Deck Design of the Week

Tigerwood Decking Shines in New York

Learn from Deck Builder, Aaron Roberts, why Tigerwood decking is a great decking material to work with.

Building a Tigerwood deck is a rewarding experience. Many deck builders and homeowners choose this exotic hardwood because of its gorgeous golden brown colors and dark streaks. The fact that it is also more affordable and just as durable as the most expensive composite decking also adds to the luster of using Tigerwood decking. As you can see from the pictures, this Tigerwood deck design is truly unique. The hot tub area is spectacular at night and really shows how Tigerwood decking shines.

We’ve recently spoken with an expert deck builder in the Rochester, NY area, Aaron Roberts. We asked him what he thought of working with Tigerwood for this Rochester, NY home.

ATL: How long have you been a deck builder?

AR: We have been specializing in high end custom decks since the summer of 07, this will be our fourth full season.

ATL: What led you to choose Tigerwood for this deck project?

AR: The homeowner actually did the research and chose the product.  He was looking for a natural product that would be unique in his neighborhood, but more economic than Ipe.  I believe he was also attracted to the hidden fastener system.

ATL: Was this the first time you worked with Tigerwood?

AR: Yes.

ATL: Was it easy to work with?

AR: Yes, about the same as any decking that uses a hidden clip fastening system.

ATL: What tools did you use to cut and install the wood?

Our standard woodworking tools, I think we installed fresh saw blades.

ATL: How did the owners feel about the finished product?

AR: The homeowner’s love the deck, and so do their neighbors.  We were hired again about a year later to build the hot tub deck addition.

ATL: Would you work with Tigerwood again?

AR: Absolutely!

ATL: How was it to work with and order from Advantage Trim & Lumber?

AR: They made it very easy.  I filled out the quote form with the exact pieces I needed, they were purchased and on a truck in a couple of days, and arrived right at my job site.  Not a whole lot different than if I had just called up my local lumber supplier and ordered it.

Thank you, Aaron for your business, for taking the time to answer our questions, and especially for the wonderful pictures!

If you would like to buy Tigerwood decking, visit the Advantage Trim & Lumber Hardwood Store.

Buy Tongue & Groove Ipe Decking Today

Advantage Trim & Lumber now offers a quick, easy, and affordable way to find Ipe T&G. Now, buy tongue and groove ipe decking can be as easy as ordering a book from Amazon.com.

We have all the sizes you would need with the best prices:

• 1 x 4 Ipe T&G
• 1 x 6 Ipe T&G
• 1×6 +PLUS ® T&G
• 5/4 x 4 Ipe T&G
• 5/4 x 6 Ipe T&G

Lengths from 3 to 20 feet are available. And, if you have a custom order, you can always contact us directly:

You might be surprised to know that hardwood breathes. Well, not literally, but throughout the course of the year hardwood decking will absorb and release moisture from the air. This process makes the wood expand and contract. So, when installing hardwoods like ipe decking, it’s important to know how to properly space each deck board so that, when the wood does “breathe” you won’t run into problems such as a warping, or the deck boards butting up against one another.

Here’s our recommendation for Gap Spacing Ipe Decking:

Allow 1/16″ gaps between deck boards. This space is ideal for proper for air circulation, water drainage along with wood contraction & expansion.

For ipe decking, the average rate of shrinkage is roughly 1/16″ on 4″ wide boards and 3/32″ on 6″ wide boards.

Now that you know what gap spacing is good for ipe decking, you can install your deck with confidence knowing that you’re using the best hardwood for decking and that it will have a better chance of lasting over 40 years with no maintenance required.