoba (Brazilian Oak and Cherry, respectively), which are both hard and dense as granite, especially the Jatoba. Both are harder than any NA hardwood I've seen (though I haven't cut any hickory), and are hard on tooling due to the density and high silica content. But from what I've read, Ipe makes them both look like clear pine.

Ipe is also very decay-resistant. Hard as it may be to work with, it would be my choice head and shoulders above the plastic wood. On the plus side, once an Ipe deck is built, it should last a lifetime.

[Bob Nieman]

Well, aesthetics aside, Trex and similar materials do have a lot going for them as far as upkeep is concerned. I have heard that the colored versions gradually fade out. We (the community) built a 250K playground with Trex on almost all surfaces a kid would put hands or feet. No splinters, no periodic treatments. Cuts like wood, can be routed (although a grinder with a flap disk works better). Not load bearing though. If I was to build a deck, that is what I would use, but I live in a desert.

If you want to have a life changing experience, build a playground: http://www.leathersassociates.com/
One of the best things I did in my whole life.

[jack duren]

trex is a good product. once one prices out IPE trex becomes a favorite right away ;) .....rebel

[John Foote]

trex is a good product. once one prices out IPE trex becomes a favorite right away ;) .....rebel
So Ipe must be that dark brown lead-weight substance that sorta looks like wood...http://sawmillcreek.org/images/smilies/smile.gif I found a 4' chunk lying on the side of the road, didn't know what it was, and almost wrenched my back trying to pick it up. If the tree is any size at all, dropping one must set off seismographs hundreds of miles away..

[Erin Stringer]

I have seen 2 different decks done with Trex and thought they were both very nice. They become even nicer when the neighbor is stripping, cleaning, and staining the "real" wood deck that they put in. I personally have no problem with the "plastic" look of the composites, they don't splinter, don't require heavy maintenance, and are easily worked.

[Bill Lewis]

I would highly recomend using an under-mount fastening system when installing a Trex deck. Screwing from the top may look ok initially, but over a short time creates these little "volcanos" at every screw hole.

[Frank Pellow]

I am going to be doing the same thing this summer in order to augment my 25 year old cedar deck. I hate the look of the fake stuff and don't like working with really hard stuff. On the other hand, I love cedar (my favourite wood) and will be sticking with it. By the way, most of th4e cedar that I used 25 years ago remains sound. I will probably be replacing about 10% of it and keeping the rest.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Not true here. Ipe is much cheaper that Trex in our area and most others I've checked into near us.

My big complaints with the composites:

Ten year warranty for composites....(is this a joke?) Ipe carries a 25-40 year warranty depending on who you get it from.

Flex in the heat....Composites can sag on anything more than a 12" center framing plan...especially here in the blast furnace belt.

Price....The only thing cheaper than Ipe in our area for composites is carried at Lowe's and is known to be a crappy product.

Look.....It looks cheap. So what about the upkeep? I'd rather have the Ipe and do a few hours work a year to keep it nice.

Wear....Ipe doesn't float so it's all but impervious to water and rot. Also not many insects around can eat the stuff...at least none I've ever seen on earth anyway.

I have studied each and every decking product out there since 65% of our work is decks. I will never suggest ANY composite over Ipe or any other hardwood decking at any price.

Buying Ipe over anything else to deck with is a no brainer to me.

[Mark Singer]

I have use Ipe both inside and outside. It is very stable. It has not warped or twisted. It is real wood....SMC is a woodworkers website (you knew that) Even if you let it grey naturally, it looks great.

[Jim Fancher]

Price....The only thing cheaper than Ipe in our area for composites is carried at Lowe's and is known to be a crappy product.
ChoiceDek? I've read up on it, but I haven't seen it in person.

I'm debating composite vs. real wood too. This thread is very timely. :)

Two questions: Do you pronounce Ipe like "e-pay"? Also, does anyone know of an affordable source anywhere near Houston, TX?

[Roy Wall]

Do you pronounce Ipe like "e-pay"?
Yes, that is correct. I actually spelled it like that initially.......

-------------------
Great thoughts all of you!
My wife and I are both leaning toward Ipe....

