Ipe wooden decking

Specification points

About ipe wood

Ipe, botanical name Tabebuia spp, is a South American hardwood, which belongs among the highest quality woods in the world. Ipe also called Brazilian walnut is wolrdwidely favourite wood used for indoor and out door applications. Ipe wood has a beautifull wood grain texture and offers extreme hardness, high durability and long life-time. Ipe is resistant to insects, termites, mold, rot, many types of acids and also difficult to ignite.

Colour and weathering

Ipe wood appear in many color shades from light brown, redish brown to dark brown often with an olive green colors. Color differences between boards are characteristic and natural. The wood which is exposed to a weather conditions will change the color to a silver grey over the time. To restore the original color of the wood, clean or refresh your deck and use a professional wood brightener Saicos according to the technical instructions. Then treat the wood with a suitable protective oil.

Properties

Wood is natural material which react to climatic changes. Wood exposed to outdoor weather conditions change in volume, shrink and swell according climate changes. Tiny cracks, also cracks at the ends may apear due to wood shrinkage varying according to the relative humidity or changes in climatic conditions. Small width differences between boards may occur due to different wood expansion during moisture equalization between radial and tangential wood grain.Slight surface splitering may apear.Ipe wood contains a natural oils which during the wood sawing or flooding may occur in the form of yellowish powder. Always pre-drill the holes in the wood for screws to prevent cracking. Use the stainless steel screws or fasteners only. Avoid contact with corrosive metals objects which makes hardly removable blue-black stains on the wood.

Natural oils contend

Most of tropical woods contains natural oils which may flush out from the wood during a certain period when wood is exposed to weather conditions as rain or high humidity in the form of a brown liquid. Avoid contact with walls, plaster, bricks and other surounding which can be stained. Secure rainwater pipe or sewer system in the event that the installation is made in balconies.

Wood storage

Before and during installation make sure that wood is not exposed to direct sunlight, rain, snow or other weather conditions. Keep wood covered under the foil or store it under the roof with relative humidity similar to outdoor conditions. Place the wood on stickers to allow air ventilation and keep wood out of moist and mold formation. Follow these storage instructions to prevent wood against twisting, bowing or other deformations which may apear during incorrect storage.

Care and maintenance

Clean your deck regulary, keep it out of dirt, soil, sediments and pollen. This prevents the penetration of dirt macropores into the wood. The black dirt stains can occure under objects like umbrellas stands, flower pots, bowls, mats and other where water and hight moisture can stand without proper air ventilation. Therefore carry these objects time to time and ensure natural drying and ventilation. This helps to avoid creating of dark spots on the wood.