FINISHING TROPICAL HARDWOODSIpe’ (Tabebuia spp-Lapacho group) This section also applies to desert grown Ironwood, Green Heart, Garapa, Camaru, Tigerwood, Purple Heart, Brazilian Cherry and most other Exotic Hardwoods …Ipe is primarily used on decks, boardwalks and such. Usually seen as a grey or black deck, ipe is a stunningly beautiful exotic hardwood, WHEN NEW. If you do a web search for Ipe almost all of it is shown brand new, in perfect condition. This is what most people think they are getting when they buy an ipe deck but as everyone quickly learns, the natural state of weathered wood outside is black or grey, even expensive exotic hardwoods.
Its really too bad these precious trees are mowed down from Brazilian Rainforests. Obviously they are not sustainably forested; BUT since it’s been cut down and shipped thousands of miles, we have a responsibility to make sure the wood is preserved the best possible way. Earthpaint has developed the best way of preserving exotic hardwoods. A way of keeping the gorgeous color indefinitely, protecting the rich reddish brown tones while illuminating the strong contrasting dark brown wood grain. It’s not a hard thing to do but requires a few considerations first.
Ipe is a hard, oily deck wood with lots of tannic acid. Often sourced from 250-1000 year old Rainforest Trees in Brazil, many Americans have been sold (possibly oversold) on the durability of this wood. It dries out fast and tends to crack and split if not coated. Ipe turns grey quickly outdoors with sun and water exposure. If you like the grey look and don’t mind some splitting its fine to leave untreated. Untreated Ipe will have some boards tend to rot faster than others so you may have to replace some decking after a while. Hardness is a major advantage of using this wood. Some studies state that the hardness comes from the extractives. If you put a piece of ipe in water it sinks.
From what we’ve seen, untreated Ipe decking that is in full exposure is grey in 6-12 months and needs some attention after about 3-5 years. If you want the beautiful original reddish brown hues to remain visible you will need to coat your deck and maintain it regularly or it will be black when wet and grey when dry outside.
Shrinkage rate is important to consider here as well. For a tropical hardwood, Ipe has a pretty high shrinkage rate reported by the US Forest Service as Radial 6.6%, Tangential 8.0%, Volumetric 13% shrinkage from green to oven dry. When Ipe is acclimating on site it is probably going to shrink even more than this. Expect higher rates in hotter areas and lower rates in shady, less sun locations. Some of the other exotic hardwoods are going to shrink less than Ipe, if not most of them. However, it’s probably a good idea to do a thorough prep job and let them all acclimate before putting a top coat on them.
The vital First step is Preparation and Acclimation – This includes properly addressing the natural extractives in the wood, sanding to open the surface, coating it with Rainforest or Mountain XT and allowing it to weather for a year.
The extractives in exotic hardwoods, like ipe, have been shown to decrease the crosslinking density of resins used to treat it. New Ipe doesn’t tend to hold stain very long unless you address the extractives and acidic nature of the tannins. Many things have been tried for this but the best wood cleaner for exotic hardwoods is Lime Clean. This lime based wood cleaner penetrates deep and is particularly suited for cleaning Ipe and prepping it for stain. It will wash away the detrimental surface extractives, nuetralize the tannic acid, open up the pores to improve penetration and provide between coat resistance to microbial attack. Lime Clean will darken the wood somewhat which is beneficial if you are staining it Brown Cedar, Cinnamon Stick or Toffee but if you are going to keep it clear & natural you will want to brighten the wood.
Brightening the wood: For those who are going Clear and Natural [applying Rainforest and Mountain XT Clear 00] it’s best to brighten the wood after washing with Lime Clean. Simply pour White Distilled Vinegar over the deck. Do this about 15 minutes after rinsing the Lime Clean off, before the wood dries completely. Just pour or spray it on and let it dry that way. Letting it dry in full sun is an important piece of this process. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when the wood is wet but when dry you will see it has lightened up significantly. Also, most wood will brighten up further over the first 1-4 weeks.
Sanding helps. Rough up the surface with coarse grit sandpaper 35-50 grit. We use orbital and belt sanders against the grain. Go against the grain if you want a little extra texture and deeper penetration or sand with the grain if you want it smooth.
Coating: Apply Rainforest Clear 00 if you want to allow the wood to grey. If you want to protect the wood from the greying effect of UV Radiation it should be stained. Brown Cedar and Cinnamon Stick look the best on Ipe and similarly colored exotic hardwoods. If you have a light colored wood try Honey or Light Cedar.
