RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2006--It may have a funny name but homeowners aren't being frivolous when they choose Ipe for their new decks. A combination of beauty and practicality have turned Ipe (pronounced e-pay) into the hottest deck wood around. "When people see it they just fall in love with it," said Ed Repak, director of construction and drafting for Archadeck. "But by choosing Ipe they are thinking with both their heads and their hearts." Ipe is a very dense, hard wood from South America that resists cupping, splintering and twisting. Also called ironwood, Ipe will not shrink like pressure treated lumber and should last over 25 years. "Many homeowners we talk to are initially interested in composite materials and don't know much about Ipe," Repak said. "But when we start talking about it, they become very interested in it." In many markets across the U.S., Ipe has started outselling composites and other woods, particularly in more expensive neighborhoods. The installed cost for Ipe can run about the same as high-end composites. The material in some cases costs less, but the density of the wood requires some additional labor, such as pre-drilling for fasteners. While Ipe requires sealant on the end cuts, most homeowners also choose to seal the entire wood to maintain its rich natural color. If left unsealed, Ipe weathers to a silver-gray, Repak said. "One of the advantages of Ipe is that even if the homeowner has not maintained the wood for some time, they can go back do some sanding and apply a coat of oil and the wood responds beautifully," Repak said.
