Here we remove a sad old entryway and redesigned a new one.
I like the simplicity and strength of this staircase, which is composed of only 3 parts. Glue lam treads and stringers for a clean look and superior strength. Rough sawn timbers for a flash of rugged aesthetic, and powder coated steel for a maintenance free, timeless finish.
What happens when it starts raining really hard right when you are staining a deck? We here at Deck Stylists have always wanted to know so we tried it!
Luckily we love sanding decks because we had to sand this one twice :-(
Live and learn...
The first pics are what we came back to the next day. The black is where the stain got wet and under the eve it was protected. Luckily this customer had a good attitude and waited patiently while we sanded the deck again.
The next pics are the finished product after the mistake was fixed. Yes, we waited for a nice clear day to stain this time!
Ipe is a tropical hardwood that is very durable and very resistant to moisture due to it dense grain and high oil content. It is also very labor intensive to install as decking since every screw hole needs to be piloted then drilled for a counter sink, and great effort must be taken to straighten out the boards. Stainless steel fasteners and a special type of deck stain must be used.
There is a wealth of information available online about ipe so I am not going to go into it too much but here are a few things we have learned about ipe over the years:
Not maintenance free in dry, high altitude climates. Despite being marketed as a maintenance free decking material, ipe gets super brittle if not sealed and tends to split, cup, buckle, warp, and otherwise act crazy if not sealed and fastened properly.
Ipe is expensive and going up in price due to increased scarcity. Not only is the material expensive but so is the labor to install it, the hardware, the stain, and the more frequent maintenance required due to the lack of penetration of even the finest stains.
Ipe requires special tools and knowledge to work with. Just because someone can build a deck does not mean they can build one from ipe. Please make sure your builder has the right tools and knowledge of hardwood or you could end up with a really expensive mess on your hands.
Ipe is beautiful and has unmatched elegance and style when installed and maintained properly. Well worth the price if you can afford it.
I would like to thank our client for giving us the chance to build something so beautiful. Stainless steel cable railing with wood framing is elegant, classic, and modern. Clean and easy to maintain, there is no wonder that this design is gaining so much popularity.
