Hardwood deck

S

Shann

Joined
Sep 2, 2004
Messages
5,250
Anybody have any experience with a hardwood lumber like Ipe or Teak for a deck I'm having my driveway paved and the old concrete stoop was a wreck and has been dug out and carted off. I was thinking of precast concrete steps but my paving guy thinks it might settle\sink if just installed on the asphalt. I could pour a concrete slab and have concrete steps. But I was thinking of a nice little wood stoop\landing. I think it might look nice but I don't want to use pressure treated lumber. That is fine for a back deck but I don't like it for the main entrance to the house.

It will be pretty small, just a one step and a landing and rail so the price of the hardwood probably won't make a big difference like it would if I was doing a big deck.
 
I have built many Ipe decks. Very expensive, very heavy , hard on blades/bits and takes extra steps. you need a plate joiner to use the hidden fastener which is very time consuming but worth the effort in my opinion. Otherwise you must predrill/countersink and face screw it with colored head deck screws similar to finish screws . Use butt joints on corners not 45's, sand ,clean with acetone after drilling countersinking then glue. In other words make the entire corner/ corners assemble, disassemble , sand, acetone wipe, glue, reassemble. Sand if necessary and prefinish the wood before beginning. Use full boards with no joints if you are able. Hand select the lumber if you are able. While Ipe is stables when dry and finished with oil it can bow or twist left in the sun before it is fastened down. I could go on and on but those are the basics
ps: the hidden fasteners are shaped like a biscuit and have a vertical tab that spaces the boards they plug into the slot you have cut with your plate joiner and screw down at each joist then the next board plugs onto it
 
Tommythewho said:
I have built many Ipe decks. Very expensive, very heavy , hard on blades/bits and takes extra steps. you need a plate joiner to use the hidden fastener which is very time consuming but worth the effort in my opinion. Otherwise you must predrill/countersink and face screw it with colored head deck screws similar to finish screws . Use butt joints on corners not 45's, sand ,clean with acetone after drilling countersinking then glue. In other words make the entire corner/ corners assemble, disassemble , sand, acetone wipe, glue, reassemble. Sand if necessary and prefinish the wood before beginning. Use full boards with no joints if you are able. Hand select the lumber if you are able. While Ipe is stables when dry and finished with oil it can bow or twist left in the sun before it is fastened down. I could go on and on but those are the basics
ps: the hidden fasteners are shaped like a biscuit and have a vertical tab that spaces the boards they plug into the slot you have cut with your plate joiner and screw down at each joist then the next board plugs onto it
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Great info. Thanks. What kind of finish do you recommend.
 
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