if you are considering SIPs at all you should consider steel sips.............. We had used OSB , but have switched to steel for the resons listed: Although any SIP construction will save 50  60% in energy costs, are 3 times stronger than frame, and are more environmentally friendly. Steel is a better choice for the following reasons Advantages of Steel SIPs vs.OSB ï¶ Steel will not warp, swell, twist, rot ï¶ Rain during construction do not affect materials in any way ï¶ No cranes needed for installation a steel SIPs are lighter than OSB ï¶ The underside of the roof panel automatically forms an attractive finished soffit overhang or exterior porch ceiling. ï¶ Joints are a T&G friction fit they do not require splines, mastic or fasteners greatly speeding installation time ï¶ Steel is more stable during manufacturing and panels are held to 1/16' tolerance ï¶ OSB is limited to 24ft. in length ÂSteel SIPs are available up to 53ft. in length, eliminating butt joints ï¶ Steel panels are manufactured on a continuous line making them available in square pre-cut lengths in ¼ ' increments, but only charged to the nearest ½ ft., OSB often rounds up to the nearest 2 ft. increment  making you pay for waste that gets thrown away ï¶ Higher ' R  Value' denser foam provides a 4.25 R- value per inch of foam ï¶ No Termites  Impervious to termites and carpenter ants , foam core is borate treated ï¶ No foam grooving is required for window and door openings, after cutouts are made, openings are simply 'picture framed' with 18.ga. steel channels ï¶ The steel skin is the 'vapor barrier' on walls no additional covering is required before siding is applied ï¶ Eave overhangs can be 4 feet with no additional support ï¶ Sound Control  utilizing a 1-1/2' steel furring strip creates a dead air space for improved STC ratings. ï¶ Wiring  utilizing that same air space, wiring is much easier than fishing wire thru OSB and any future retrofit wiring is easier. ï¶ Will not support mold growth  painted galvalume steel skins are UDSA approved ï¶ Indoor air quality is better due to the tighter and cleaner construction material of the interior ï¶ Any steel building is safer from lightning strikes ï¶ 'Monocoque construction' All connections and attachments are with screws having greater pullout strength than nailing ï¶ For economy or insulated utility buildings, steel SIPs have been left exposed as the finished siding and roofing. ï¶ Zurich Ins. In partnership with the Steel Framing Alliance offer reduced builders risk insurance premiums ï¶ In Florida and other hurricane prone regions Steel SIPs are 30% less to insure that block/truss and 53% less to insure than wood frame construction Here is a link that might be useful: steel SIPs

