Ipe Deck Maintenance Tips

Ipe is hard and rot-resistant, and it requires little maintenance.


Ipe, also known as Brazilian walnut or lapacho, is one of the hardest woods in existence, but it isn't rare, and it makes a long-lasting and attractive material for decking. Installing ipe decking boards requires special techniques because it is so hard to work with. If you follow the proper installation procedures, though, ipe doesn't require much maintenance. The ipe boards in New York's Coney Island boardwalk lasted 25 years under heavy traffic.

Wood Characteristics

Ipe's Janka hardness rating of between 3,342 and 3,510 puts it near the top of the hardness scale and in the company of such dense materials as Brazilian ebony and Patagonian rosewood. It's dense enough to sink in water, and it has natural resistance to rot and insects. Ipe's density can be a problem for the deck installer; screws break unless you predrill holes for them, and the heads don't sink into the wood. Moreover, cutting ipe quickly wears out saw blades. Like all wood species, ipe turns gray when exposed to sunlight because ultraviolet sunlight destroys its surface layer of cells.

The Best Finish

The end-grain is the most vulnerable part of an ipe board, and you should seal it with paraffin wax within an hour or two of cutting it to prevent checking or cracking. The primary reason to finish the rest of the board isn't to protect it from rain and rot but to prevent fading. Like all wood species, ipe quickly turns gray as ultraviolet sunlight destroys the cells on its surface. Film finishes, such as varnish, are ineffective on ipe. The best covering is a thin coat of ultraviolet-blocking oil- or water-based penetrating finish.

Restoring the Color

It isn't a good idea to sand ipe. It's so hard that sandpaper doesn't have much effect other than to destroy the luster of the surface. When you want to restore the natural color of a graying deck, you can usually do it with a power washer. After the wood has dried, apply a fresh coat of penetrating oil to preserve the color. Because so little of the oil penetrates, the best way to apply it is to get on your hands and knees and apply it with a rag or paintbrush. A roller or sprayer will leave a thin, tacky surface layer.

Regular Maintenance

If you prefer to appreciate the rich, gray tones that develop as ipe ages, you don't have to do very much to maintain an ipe deck. Regularly sweeping it and washing it with a garden hose will keep it free of loose dirt, and when you want to get rid of scuff marks or spills, mopping it with a solution of dish soap and water should do the trick. If you live in a sunny, dry climate, give the surface a fresh coat of penetrating finish every year to prevent the wood from drying out and developing cracks or splits.

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