GREAT NEWS! Ipe decking is now more affordable than most composite decking. For a while, this was not the case. However, since the price of oil is so volatile, the cost of composite decking materials have risen substantially.

Why is this the case?

Because composite decking uses polyethylene and polyethylene is made from oil. So, there’s no getting around it, because composite decking has a core ingredient that is tied to such a volatile commodity, anyone looking to build a deck with composite decking may have to spend a lot more than their budget calls for. A lot more!

What do you do now?

It’s time to consider ipe decking. Simply put, when you do a apples to apples comparison, ipe is far superior to composite decking.

Here are the facts to consider when comparing ipe to composite decking: more…

If you’ve ever tried building a deck one of the most annoying and agonizing things to do is deck board straightening. This is why Advantage Lumber offers the best deck tool on the market, the  Hardwood Wrench™ Deck Board Straightening Tool. This deck tool has been designed to straighten bowed decking boards without any extra effort on your part. I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a deck board wrench that has been engineered to straighten even some of the toughest hardwoods like ipe not too mention decking such as pressure-treated lumber, cedar, etc.

The Hardwood Wrench makes installing a deck really simple since it speeds up installation for a more precise and clean installation process. Plus, because the hardwood wrench cam locks into place and allows you to fasten the deck board while the wrench holds the deck board straight, there is no need for a second person to hold the deck board. I’m sure you can agree that freeing up that extra set of hands is important because they can be off doing something more productive. So, if you find yourself short on manpower, the hardwood wrench can deliver true hands free “one man” operation.

The Hardwood Wrench is a deck tool that has the following features: more…

The choice between using pressure treated decking or ipe decking has led to much speculation. Is pressure treated wood safe? Is ipe more resistant to insects than pressure treated wood? When starting any home improvement project the quality of the building materials should always be taken into account. A deck purchase should be no different. That’s why at Advantage Trim & Lumber Co. we offer only the BEST decking options that are available on the market today. All our ipe decking and other exotic decking lines are 100% free from added chemicals and wood preservatives. You may be asking yourself how this affects you, the homeowner that will be installing the decking on his/her home.

First off, lets take a look at how pressure treated decking is made. Pressure treatment is a process that forces chemical preservatives into the wood. Wood is placed inside a closed cylinder, vacuumed and then pressure is applied to force the preservatives into the wood. The preservatives are meant to help protect the wood from attack by termites, other insects, and fungal decay. Now with ALL of these chemicals that come with pressure treated decking… do you really want this material installed on a deck that will come in contact with so many of your loved ones? Sure pressure treated decking may be resistant to some insects, but what about a few years from now? What about the overall condition of the pressure treated lumber used on your deck; will your pressure treated deck stand the test of time?

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Ipe (pronounced EE-pay) is an exotic hardwood that is used for decking, flooring, and a host of many other applications. Ipe has many names and is also known as Brazilian Walnut, Amapa, Cortez, Guayacan polvillo, and many others. Ipe also gets misspelled in various different ways such as epi, epay, and eepay. Regardless of the name (or the spelling), ipe is gaining greater recognition and notoriety over other famous hardwoods such as teak. One of the main reasons why ipe decking has such a good reputation is because of its density. Ipe is so dense that a single piece of it will actually sink in water. So, while ipe may not be the best wood to use on a yacht, it certainly is perfect for a deck.

One test that is utilized to measure the hardness of woods like ipe and teak is the Janka Hardness Scale. This test measures the force required to push a small steel ball into the wood about halfway. In fact, when tested with the Janka Hardness Scale, ipe was proven to be three times as strong as teak. more…

Many people settle for composite decking due to the fact that composite wood and materials are cheaper than more high-quality exotic hardwoods like ipe. However, while the cost may be appealing, the long term viability of the materials is suspect at best. If you do a simple Google search for “composite decking complaints” or “composite decking lawsuit” you will see that, while people and businesses may have saved some money initially, they took a great risk in choosing an inferior product.

Here’s a simple ipe decking versus composite decking comparison chart: more…

Advantage Trim & Lumber Company is proud to be the industry leader and foremost authority on Ipe and other exotic hardwood decking. Since 1992, we have offered our valued customers like you access to our expanded decking inventory which includes four distinctive exotic hardwood species. Simply put, our hardwood decking is far superior to any composite decking on the market today. Since our hardwood decking offers a lifespan of 100+ years you know you are going to enjoy your deck for many years to come. With a combined 6 million board feet of inventory and over 1 million board feet in transit via cargo ship, you are certain to find the perfect exotic hardwood for your deck. Unlike our competition, Advantage Trim & Lumber Company not only offers a wide selection of exotic hardwoods, we are also an industry leader when it comes to upholding eco-friendly environmental standards. To prove our commitment to sustainable forestry standards, we also have been awarded the highly-coveted FSC Certification from the world-renowned Forest Stewardship Council.

We offer excellent pricing on hardwood flooring because many of our mills that manufacture our Ipe decking also produce flooring. Our large volume of decking & lumber imports allows us to increase our buying power and pass the savings onto you. more…

Few things in life are as refreshing as stepping out onto your ipe deck to enjoy the company of friends, loved ones, or just to have a moment of solitude. Homeowners who are looking to upgrade or replace their existing patio and outdoor entertainment area are turning to ipe in droves for many reasons.

The reasons why people are choosing ipe decking include: more…