If you were Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
|
Posted by mfreak on December 13, 2005, 1:13 pm
I am having a deck built over a full exposure, about 600 sq. ft,
roughly 40x16, with some clipped corners and a staircase. I have some
questions.. I can go with cedar, composite, or ipe, and I've been
weighing the pros/cons of each.. I'm trying to figure out how much
maintenance each requires.. It's being built on the north side of a
2-story Wisconsin house, so it'll get plenty of snow and rain, large
seasonal temperature changes, etc.
The composite is NO maintenance, but it looks kinda cheesy IMO, so
unless they can find a really good looking sample for me, I'm not going
for it.. I've seen about 6 composite samples, I'm sure there's many
more out there. Any recommendations on a really good looking
composite?
I hear cedar is cheap but requires a 'lot' of maintenance. What
exactly is a 'lot'? Will I be spending an afternoon, or a full
weekend, or even longer sealing it up? Once a year, or every few? I
think cedar is out, ipe looks better, and if I have to spend the time
on maintenance anyway, might as well look primo.....
I think ipe is my #1 pick so far, unless I hear horror stories... If I
go with ipe, same q's, how often do you need to seal it? How much does
sealant cost, and how long does it take to apply?
My main question on Ipe/cedar - If I leave it unsealed, it will turn
silver/grey. If it does, can I stain/seal it and get the original
color back again? How long does it take for a new deck to turn
silver/grey?
Thanks for any opinions/feedback,
|
|
Posted by Chris on December 13, 2005, 1:40 pm
I've heard good things about ipe.
You might check here for opinions:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/search/nph-ind.cgi?term=ipe&forum=porch&forum_name=Porches+%26+Decks
mfreak wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> I am having a deck built over a full exposure, about 600 sq. ft,
> roughly 40x16, with some clipped corners and a staircase. I have some
> questions.. I can go with cedar, composite, or ipe, and I've been
> weighing the pros/cons of each.. I'm trying to figure out how much
> maintenance each requires.. It's being built on the north side of a
> 2-story Wisconsin house, so it'll get plenty of snow and rain, large
> seasonal temperature changes, etc.
> The composite is NO maintenance, but it looks kinda cheesy IMO, so
> unless they can find a really good looking sample for me, I'm not going
> for it.. I've seen about 6 composite samples, I'm sure there's many
> more out there. Any recommendations on a really good looking
> composite?
> I hear cedar is cheap but requires a 'lot' of maintenance. What
> exactly is a 'lot'? Will I be spending an afternoon, or a full
> weekend, or even longer sealing it up? Once a year, or every few? I
> think cedar is out, ipe looks better, and if I have to spend the time
> on maintenance anyway, might as well look primo.....
> I think ipe is my #1 pick so far, unless I hear horror stories... If I
> go with ipe, same q's, how often do you need to seal it? How much does
> sealant cost, and how long does it take to apply?
> My main question on Ipe/cedar - If I leave it unsealed, it will turn
> silver/grey. If it does, can I stain/seal it and get the original
> color back again? How long does it take for a new deck to turn
> silver/grey?
>
> Thanks for any opinions/feedback,
|
|
Posted by PDQ on December 13, 2005, 1:44 pm
| I am having a deck built over a full exposure, about 600 sq. ft,
| roughly 40x16, with some clipped corners and a staircase. I have some
| questions.. I can go with cedar, composite, or ipe, and I've been
| weighing the pros/cons of each.. I'm trying to figure out how much
| maintenance each requires.. It's being built on the north side of a
| 2-story Wisconsin house, so it'll get plenty of snow and rain, large
| seasonal temperature changes, etc.
|=20
| The composite is NO maintenance, but it looks kinda cheesy IMO, so
| unless they can find a really good looking sample for me, I'm not =
going
| for it.. I've seen about 6 composite samples, I'm sure there's many
| more out there. Any recommendations on a really good looking
| composite?
If you want no upkeep, this is the way to go. There is some good =
looking stuff out there (amazing what they are doing with old milk jugs) =
if you know where to go - think BORG - but it cost about 3 times what =
cedar would. =20
|=20
| I hear cedar is cheap but requires a 'lot' of maintenance. What
| exactly is a 'lot'? Will I be spending an afternoon, or a full
| weekend, or even longer sealing it up? Once a year, or every few? I
| think cedar is out, ipe looks better, and if I have to spend the time
| on maintenance anyway, might as well look primo.....
If you go cedar be sure to do all the stuff that is hidden in green wood =
as it will last as long as cedar and costs about 1/3 less. With a North =
face any stain or sealer you apply will last 3-5 years. My South face =
deck could only go 1.5 years and I used the best stain/cover I could =
find.
|=20
| I think ipe is my #1 pick so far, unless I hear horror stories... If =
| go with ipe, same q's, how often do you need to seal it? How much =
does
| sealant cost, and how long does it take to apply?
Most of the refinishes I did took a day. Those which took more also had =
a 60 grit sanding.
If you are interested look here http://www.penofin.com/
or http://www.cedar-siding.org/finishing/intro.htm
and this one is definitive =
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/fplgtr113.htm
|=20
| My main question on Ipe/cedar - If I leave it unsealed, it will turn
| silver/grey. If it does, can I stain/seal it and get the original
| color back again? How long does it take for a new deck to turn
| silver/grey?
There is no such thing as a good sealer or stain cover. They all wear =
out and have to be replaced from 1 - 5 years depending upon orientation, =
exposure, and traffic. No matter what you use, do not believe the ads =
about Thompson's Water Seal.