Acclimate for 6-12 months: Once these steps are taken plan on allowing the Ipe to acclimate to it’s new environment. This takes about a year. Let the wood shrink, expand, shrink. Let the oils migrate to the surface and the tannins and other extractives bolster the wood cells. Let it get thirsty for a super dense saturation with Rainforest Sealer and Mountain XT. Future coats are based on this prep being done properly. This way you can come back and make the exotic wood grain really pop, year after year it will come to life with Rainforest and Mountain XT Clear 00.
How To Stain New Tropical Hardwoods (unweathered):
How To Stain Tropical Hardwoods (acclimated 1yr or more):
This system holds up very well. The super dense resins in Rainforest Sealer will remain in the wood and get bolstered with the second coat. Ipe is so hard, once the extractives are properly addressed and the wood is properly acclimated, our finishes can keep that rich, beautiful reddish brown color indefinitely with proper maintenance.
Maintenance: Bi Annual wash with Earth Clean. Make sure you check the horizontal surfaces at this time and recoat the boards that need it. Simply sand to dull the surface and roll on another coat. Do this and you will have the best looking deck on the planet. (If you don’t plan on doing any yearly check up on your deck apply only one penetrating coat of Rainforest Sealer or Mountain XT and skip Mountain XT Clear 00. )
Anti Slip Deck Finish: Sand against the grain with 35-50 grit or Broadcast (throw fast high into the air) fine sand over the wet deck to create an even, good looking anti slip effect. Do this between the 1st and 2nd coat of Mountain XT Clear 00 if you want to sandwich the sand under the coating.
Old, Horribly Forsaken Ipe: Unfortunately, too many Ipe decks have become black ugly messes, clinging like cancer to the sides of homes. Torn from their beautiful Rainforest canopy they are left to decay in the backyards of America. To restore glory, and get back the original color scrub aggressively with Lime Clean. It may take two scrubbings if the wood was let go severely. After the Lime Clean is rinsed [before wood dries] soak it with pure White Distilled Vinegar and let it dry. Do this to brighten up the color. When it gets good and dry it should be reddish brown and closer to original state. Sand with 35-50 grit as needed to reveal the fresh wood underneath that washing didn’t bring out. Or stain with Cinnamon Stick, Toffee or Raisin since these colors will hide the dark colors pretty well. Leave deck with one coat stain or apply a Top coat with Mountain XT Clear 00 until the wood is completely covered (1 or 2 coats). Your deck now looks much better, much longer.
Its really too bad these precious trees are mowed down from Brazilian Rainforests. Obviously they are not sustainably forested; BUT since it’s been cut down and shipped thousands of miles, we have a responsibility to make sure the wood is preserved the best possible way. Earthpaint has developed the best way of preserving exotic hardwoods. A way of keeping the gorgeous color indefinitely, protecting the rich reddish brown tones while illuminating the strong contrasting dark brown wood grain. It’s not a hard thing to do but requires a few considerations first.
Ipe is a hard, oily deck wood with lots of tannic acid. Often sourced from 250-1000 year old Rainforest Trees in Brazil, many Americans have been sold (possibly oversold) on the durability of this wood. It dries out fast and tends to crack and split if not coated. Ipe turns grey quickly outdoors with sun and water exposure. If you like the grey look and don’t mind some splitting its fine to leave untreated. Untreated Ipe will have some boards tend to rot faster than others so you may have to replace some decking after a while. Hardness is a major advantage of using this wood. Some studies state that the hardness comes from the extractives. If you put a piece of ipe in water it sinks.
From what we’ve seen, untreated Ipe decking that is in full exposure is grey in 6-12 months and needs some attention after about 3-5 years. If you want the beautiful original reddish brown hues to remain visible you will need to coat your deck and maintain it regularly or it will be black when wet and grey when dry outside.
Shrinkage rate is important to consider here as well. For a tropical hardwood, Ipe has a pretty high shrinkage rate reported by the US Forest Service as Radial 6.6%, Tangential 8.0%, Volumetric 13% shrinkage from green to oven dry. When Ipe is acclimating on site it is probably going to shrink even more than this. Expect higher rates in hotter areas and lower rates in shady, less sun locations. Some of the other exotic hardwoods are going to shrink less than Ipe, if not most of them. However, it’s probably a good idea to do a thorough prep job and let them all acclimate before putting a top coat on them.
The vital First step is Preparation and Acclimation – This includes properly addressing the natural extractives in the wood, sanding to open the surface, coating it with Rainforest or Mountain XT and allowing it to weather for a year.
