A question we often receive from homeowners is, “Can I use ipe for siding?”

If you want to use a material that will outlast cedar, vinyl, cement, and aluminum, then YES, Ipe is your best choice.

There are some very practical reasons why wood siding made of ipe  is your best overall option. Of all the hardwoods, metal, and synthetic materials available. Ipe has so many already natural resistance factors that make maintenance worries a thing of the past. Worried about rust or corrosion? Well, because ipe is 100% natural hardwood, those concerns can be eliminated. How about mold, mildew, and decay? Oh, and what about termites?

Ipe has been tested and proven to really live up to the hype.  It so dense and so strong that the United States Forest Laboratory as well as the United States Navy have concluded that it can last for decades without worry of termite infestation. How did they test ipe? They basically buried an untreated board of ipe and waited. It was only after 15 years that the wood became susceptible to insect attack. Remember, this was an untreated and totally buried piece of wood that we’re talking about. Metal would rust and softer woods and plastics would rot or become warped with that kind of exposure.

With this in mind, it’s easy to see why ipe is a great choice for siding.

How do you install ipe siding? Take a look at the picture to the right to get an idea of how easy it is to install siding made of ipe. For more siding installation instructions and see the latest ipe siding prices.

Looking for wholesale wood siding and need a truckload or container sent to your job site? We have the best wholesale wood siding prices in the market and even ship internationally! Contact our Wholesale Hardwood Division today to inquire about wholesale ipe siding.

Deck Design of the Week

Oakland Home Uses Ipe to Make Gorgeous Courtyard

If you’ve ever thought of building a courtyard for your outdoor living area, then this Oakland home should serve as some great inspiration.

Designed by the Ohashi Design Studio in Emeryville, CA, this deck design captures you immediately especially when you see how they incorporated the extremely large oak tree right in the middle of the courtyard. Of course, they utilized both ipe decking and ipe siding to create this modern looking, yet very warm space.

For pictures of how the Ashmount Residence Garden and deck, visit the photo gallery at the Ohashi Design website. The innovation that went into this design is truly stunning and definitely worth remembering as you look for unique deck designs.

At Advantage, we sell ipe decking as well as many other hardwoods that will make a deck like this possible. Best of all, right now, we’re running a decking sale. In fact, we’re running TWO simultaneous sales to give you even more opportunity to buy ipe, plus other unique and exotic hardwoods.

Deck Design of the Week

The Belmont Street Lofts in Portland, Oregon

The first thing you’ll notice when you see the pictures of the Belmont Street Lofts is that there is no visible use of decking. However, what you will see is how the architectural firm Froelich Consulting Engineers created this mixed-use commercial project with ipe. These mixed-use lofts really stand out with the use of rainscreens and ipe siding.

Benefits of ipe siding include:

• Durability even in the most brutal environmental conditions
• Ipe maintains its strength over time
• It is a natural product
• Totally maintenance free
• Contains absolutely no chemicals or preservatives
• All of our Ipe Rainscreens & Siding is free of any chemically produced additives

Contact Advantage Trim & Lumber today and ask about special wholesale ipe prices for wood rainscreens or siding.