I gave up on trying to keep the "original color" of my cedar deck and =
let it go grey to match the house. It took 3 years for the stain and =
stuff to wear off naturally and I spent another 2 days sanding the deck =
to get the remnants off. The whole deck will be a fine shade of silver =
grey by spring.
|=20
| Thanks for any opinions/feedback,
|=20
--=20
PDQ
|
|
Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on December 13, 2005, 2:01 pm
show/hide quoted text
> I think ipe is my #1 pick so far, unless I hear horror stories... If I
> go with ipe, same q's, how often do you need to seal it? How much does
> sealant cost, and how long does it take to apply?
> My main question on Ipe/cedar - If I leave it unsealed, it will turn
> silver/grey. If it does, can I stain/seal it and get the original
> color back again? How long does it take for a new deck to turn
> silver/grey?
Ipe would be my choice. One it turns color, it is going to stay that color
unless you are willing to do rather drastic, time consuming sanding. Almost
impossible.
I'd put a coat of Penofin oil on it. It has UV inhibitors and will keep it
new looking for at least a few years. My Penofin experience is only a few
years so I can't say how long it will maintain the color. I used it on
mahogany deck material I made some outdoor furniture from.
The lumberyard where I bought my stuff has samples of decking that has been
exposed now for a couple of years and the untreated Ipe has changed. Very
hard, durable, etc, but it will change colors.
|
|
Posted by James \"Cubby\" Culbertson on December 13, 2005, 4:20 pm
show/hide quoted text
>I am having a deck built over a full exposure, about 600 sq. ft,
> roughly 40x16, with some clipped corners and a staircase. I have some
> questions.. I can go with cedar, composite, or ipe, and I've been
> weighing the pros/cons of each.. I'm trying to figure out how much
> maintenance each requires.. It's being built on the north side of a
> 2-story Wisconsin house, so it'll get plenty of snow and rain, large
> seasonal temperature changes, etc.
> The composite is NO maintenance, but it looks kinda cheesy IMO, so
> unless they can find a really good looking sample for me, I'm not going
> for it.. I've seen about 6 composite samples, I'm sure there's many
> more out there. Any recommendations on a really good looking
> composite?
> I hear cedar is cheap but requires a 'lot' of maintenance. What
> exactly is a 'lot'? Will I be spending an afternoon, or a full
> weekend, or even longer sealing it up? Once a year, or every few? I
> think cedar is out, ipe looks better, and if I have to spend the time
> on maintenance anyway, might as well look primo.....
> I think ipe is my #1 pick so far, unless I hear horror stories... If I
> go with ipe, same q's, how often do you need to seal it? How much does
> sealant cost, and how long does it take to apply?
> My main question on Ipe/cedar - If I leave it unsealed, it will turn
> silver/grey. If it does, can I stain/seal it and get the original
> color back again? How long does it take for a new deck to turn
> silver/grey?
> Thanks for any opinions/feedback,
My choice, if I could find it in my state would be Ipe. I want to use it
for some furniture but unfortunately, no one here carries it. It sounds as
though you are having someone else build this deck? If so, you won't need
to worry about this but in case you are building it yourself, Ipe is an
extremely heavy and hard wood. You'll need to make sure your carbide
cutters are in pristine shape and even then, you may need to get them
sharpened periodically.
Cheers,
|
Page 1 of 2 1 2 > last >>
| Similar Threads | Posted | | Re: Ipe vs Cedar vs Composite - deck maintenance | December 13, 2005, 3:29 pm |
| Re: Ipe vs Cedar vs Composite - deck maintenance | December 13, 2005, 1:27 pm |
| Cedar Deck Maintenance | May 13, 2009, 3:56 pm |
| Composite Deck | March 20, 2008, 10:38 pm |
| Cedar fence need any maintenance? | June 4, 2007, 1:14 am |
| Yearly Maintenance on Wood Deck for Various Deck Finish? | September 14, 2008, 2:43 am |
| Composite dimensional lumber for deck sleepers | June 23, 2006, 12:21 am |
| vinyl or composite outdoor flooring (deck) panels | October 19, 2006, 11:16 am |
| Cleaning a Cedar Deck | September 10, 2005, 10:15 pm |
| Sanding a Cedar Deck | July 18, 2006, 11:42 pm |
|
|
Yahoo! 
Google 
Windows Live 
del.icio.us 
digg 
Netscape 
XML Sitemap
> roughly 40x16, with some clipped corners and a staircase. I have some
> questions.. I can go with cedar, composite, or ipe, and I've been
> weighing the pros/cons of each.. I'm trying to figure out how much
> maintenance each requires.. It's being built on the north side of a
> 2-story Wisconsin house, so it'll get plenty of snow and rain, large
> seasonal temperature changes, etc.
> The composite is NO maintenance, but it looks kinda cheesy IMO, so
> unless they can find a really good looking sample for me, I'm not going
> for it.. I've seen about 6 composite samples, I'm sure there's many
> more out there. Any recommendations on a really good looking
> composite?
> I hear cedar is cheap but requires a 'lot' of maintenance. What
> exactly is a 'lot'? Will I be spending an afternoon, or a full
> weekend, or even longer sealing it up? Once a year, or every few? I
> think cedar is out, ipe looks better, and if I have to spend the time
> on maintenance anyway, might as well look primo.....
> I think ipe is my #1 pick so far, unless I hear horror stories... If I
> go with ipe, same q's, how often do you need to seal it? How much does
> sealant cost, and how long does it take to apply?
> My main question on Ipe/cedar - If I leave it unsealed, it will turn
> silver/grey. If it does, can I stain/seal it and get the original
> color back again? How long does it take for a new deck to turn
> silver/grey?
>
> Thanks for any opinions/feedback,