smilobean, I'm a minnesotan too (and we know winter!). I built 12x13 cedar screen porch in 2005. I have black aluminum spindles and weatherbest decking. I had ReadySeal applied in 2006 and it has performed nicely. I used deep red color and its beautiful and the cedar still shows thru. I used a company called Roof2Deck to apply and they did a great job. The initial application was pricey, but the maintenance is supposedly much cheaper. I may have them touch-up my porch this year. But you can order the product on-line and DIY. Hope this helps, and would love to see some pics. jasper

You can't compare the finishes on Ipe between a covered porch and an exposed deck...apples and oranges. Her deck is exposed to UV/rain/maybe snow...yours isn't. If she wasn't happy with Penofin, she just isn't going to be happy. steve

John, I see you've already answered, but while I was waiting I did a search and see basically the same reply every time the question is asked. You mention "first few weeks" and "first few moons", but how long are you actually talking about? And Steve (Brooklyndecks), if you're out there, why do you not use an adhesive? I'm really confused, because we have three professionals offering contradictory information. ___________________________________________________ Posted by John_Hyatt (My Page) on Fri, Jul 30, 04 at 17:21 Bill, with the clips the info you get tells you to use counstruction adhesive,thats because its heavy bodied and makes up for the space the clips leave inbetween the joists and for uneven pt framing,its not going to help as far as fastining the decking to the frame or with any movement in the frame or with movement in the decking. John  Posted by John_Hyatt (My Page) on Sun, Jan 4, 04 at 19:05 Hey guys,,,ventalation is a must for any decking material, and vastley over looked,,we use screen vents for cross ventlation,,on the clips,,they dont really fasten the decking to the joice,,thats why the co calls for counstruction adhesive underneath,,to make up for uneven or warped joice,,not for holding power,,using them is a gamble,sometimes they work,,but when they dont as in the wood shrinking or warping causing the clips to pop out of the slot,,you just spent all that time and money for nothing and you end up going back and face fasting and even when they do work the clip and the screw still show and the gap needed is a little much,,which brings us to the bottom line best way to fasten any decking,,face fasten,,if you dont want the screws to show pre drill twice and install plugs,,a lot of sanding true,,but it always works,, I have several 1x6 T & G Ipe decks out,,no screws showing this way at all,,two of them worked there way out of the grove,,5 of them dident,,George ( east teak ) an I still havent found out why some work and some dont,,one of his was 14' off the ground and went crazy,,I have several porches with 1x4 t&g ipe out with the normal 2'' off the slab, hardley any ventlation at all,,doing fine after 3 years or so,,so now you know almost everything I do,,using the clips with 3/4 material is twice the gamble as using 1'' or 11/2'' material, this is what I have seen over the 10 years or so I have been puting down Ipe,,,John Hyatt deckmastersllc.com  Posted by john_hyatt (My Page) on Tue, Oct 17, 06 at 18:11 Moisture Barrier 101, Class trun off all devices you brought with you the ipods,lap tops,cell phones and all the stupid time wasting things you have in those purple back packs I am only going to say this one time and one time only. Pick it up now or fail the Course Ipe is moisture cranky in the first few important weeks because>>> the preasure treated lumber has a lot of water in it from the treatment plant,add to this its mostly yellow pine that is movement prone in the sun anyway and really open grain thats why they use it to pump all that copper and water into it. If a person seals the ipe on all four sides,or pre treats at all...A during construstion its going to get really beat up..B the wood will be hampered in its breathing,remember when you started this class?? thats right wood has to breath...Martha Zolinkisi!!! get that plug out of your ear!!!! you think I cant see that??? another bump and run like that and your headed back to the shop clean up!! Lets start up with those two givens,,using construston adhesive on the joists helps leval out uneaven framing that is the norm with pt lumber,it adds a little hold down power,and protects the ipe from the fast escaping water in the first few important weeks or moons while at the same time lets the ipe take a breath when it has to. This combined with cross vintalation in the skirting gives this high dollor and most execlent material the respect it has coming.Doing all we can to keep it from cupping and buckling. All you young people are the Furture of Construstion, I am proud of every one of you,That includes you Martha, The big test is next week,ride hard, ride safe,stay away from the high side,and Get Er Done!!! John  Posted by John_Hyatt (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 7:44 With 20' long material I need two guys to help,use a short piece of the material to tap the decking together, we also cut a little 1/2'' slot in the toungue every 3' or so it wont show if your carefull. If your project is low to the ground its a good idea to use counstruction adhesive on the joists, not for glueing power but to protect the ipe from the water in the green preasure treated in the first few important weeks, one contractor I know in Little Rock used black duct tape. Screw every joist.With T&G material 1x4 and 1x6 are the same just depends on the look you want and the 1x4 will use more screws and take longer. John  Posted by brooklyndecks (My Page) on Tue, Oct 17, 06 at 15:18 Birgit, No, I don't use adhesive as a moisture barrier. JH does that. I used to paint the joist tops black, so you don't see them in the gaps. why do you/I need a moisture barrier? I have sealed the bottom of my Ipe boards, but I usually don't. If I was building my own deck, I would seal the bottom and sides...but I do this for a living, and there aren't enough hours or dollars to do that. It's not that important, or I would do it. There is a downside to pre- sealing...having to handle oily boards. that's really the reason that I don't do it. steve

always wondered if you can put ipe oil on pine...hows it looking after time?