One of the things individuals seeking is to know what IPE hardwood will be like years after using it for decking or siding projects. If you consider using this wood for your decking or siding projects, this blog will help you understand Ipe hardwood better.
What is Ipe wood, and what characteristics of this wood do users prefer when it is used over time? What are the benefits and maintenance tips? Read on to find out.
What is IPE Wood?
Ipe Wood is a premium wood for decking and siding projects and is well-known globally for its characteristics. Ipe’s durability and longevity are one of the reasons it is a top wood option, and being one of the hardest kinds of wood, it is the choice of many.
IPE wood has a rich brown colour with red and amber undertones and is resistant to insect attack, mould, rot, fire, and decay. This wood is a top choice for builders, even though its colour varies from board to board. It is tight and dense, with visible cathedral arches.
Why is the IPE Wood Popular?
Because of its widespread use, finding an IPE hardwood decking reference is easy. In addition, since it is a high-quality hardwood, its popularity can be attributed to its well-deserved reputation for being naturally beautiful, exceptionally strong, and long-lasting.
Ipe is a top choice for projects like high-traffic, massive beach piers, boardwalks, or even public benches because it provides slip resistance. But it’s also a top choice for residential decking due to its elegance, strength, and low maintenance requirements.
Ipe is unquestionably the type of wood that burns the least. Nevertheless, Ipe is one of the few materials that consistently receives an “A” rating from engineering rating organizations, along with steel and concrete.
When a new customer finally gets an IPE hardwood decking reference, their first question is, “What will Ipe decking or IPE siding look like after a few years?” And how long can it last?
Contrarily, the lifespan of IPE varies from 40 to 75 years, depending on environmental factors. And it is significantly more cost-effective when compared to composite or pressure-treated boards throughout just one installation. After installing and facing the atmospheric condition over time, let’s look at what it looks like.
What IPE Decking or IPE Siding Look Like After Some Years
Before some clients look for IPE hardwood decking references, they confirm the IPE wood’s applicability. They are eager to learn a few things about this wood. They want to know if these trees will suffer the same fate as others when exposed to natural elements.
You should be aware that any object that comes into contact with sunlight will change over time. The bleaching effect sunlight has on almost everything it shines upon also affects ipe wood. But rather than having a negative impact, it enhances the attractiveness of IPE wood.
The wood appears silvery gray when exposed to sunlight. However, you must polish it over time if you prefer the appeal it had when it was first installed.
IPE Decking Maintenance Tips
After getting an IPE hardwood decking reference and consulting with the experts, you get information on maintaining Ipe wood. Because it affects how the wood will look over time, it is part of what experts will quickly advise you.
Since the product is already of high quality and doesn’t need any sealers or treatments to be durable, the issue here is the colour change rather than the product’s overall quality. Ipe is one of the simplest types of wood decking to maintain due to its strength and hardness.
Ipe boards have two options for maintaining and enhancing their inherent beauty: either regularly oil them or let them tarnish to a stunning silver-grey patina colour.
You can leave the new Ipe decking in its unaltered natural state. Within a few months, the UV rays from the sun will turn it into a lovely silver patina colour, which you are free to leave on for however long you like. If you restore the natural finish colour, light sanding is needed to smooth the surface after pressure washing your deck.
Yes, periodic or annual oil maintenance is required if you keep and enhance the deck’s natural colours. However, applying care twice a year, in the spring and just before fall, will yield better results.
When working with wood always take the necessary precautions to avoid injuries or exposure to dust. Put on a dust mask, gloves, and safety glasses. But why stress yourself over this when you can hire professionals to get this job done faster and more accurately? Hiring top professionals for your Ipe hardwood decking and siding project will help you avoid stress.
To guarantee a top-notch installation of this Ipe wood in your home, you get in touch with reputable decking and siding experts like GTA Decks. Contact us today for more information.
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