You can buy E4E S4S Ipe decking to create the most unique deck in your neighborhood!

One of the great things here at Advantage Trim and Lumber is hearing about the customers who are elated with their decks. Many people actually come way under budget when they buy ipe decking from us. It’s not uncommon that, during the conversation with our hardwood experts, homeowners decide to ratchet up their overall design on the spot!

Our inventory of regular, or Eased 4 Edges / Surface 4 Sides (E4E / S4S) ipe decking is available if you want to build some deck additions. For instance, many customers who buy pre-grooved ipe decking end up having enough money to purchase enough E4E S4S ipe deck boards to build any of the following structures and addons:

• Ipe benches
• Ipe planter boxes
• Lattices
• Outdoor kitchen cabinetry
• Outdoor furniture (chairs, tables, etc.)

Looking at the pic above, you can tell that the owners of this home, really went out of their way to make their new deck have the appeal of a sunroom, without the windows.

When you see how much money you’ll save with Advantage, your surplus can be used to take your deck design to the next level. Check out the selection of E4E S4S ipe wood that’s currently on sale! We have varying lengths available via our Overstock Sale for a limited time only. Call now for more information.

Fall is a great time to build an ipe deck. With our low ipe prices, cool weather & these how-to tips, you'll install an ipe deck alot easier than in the Summer!

Now that Summer is finally over, many people are taking advantage of our ipe decking sale and asking, “Do you have any tips on how to build a deck in the Fall?”

In fact, there are some critical things you can do to make your ipe deck installation easier. These tips will ensure that, when you’re done building an ipe deck, you can rest easy knowing that it will remain strong and look great for many years to come.

1. Let your bundles of ipe decking acclimate to your immediate environment and humidity levels. We recommend that you allow for 3-5 days to pass before you start cutting the decking.
2. Even though ipe is naturally resistant to mold, if you’re concerned about excess moisture or wet leaves covering your ipe wood, we recommend building a simple canopy over the wood. Why not just cover the wood with a tarp? Simply covering the wood in this manner will prohibit and extremely slow down the acclimation process. A canopy that covers, but allows for easy air circulation is a much better and time-saving solution.
3. Do NOT apply a deck oil finish until after:
   1. The Ipe wood has acclimated and
   2. You install the ipe decking. Applying a finish prior to installation will lead to more work later on since, during the installation process, the finished ipe can scratch. If that occurs, then you’ll have to reapply your finish. Save yourself time and energy.
4. Apply an ipe end sealer immediately after you cut the decking. This is a critical step when it comes to ensuring the overall health of the ipe deck boards. If you wait over an hour to apply the end sealer, the ipe can end up with checks/split ends
5. Finally, since the next few months tends to be both rainy and, in certain areas, snowy, installing an ipe deck in the Fall means that your decking will have a higher moisture content. This is why you’ll need to build as tight and as stiff of a deck as possible. During the Spring and Summer, the decking will naturally dry and start to contract. If your deck was not as strong as it could have been, you could end up with loose, or warped boards come the warmer months. How can you ensure that your ipe deck installation is as tight as possible?
   1. Pre-drill, baby! Pre-drill! Seriously. Pre-drilling ipe with high-grade deck screws will help ensure a tight fit to the joist.
   2. With pre-grooved ipe decking, always use deck fasteners that require installation at a 45° angle. Independent scientific studies prove that installing at an angle provides a much tighter fit. Installing ipe this way also ensures that each individual deck board does not act independently and that the decking, as a whole, moves as one solid structure.

Finally, be sure to buy premium grade ipe decking from Advantage Trim & Lumber. We have everything you need to make building an ipe deck in the Fall an enjoyable experience. Remember, we’re running two great decking sales that will help you save hundreds of dollars on your order.

Today I wanted to show you Bob Vila guiding you through an ipe deck installation. To be frank, the way this deck was installed could have been a LOT better.

For one, they are not using deck fasteners which would make the finished deck look immaculate. Instead, they settle for a face screwing method. You can tell that this deck is being built with speed in mind. Also, Bob Vila mispronounces ipe by calling it eye-pay (i-pay)…I could go on, but ultimately, the general description about why ipe decking is a superior material to use is pretty much spot on. Bob does a good job of detailing how this roof deck needed to be constructed and the methods used to make sure that it would be a sound structure.

Enjoy…

All of our ipe decking comes with a wax end sealer applied to the end grain, this prevents the ends of the boards from checking. The end grain sealant  is very easy to apply just brush it on with a paint brush and it will dry clear.  Any fresh cuts should be sealed with end grain sealer within 24 hours.