Steve's arbors and pergolas look really nice in the photographs. I would like to hear about the specific defects in the workmanship that Gorilla observed. Are we picking on architecture or craftmanship? I assume Gorilla is a very talanted architect who works as a general contractor and homebuilder. Steve is a master cabinetmaker and finish carpenter. Look at the joinery on the rail detail depicted on Steve's website. Anyone with more wits than the average housewife (Joyce) can appreciate the quality. As a finish carpenter who has worked in San Francisco, I can really identify with the space limitations encountered when working in densely populated urban areas. It is really the biggest challenge we face when working in The City. You have to plan every move based on the limited space available. When you have decades of experience in your trade, the workmanship comes second nature. There is no point in picking apart other poeple's fine work when you know it is quality. Style or architectural preference is unique to every person. If Gorilla has to attack Steve's work it shows a lack of confidence in his own craftmanship. You may be a "homebuilder" but how many homes have you built from start to finish single-handedly? You rely on skilled craft people like Steve and John to make your visions a reality. Lets see some pictures of stuff you actually made with your own two hands. With your eye for architectue and Steve's carpentry skill, you could produce really great work. Be supportive, if you have a disagreement about finishing Ipe, don't let the discussion unravel into personal attacks. By the way, it seems like Gorilla's experience with Ipe is limited. I have done 6 projects with Ipe over the past 4 years. (working solo), so my experience is also quite limited, but I have seen how this wood performs over time. 1. It won't hold a finish on the weather exposed side for long. 2. The acrylic (water) based stains specifically designed for Ipe are really just a paint that coats the surface. I tried Flood Pro supreme performance and it lasted about 2 years. The finish is starting to wear off in places and you can see the gray weathered Ipe shining through. The finish also detracted from the natural beauty of Ipe, the grain pattern is not as prominent, and it certainly does not have the "wet look" of new Ipe that is desired by most customers. I am going to strip the entire finish with Jasco paint and epoxy remover and then use the TDR system to clean and brighten the wood, before using the TWP penetrating oil recommended by John Hyatt. His decks finished with TWP have the desired "wet look" and he claims 3 or 4 year performance with the TWP. 3. The quality of Ipe wood on the market varies. The low quality stuff is often bowed, checked and is often much lighter in weight than the quality dense boards. You can pick through a stack and see and feel the differences. With good quality Ipe, the stack you pick through should be 90 or 95% "perfect boards" straight, heavy but not wet, and with no end checks. If you are putting aside many boards looking for the perfect ones, buy you wood somewhere else. 4. I don't know about anchorseal for the ends of boards. I see ones at the lumberyard end sealed that have huge checks. I have cut unchecked Ipe, and it instantly checked at the cut end. How fast could the anchorseal work? I have other very short cuts of Ipe that never check without putting anything on the ends. If the wood is going to check, it will do whatever it wants. Force a bowed board into straight position, and it will probably check in time. The point here is to but your Ipe from a reputable source and visually inspect each piece. That is my meager experience with this beautiful wood. If you are a carpenter with versed talent, give Ipe a shot. Do not waste your money on this stuff if you are a Home Depot DIY person. And listen to the people who work with this stuff ALL THE TIME. One or two projects completed in the last 12 months is not experience with Ipe. Do not ask sales people for advice, they have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to Ipe.

You are putting down shims or furring strips, not joists. I do not think the 3/4" thickness of PT is going to hold the screw. Ipe likes to move, and it's really strong. The short screws will pull loose from the soft thin PT wood. I have built roof top decks with 2x4 furring strips, and that holds the Ipe just fine, but I use 1 3/4" or 2" screws. You say the step is 6-8" right now. Is that a slope, or are you estimating? A step should be near 6" much less is a trip hazard. So if you have 8" now, you could build a deck with 2x4 furring strips and 3/4" decking, making the step 5 3/4" would be OK. You still need to ensure good ventillation on at least 3 sides for a deck this low, whether it gets lots or rain or just occasional.

Hi all. I put this in decks, porches but maybe due to time of year, doesn't seem too active. Maybe I can get some feedback from here? Hi all. I need to replace a covered porch floor...again. To date, it's been replaced with t&g pressure treated pine. Tired of replacing it and looking for a longer lasting material. I thought ipe t&g was the answer. After a few years of looking for a experienced local contractor, I thought I was ready to pull the trigger. Now I'm having 2nd thoughts. The deets: it's an older circa 1900s victorian style house with a covered porch. The flooring on all same homes is tongue and groove and is more like a floor vs. a deck style. I also prefer the look of a floor vs a deck style for this location. It gets some western exposure but the porch is covered. The porch floor sits above ground by a couple of feet, so air circulation under the flooring should not be an issue. I'm looking for a wood floor solution that, ideally, will last about 20 years *before* it starts showing wear. Looking for easy maintenance as we are aging. Maybe I'm asking for too much. Ipe was the answer...I thought. I really wanted to stain it but as I read more and more, I'm not so sure it wouldn't be a nightmare to maintain. I didn't expect ipe to be 'no maintenance', maybe I thought, 'easy' maintenance. I'm already confused on what the maintenance procedure should be if I did go with ipe. Sand? No sand? Twp 116 or cabots timber oil...or was that Rubio monocoat? Any input from homeowners who have ipe installed? Thanks weedy acres for your posted feedback deck/porch (and in other forums). Any advice on helping me make a decision on materials? Ideally, I'm looking for a one-and-done install with easy maintenance ongoing. Thanks