Decks or patios are mainly the floor or support system usually above the ground. The main difference from the traditional floors is that the decks are for outdoor settings. Since ages, the decks have been used mainly in ships. Later on, the classy people took it for the yacht and kayaks. The materials of decking also changed with time and requirements. At first the woods of Atlantic white cedar, Redwood, and such softwoods came from the old-growth forests. Then the question of durability came in front. So, the hardwoods like mahogany and teak took the place of the softwoods. But nowadays the tropical forests are at the verge of disruption due to the continuous deforestation process. Mostly they contribute to the decking industry. So for a better sustainable and eco-friendly option, we switched to the ipe decking, chemically treated woods, heat-treated woods, Aluminum composites, lumber composites, and such. Fibre glasses are another popular option. But ipe decking is crazily on-demand among the tasteful people for the natural look and better performance.
Advantages of Ipe Decking
There are several benefits of Ipe decking. The most common among them is being all naturally beautiful. The composites like plastic and wood combinations, or the polyethene derivatives are not reusable and not biodegradable either. They are harmful to nature and the human body. Their ipe is entirely safe and secure to use. Then comes sustainability. Ipe is double harder than the oak and among the top ten hardwoods in the world. But unlike the pressure-treated woods, the ipe does not shrink or expand with time. This shrinkage is a primary reason for the cell destruction that reduces the strength of the decks and destroys the look. Ipe is naturally water, decay, and rot-resistant. This evolutionary help made ipe one of the first choices for decking where it has to dip in about forty inches of water all the time.
One big problem with the artificial decking is board replacement. Here the boards are stuck very toughly. Besides, every time you replace an old one with a new board, it will look completely different than the others. None will like to leave a mark of the patchwork on the surface. Using tropical ipe can solve your problem. They naturally come in different shades. So, the replacement won’t look very eye-catching. Going natural is always the best option. Ipe is naturally insect resistant. It means not only your Ipe decking will last longer than the others, but also it will keep you away and safe from the notorious insects.
Last but not least comes the costing. Initially, it looks more expensive than artificial options. But a solid ipe decking will serve will for forty to seventy-five years. At the same time, any chemically treated board goes hardly for five to seven years. So, it’s better than any artificial option.
Ipe Decking Maintenance
There are only two primary maintenance options for ipe decking. One is where you can give the deck finishing with UV resistant oil. It will prevent the bleaching by the sun rays. So, years after years, the deck will remain with the new tinge of reddish-brown. Yearly you have to touch up a bit in case of rough use. The other option is to leave it without any temperament with oiling. Slowly it will turn into an elegant silver. Silvering process does not affect the cellular integrity of the ipe decking. So, there is no need to worry. Besides, if you don’t like the silver color, anytime you can oil paint the deck and give it your favorite look.