Ipe question.

[Jeff Telecky]

Want to attach 5/4 Ipe to concrete block knee wall with silicon caulk rather than adhesive for easy future removal for refinishing purposes. Any reason not to do this?
Thanks in advance.434635

[Stewart Lang]

How are you going to refinish? I ask because if you're thinking of doing this so you can remove and run through a planer, I'm not sure silicone caulk or construction adhesive would be friendly to a planer. If you want to remove and just be able to put them on a level surface and sand them with a ROS then it seems like a fine idea. As long as the caulk holds them where they need to be and makes it easier for you to remove.

Of course I don't have much experience with this sort of thing, so perhaps someone with more experience will chime in :)

[Walter Mooney]

I can't see anything wrong with adhering it with 100% silicone. I'd put the silicone down in big globs, maybe 18" - 24" o.c. That way, when you want to remove the ipe you can get a long recip sawblade under there (between the globs) to cut through the globs. Additionally, before you install it, I'd put a groove in the bottom side of the ipe, 1/2" or so back from the edge (in the area of the board that overhangs the wall) -- one sawblade wide and maybe 1/4" - 3/8" deep -- to serve as a water break. Rain water will drip/run over the side/edge of the board and want to travel along the bottom of the board, eventually getting on top of the wall. The groove will stop that and ensure the water drips off the underside of the board right there at the groove.

Very nice-looking installation!

[Frank Pratt]

I think silicone caulk would be a good choice for this. Unlike the prevailing opinion of the vast majority of home handy types, silicone is not a universal caulking and is, in fact a very poor choice in most applications. It's poor adhesion to most materials, like stone & wood, make it ideal for what you want to do.

What is the ipe finished with? I think the best thing to use is an oil based deck stain that's formulated for hardwood decks. To keep it looking at it's best it will need to be refinished at least annually. But it's super easy to do; just a cleaning & maybe a light sanding & reapply the deck stain. If you use a film forming finish, it will last longer, but will fail in a much more ugly fashion and require complete stripping when refinshing.

[Darcy Warner]

I don't see the need to remove it to refinish it.
I always cleaned ipe decks with oxicilic acid and refinished.
That is easy enough to sand in place and refinish when needed.

[John TenEyck]

It's good to think ahead about refinishing any outdoor wood, including Ipe'. I built an Ipe' deck about 5 years ago and it has turned into an anual maintenance nightmare; chemicals, pressure washer, what a PITA. If anyone knows of a finish that doesn't turn into a muddy, moldy mess please, please, please tell me it's name. Ipe' Oil, Penofin Hardwood Oil, Armstrong Clark - none of them last more than a few months.

John

[Darcy Warner]

It's good to think ahead about refinishing any outdoor wood, including Ipe'. I built an Ipe' deck about 5 years ago and it has turned into an anual maintenance nightmare; chemicals, pressure washer, what a PITA. If anyone knows of a finish that doesn't turn into a muddy, moldy mess please, please, please tell me it's name. Ipe' Oil, Penofin Hardwood Oil, Armstrong Clark - none of them last more than a few months.

John

TWP100 is a great finish, I did wet build coats. Actually not recommend but worked well. Teak oil seemed to have lasted on the lake houses I did.

[Doug Dawson]

It's good to think ahead about refinishing any outdoor wood, including Ipe'. I built an Ipe' deck about 5 years ago and it has turned into an anual maintenance nightmare; chemicals, pressure washer, what a PITA. If anyone knows of a finish that doesn't turn into a muddy, moldy mess please, please, please tell me it's name. Ipe' Oil, Penofin Hardwood Oil, Armstrong Clark - none of them last more than a few months.


Ipe used outdoors doesn’t need a finish or sealer. Just like your dog or cat doesn’t need clothes. :^) It looks good the way it does, and always will.

[Warren Lake]

my neighbors dog wears a coat in the winter. Finished Ipe looks lovely a year later not so. Same with Abeco. Its fine to say let it turn grey, it doesnt suit lots of places when it goes grey. One carpenter I know did an IPE deck and the owner wanted it finished in spar varnish. He tried to talk her out of it but ended up doing 7 coats of Epithanes. Like to see how that looks now 15 years later.

[Tom Bain]

TWP100 is a great finish, I did wet build coats. Actually not recommend but worked well. Teak oil seemed to have lasted on the lake houses I did.

Another vote for TWP. I’ve used it on cedar and cammaru, and it holds up fairly well and is easy to renew.

