most of the ends that are waxed ,have splits in it..they are hard to see until you screw ipe down ,then they show.. so, cut them off and anchorseal new end.. you may still get splits.. wax is hard to get off but i got most off..i used OXY-DECK from lowes and i used HAND SANDING 60 grit.. dont ask me why but hand sanding the wax really took most of it off.. my deck looks real good and no wax marks..stain has hard time sticking to wax..make sure you put anchorseal on right away and only on END,put it on thick also or boards will split.. others here dont use it at all..again, i am no expert, many here are ,only giving you what worked for me..

Good questions. You are in the same boat I was last year. I captured quite a bit of the information and posted it. The link has the information. A quick cut at the answers is provided below. See the link for where to get design/code info etc. I built my decks using the information in it and it is extremely solid - no bounce at all. One thing I did that I forgot to mention that may be overkill but.... Everywhere the IPE has a butt joint I doubled the joists and installed a waterproof membrane over the joists so no water would go between and potentially rot the wood. Here goes: 1) staining the framing lumber: not sure but the wood is awfully wet. Why do this, it will be covered? 2) What length of screw needs to go through the joists? I used 8 x 2 1/2 and was very happy 3) Is the 2" x 10" enough? use of 2x10 will depend on the span. 16" for 4/4 Ipe is fine, 12" if on the diagonal. go to the link to determine size of joints, beams, piers, etc 4) Is 1/8" route on the butt ends the correct radius to use? Yes, but you may find that a rotary sander works fine. I did 5) How often will stain need to be applied to maintain that deep, dark finish? I live in Michigan and the deck faces south into dense woods. Annually? 2 years? Is TWP 116 still the preferred product? No idea, I cannot get the 116 in California. I used Messners and was not happy. Will try 516 next - ordering it Monday 6) I am not sure whether to use 4/4 or 5/4 Ipe. I have read the posts just not sure. Is there a different opinion if I use 3/8" plugs? Any reasoning is appreciated. 4/4 is fine and less expensive. I plugged some of the wood (both 4/4 and 5/4 and did not have any issues. Warning, sanding takes a while.... 7) I plan on 48" x 12" wide one piece Ipe stair treads. I do not plan on having a riser on the steps creating a view blocker as the deck is 12' high and the underneath has seating areas and a patio. What thickness Ipe would you use on the stair treads? hmmm, mine are 48" and I used 4 risers. that's a pretty big span. recommend you reconsider. I went out and tested a scrap 4' 5/4 piece of Ipe and it bounces. 5/4 you can get away with 3 risers (one in the middle) as its good for 24" spans. 8) If using Ipe plugs what kind of glue do you recommend if any? Tightbond 3 (doesn't foam like gorilla glue does) 9) Is any adhesive required on the joists where the Ipe contacts them? Nope 10) When face screwing with no plugging I understand the nice straight line for the screws. When you butt two ends you will have four screws. Is there a recommend "pattern" for butt end joints on a 24" wide deck? ie 3-8', 2-12', 1- 10'& 1-14" or purchase all the same size. Do you " lay out the pattern so the screws look symetrical? I did mine so there was 3 boards before repeating the butt joint and it looks okay. Remember, I doubled the joists in those areas. You can see my framing in the link for the the deck by Salmon Slayer 11) Could the Ipe be powerwashed at the beginning of each season as it would look nice for the summer then hit it again every spring and forget staining altogether? Someone else has to answer than one- I am interested though Steve Here is a link that might be useful: IPE Deck Information

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.

Do not install an outside project like an inside floor. Do not nail ipe at all. Do not install ipe outside with out a drainage gap. Do not install KD ipe outside. Do not install ipe flooring outside as decking. There is no need to seal the cuts. Do not hire a Contractor and then worry if they are going to screw it up. Order the ipe T&G material>>> air dried,with an extra 1/8'' in the G,bevaled on the edges, install thru the G with ss screws and construstion adhesive, snug fit. I cut a 1/2'' slot in the T every 3' or so. Be very sure before you jump off a cliff that you can Fly. John Mon