Has anyone tried wattle fencing? Works great for raised beds. That's what I did with these two. Instead of filling the whole thing with dirt I did the whole lasagna deal. Working like a charm. Mine are 1.5 feet high but you can go as high as you can find sturdy uprights for. All you need is bendable branches for the weaving, sturdy "sticks" for the uprights and compostable material for the middle. They look rustic and work beautifully AND I don't have to get rid of my brush from the winter.

Well, my Ipe guy was here tonight. I really liked this guy - a real professional deck craftsman. Besides his portfolio of Ipe decks - including one in my neighborhood that I can go see in person - he was very knowledgeable about putting a deck on top of an EPDM flat roof. I did not find this guy on Angie's List but I checked it and he has a bunch of glowing recommendations there. I am going to check with the customers he gave me names of and go see a couple of his Ipe decks. So now I'm thinking I should get some more bids on this but I want the good guy - not the cheap guy. Plus I'm having a hard time finding people who do Ipe. I do have to spend some time deciding if I'm ready to part with the $$$ for this - particularly if I'm going to stay in this house for a while. I doubt I'd recoup the costs if I moved anytime soon. But at least I'm now pretty sure what I'm going to do and what it will cost - just not sure how soon I will pull the trigger. His opinion was that some man made materials (the ones without wood fiber) will not mold but his opinion was that they weren't very natural looking and were nearly as expensive as Ipe. I live in a very natural, wooded area and I too think a wood deck would fit in better than a giant plastic one. Anyway, thanks for all your input on this. I'm happy to know there's a solution that meets my needs, albeit an expensive one.

Hi Christina, I'm not one of the specialists on the board, but the general concensus about Trex is to avoid it (though there are a few supporters). I'd check out the post a few above yours about spots on Trex Brasilia. I'd also check out the post entitled "videotape your deck" from Steve. It's a link to an Ipe rooftop deck (like what you want). I can't address Fir specifically, but as a homeowner who just went through the decision process for our 1,250 square foot deck, I can tell you that I selected Ipe for numerous reasons. The first is that I felt composites just hadn't been on the market long enough for me to sink the money into something I wasn't positive would hold up over time. I also wanted no/low maintenance and good looks. I know Ipe can be a bit of a hassle if you want to keep it stained, but if you're happy with a gray that won't deteriorate, won't burn, and won't attrach insects, I don't think you can go wrong with it. In my area, Ipe is very cost-competative with the higher-end Trex products. Well, I can't get Ipe locally, but the price George at East Teak quoted me was actually a bit cheaper than Trex locally. Having been the treasurer of a condo association in Chicago and responsible for selecting and installing new windows, I know that money is always a concern. I also remember our annual deck cleaning bill of several thousand dollars each year (for a 6-unit building). With Trex, you'll be paying something similar for the annual cleaning. With Ipe, left gray, you can take that money and use it to build your association funds back up quicker. My advice comes, I believe, from the signature line of somebody on this board: Buy the best, only cry once. Good luck with your project! Birgit

When you say pea gravel, I'm thinking exposed aggregate. I happen to love it, but unfortunately, won't sacrifice comfort on the feet for the look. That said, I am vehemently opposed to spray decking, unless it's done creatively. There is a post titled 'And so it begins, owner builder in LV', probably back 7 pages or so. Kim did something interesting with her spray deck. Check it out. That may appeal to your wife a little more. Colored (light), penetrating sealed, broom finished concrete is a clean, attractive, economical alternative as well. You can also incorporate an alternate material (aggregate, wood, pebble tiles) into borders, etc. Get creative with saw cuts. If I'm too overbudget on everything to do more pavers, that's what's going on my external decking. We're doing precast concrete pavers for coping and over our existing patio. Yes, the temp is a little warmer than I'd like, but our sun situation allows for it more, even though I'm in the desert. Just don't go with porcelain tile. I heat tested and burned the bottom of my foot! :) Good luck, it is not an easy decision.