Kelly H. -- A ten year warranty is a joke! Our smooth cedar decking is 11 years old right now:eek:

Bill Lewis, -- we do want to "undermount" the decking with screws so that we have a clean "surface" on top -- good points.

[James Carmichael]

ChoiceDek? I've read up on it, but I haven't seen it in person.

I'm debating composite vs. real wood too. This thread is very timely. :)

Two questions: Do you pronounce Ipe like "e-pay"? Also, does anyone know of an affordable source anywhere near Houston, TX?

Try Hogan Hardwoods, there's one in Houston, 713-683-0991. If they don't have it in the yard, they can order it for you.

[Ted Shrader]

Roy -

Another vote for Ipe. I considered the composite varieties and Ipe was in the same ballpark price wise. Less than some, more than others. In the end you will have a wood deck. Sounds like the joists and beams are all in good condition and will require only minimal work (if any).

Another thought. Don't know what the layout of the deck is, but have you considered laying the decking boards in some sort of a pattern - herringbone, square, diagonal, etc.? It helps break up a large surface and will make the "remodel" even more attractive.

Good luck,
Ted

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I must be one of the few that likes trex! My parents used it in their deck and I think it looks great. Their deck has a hot tub on it and one of the reasons they went with trex is that it is not slippery when wet. Also, it has weathered over the winter and now the screw holes are starting to be less and less noticeable.

[Roy Wall]

Roy -

Another vote for Ipe. I considered the composite varieties and Ipe was in the same ballpark price wise. Less than some, more than others. In the end you will have a wood deck. Sounds like the joists and beams are all in good condition and will require only minimal work (if any).

Another thought. Don't know what the layout of the deck is, but have you considered laying the decking boards in some sort of a pattern - herringbone, square, diagonal, etc.? It helps break up a large surface and will make the "remodel" even more attractive.

Good luck,
Ted
Thank you sir!

I'll post some photos the deck this afternoon to show current status....

[Jim Fancher]

Try Hogan Hardwoods, there's one in Houston, 713-683-0991. If they don't have it in the yard, they can order it for you.
Thanks James!

[Jon Olson]

What about Redwood - or is that just a CA deck material??

Jon

[JayStPeter]

I may be building a deck this spring (depends on a few other expenses). Personally, I can't have enough plastic on the exterior of my house. While I enjoy home improvement, I hate home maintenance tasks. I design my house and landscaping with that in mind.

My deck will be composite. I might make some deck furniture out of ipe though. My feeling from talking to a few contractor buddies is that the newer formulations have fixed most of the problems except for fading. Most of the brochures now show new vs. faded colors. We'll pick our color with that in mind.

Jay

[Dave Falkenstein]

I have a fair amount of experience building and refurbishing decks in Flagstaff, AZ in the summers. I have used redwood and composites, including Trex and Timbertech. The newer versions of Trex, as well as some of the other composites, have a grainy look to them, which makes them somewhat more attractive than the older flat looking stuff. My personal preference is redwood, which is half the cost of composites in AZ. The ipe decks I have seen are indeed beautiful. I know ipe is generally available here in 4/4, which requires closer joisting than 2X redwood - I think 4/4 ipe needs 12 inch centers. It would be adviseable to check that out with the local building codes. Composites are available in 4/4 and 2X , and the joist support specs differ depending on the brand and size. A deck with 16 inch centers, which you have, is fine for most 2X composites. Composites have a very consistent look - not a natural look. I have found it highly preferable to predrill composites to avoid the mushrooming problem mentioned earlier, and to make it reasonable to drive screws in it - the material is very hard. I like using hidden bracket systems, like DeckMaster, but that runs the cost up. Using DeckMaster makes maintenance of a wood deck substantially easier, since there are no screw holes on the top of the deck for moisture intrusion. Railings built using composites must be built to the specs of the manufacturer, as composites have little structural strength.

[Brian Buckley]

Jim,

Hardwood Lumber in the Heights carries Ipe lumber. I am not sure of the price.

Brian

[John Shuk]

I have both. My small deck is composite and I like it and my front porch is Ipe. I like the Ipe better. It will never warp like composite can and it is just nicer to have wood IMHO.