The extractives in exotic hardwoods, like ipe, have been shown to decrease the crosslinking density of resins used to treat it. New Ipe doesn’t tend to hold stain very long unless you address the extractives and acidic nature of the tannins. Many things have been tried for this but the best wood cleaner for exotic hardwoods is Lime Clean. This lime based wood cleaner penetrates deep and is particularly suited for cleaning Ipe and prepping it for stain. It will wash away the detrimental surface extractives, nuetralize the tannic acid, open up the pores to improve penetration and provide between coat resistance to microbial attack. Lime Clean will darken the wood somewhat which is beneficial if you are staining it Brown Cedar, Cinnamon Stick or Toffee but if you are going to keep it clear & natural you will want to brighten the wood.
Brightening the wood: For those who are going Clear and Natural [applying Rainforest and Mountain XT Clear 00] it’s best to brighten the wood after washing with Lime Clean. Simply pour White Distilled Vinegar over the deck. Do this about 15 minutes after rinsing the Lime Clean off, before the wood dries completely. Just pour or spray it on and let it dry that way. Letting it dry in full sun is an important piece of this process. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when the wood is wet but when dry you will see it has lightened up significantly. Also, most wood will brighten up further over the first 1-4 weeks.
Sanding helps. Rough up the surface with coarse grit sandpaper 35-50 grit. We use orbital and belt sanders against the grain. Go against the grain if you want a little extra texture and deeper penetration or sand with the grain if you want it smooth.
Coating: Apply Rainforest Clear 00 if you want to allow the wood to grey. If you want to protect the wood from the greying effect of UV Radiation it should be stained. Brown Cedar and Cinnamon Stick look the best on Ipe and similarly colored exotic hardwoods. If you have a light colored wood try Honey or Light Cedar.
Acclimate for 6-12 months: Once these steps are taken plan on allowing the Ipe to acclimate to it’s new environment. This takes about a year. Let the wood shrink, expand, shrink. Let the oils migrate to the surface and the tannins and other extractives bolster the wood cells. Let it get thirsty for a super dense saturation with Rainforest Sealer and Mountain XT. Future coats are based on this prep being done properly. This way you can come back and make the exotic wood grain really pop, year after year it will come to life with Rainforest and Mountain XT Clear 00.
How To Stain New Tropical Hardwoods (unweathered):
- Scrub with Lime Clean.
- Optional: Brighten by rinsing with White Distilled Vinegar. This is only necessary if you plan on coating it clear 00, keeping the natural color without any stain added.
- Dry well, sand aggressively with 35-50 grit.
- Apply Rainforest or Mountain XT in Clear 00, Brown Cedar, Cinnamon Stick, Raisin or Toffee.
How To Stain Tropical Hardwoods (acclimated 1yr or more):
- Scrub with Lime Clean.
- Optional: Brighten with White Distilled Vinegar. This is only necessary if you plan on coating it clear 00, without any stain added.
- Dry well, sand aggressively with 35-50 grit.
- Apply Rainforest or Mountain XT in Clear 00, Brown Cedar, Cinnamon Stick, Raisin or Toffee.
- Mountain XT Clear 00, one or two coats until the wood fiber is thoroughly protected.
This system holds up very well. The super dense resins in Rainforest Sealer will remain in the wood and get bolstered with the second coat. Ipe is so hard, once the extractives are properly addressed and the wood is properly acclimated, our finishes can keep that rich, beautiful reddish brown color indefinitely with proper maintenance.
Maintenance: Bi Annual wash with Earth Clean. Make sure you check the horizontal surfaces at this time and recoat the boards that need it. Simply sand to dull the surface and roll on another coat. Do this and you will have the best looking deck on the planet. (If you don’t plan on doing any yearly check up on your deck apply only one penetrating coat of Rainforest Sealer or Mountain XT and skip Mountain XT Clear 00. )
Anti Slip Deck Finish: Sand against the grain with 35-50 grit or Broadcast (throw fast high into the air) fine sand over the wet deck to create an even, good looking anti slip effect. Do this between the 1st and 2nd coat of Mountain XT Clear 00 if you want to sandwich the sand under the coating.
Old, Horribly Forsaken Ipe: Unfortunately, too many Ipe decks have become black ugly messes, clinging like cancer to the sides of homes. Torn from their beautiful Rainforest canopy they are left to decay in the backyards of America. To restore glory, and get back the original color scrub aggressively with Lime Clean. It may take two scrubbings if the wood was let go severely. After the Lime Clean is rinsed [before wood dries] soak it with pure White Distilled Vinegar and let it dry. Do this to brighten up the color. When it gets good and dry it should be reddish brown and closer to original state. Sand with 35-50 grit as needed to reveal the fresh wood underneath that washing didn’t bring out. Or stain with Cinnamon Stick, Toffee or Raisin since these colors will hide the dark colors pretty well. Leave deck with one coat stain or apply a Top coat with Mountain XT Clear 00 until the wood is completely covered (1 or 2 coats). Your deck now looks much better, much longer.