[Pete Staehling]

my neighbors dog wears a coat in the winter. Finished Ipe looks lovely a year later not so. Same with Abeco. Its fine to say let it turn grey, it doesnt suit lots of places when it goes grey. One carpenter I know did an IPE deck and the owner wanted it finished in spar varnish. He tried to talk her out of it but ended up doing 7 coats of Epithanes. Like to see how that looks now 15 years later.
As someone who has owned a few sailboats and maintained some finished wood outdoors since I moved to Florida, I am more and more learning to love the beauty of silver ipe, cedar, cypress, teak and other woods that can stand up to the outdoors. I am getting to where I am only willing to maintain finishes other than paint on outdoor wood in places where it is especially easy and not too large in area. I don't mind taking the wooden seats off of a couple iron chairs as needed and refreshing the spar varnish as needed, but that is about it for me these days. For something like that even pine holds up pretty well. For other things like building wooden outdoor furniture I go with cypress and let it go silver.

[Frank Pratt]

It's good to think ahead about refinishing any outdoor wood, including Ipe'. I built an Ipe' deck about 5 years ago and it has turned into an anual maintenance nightmare; chemicals, pressure washer, what a PITA. If anyone knows of a finish that doesn't turn into a muddy, moldy mess please, please, please tell me it's name.

I have an ipe deck & when newly finished was gorgeous. I fought to keep it that way for a few years & finally gave up & let it weather. Now it's still beautiful, just a different kind of beauty. For sure the silver/gray is much more comfortable with bare feet on a sunny day. But for small items like the OP's benches, refinishing would not be too onerous.

I agree with others that have said there is no need to remove the bench for refinishing.

[John TenEyck]

TWP100 is a great finish, I did wet build coats. Actually not recommend but worked well. Teak oil seemed to have lasted on the lake houses I did.

Well I haven't tried that one yet so it's worth a shot. Are you talking on decks, too, or just siding? Horizontal surfaces take a much harder beating than vertical.

I'm not into the silver ugly gray look yet. Give me a few more years of this yearly hassle, however, and I may warm up to it - or pay someone to do the work for me. Freshly finished Ipe' looks amazing.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tGcGi2Poedjcfb2U2Tfp6Z0PfB43eisnvG9jRGun4sAWQ6aF_L 2XVbMaWMVmUaBjjfXXf01tA_CDjPB27WtKZATU9sX5jZl6ZKc8 MXJMXwqwODZYyInrJ51oqkalQPHFeqGNdqijHNCPVj5l2aQPOk 4mS3EeiHfWJCv5bs_FwuvJf4TYg1-_HggaYuHL3ODamncGWqx0M2szPn7SElf-dvFJDqI_LVr_NU_roJz7izV7wHn7GQcTZkX5n3RQNFZ5bOxtHN fWEYyJjVp7HdmLczjgyONWzmKspEjHDd5mN02leNUeSW60NDpP REupPtvm3m_XG6rCgsAyWOmk2DYn7E6DTJz7XLGs10RtlQC3rd wN22OlbLPgOiBNiCMeO-fWzbet3fdjWQzcvu8dZHAzeDrvlIg3PbbE81L428HcVB5YrQRv WyNi-LqAe9RKoqw6o7OF5TN87wZ3Yokg4xSKjZVHHfI7I0lWwQTgThk 9pnktMeAVltas35tl1u-DR-4AlcbNw520bkwifY-JrPJLLQPywkNzicHlY98L9uXzvCUaij6AfHrnqycvnSHm55RVG RirCHvoE2gYz2c0u-g1QY5e3glbN6a88OiQrk-V3NhjHAwL6rPofIQUhNUwYu_RXBLlS3bJ-58yY8D7WqaF5Rq8ZiT2mXk2oRpYpOfBd94OVHf30cMpKc3DbV4 YWX4=w640-h480-no?authuser=0

John

[Darcy Warner]

Well I haven't tried that one yet so it's worth a shot. Are you talking on decks, too, or just siding? Horizontal surfaces take a much harder beating than vertical.

I'm not into the silver ugly gray look yet. Give me a few more years of this yearly hassle, however, and I may warm up to it - or pay someone to do the work for me. Freshly finished Ipe' looks amazing.

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John

Decks. I built about 25 the last couple years I did on site work.

[Frank Pratt]

I'm not into the silver ugly gray look yet. Give me a few more years of this yearly hassle, however, and I may warm up to it

Haha! Every year that ugly silver gray gets looking more & more attractive :)

Seriously though, I still struggle every spring with deciding whether I want to go back to a finished look just because it's so beautiful. But then every year the temptation is less & less.

[Terry Wawro]

I have an IPE front porch, boat dock and some IPE furniture. After years of trying to keep them looking good, I've given up on the porch and dock. They are now a stately natural gray. Only the outdoor chairs and tables get the annual clean and recoat to keep them looking good.