This post was updated on January 30, 2023
Best Hardwood Deck Stain Tips for Ipe
DeckStainHelp.com is the Internet’s go-to site for all things wood deck restoration related. Just like all different types of wood surfaces, we recommend you properly prep your IPE wood prior to staining with a penetrating exotic hardwood stain in 2023. Feel free to leave us a comment with pictures and any questions you may have below.
Maintaining an exotic hardwood such as Ipe requires a little more patience and the proper deck stain. The vital key to consider when choosing a lasting finish is the density of the wood. This determines how deep the stain will be able to penetrate.
Messmers Hardwood Stain
Ipe decking is extremely dense and tough for a deck stain to penetrate. On newer Ipe wood a deck stain may only penetrate as little as a few millimeters. For this reason, any type of deck stain will only last about a year, so regular maintenance definitely comes into play.
Most deck stains are too low in resins and pigment solids to penetrate Ipe wood and wouldn’t last long or be very appealing. Special deck stains specifically designed for Ipe are necessary to get as much protection as possible. Ipe deck stains are designed to give a more lasting and maintainable finish. They are rich in oil alkyd resins that are more effective when dealing with limited penetration from dense wood.
Once the proper exotic hardwood deck stain is found, it’s best to use a stain pad to push the stain into the wood. After the stain sits on the wood for a few minutes it’s important to wipe away any excess stain that has gathered on the surface. Not doing so will result in a poor appearance and conditions that will cause the hardwood stain to fail before it should.
IPE and Hardwood Stain Pictures
Even with a quality hardwood Ipe deck stain, yearly maintenance is still necessary. That’s just the nature of the beast when dealing with an Ipe deck. Maintenance can be done by lightly washing the deck with a deck cleaner and allowing it to dry. A thin maintenance coat of the same Ipe deck stain can then be applied in the manner mentioned above.
Ipe wood makes for some of the most beautiful decks but they do require a little more maintenance than other types of wood decking. Using the proper hardwood deck stain will give you better lasting results.
Top IPE and Exotic Hardwood Stain Ratings
1. Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain
2. Armstrong Clark Wood Stain
3. Defy Hardwood/Cedar Stain
The Best IPE Hardwood Deck Stain Video – DeckStainHelp.com
Deck Stain Help & Questions
Stain Reviews & Comparisons
As an article and comment contributor to the site, Scott has been around the pressure washing industry since attending college. In 1993 he started his first company called Oakland Pressure Wash specializing in exterior pressure washing and deck staining. That company evolved into OPW L.L.C. shortly thereafter concentrating more on exterior wood and deck restoration. Scott and his Deck Cleaning Michigan company have restored over 10,000 decks in the Metro Detroit area since the early years. He has become an authority in the deck restoration industry and has contributed to numerous wood restoration forums and informative sites.
All the products he suggests through this site are sold through online sites and in retail stores, allowing the consumer to choose their own means of purchase. Scott’s eCommerce sites do sell many top brands he endorses and if you appreciate any of the help he has offered then feel free to purchase from one of them.
Wow. This is an incredible resource. I am under construction of a new Ipe deck in San Francisco, CA. This is adjacent to an existing Ipe deck and two existing Ipe fences. The existing Ipe decks and fences were cleaned, sanded, and stained with Penofin in a natural color in 2016. Within 2-3 months the beautiful looking wood had reverted back to grey. So I have not touched it since. This week I have had two contractors look at both the new and existing Ipe here and one is suggesting Cabot’s and one is suggesting Messmers for the refinishing. Both want to clean and sand the old Ipe, one says the new Ipe does not need to be sanded. From what I am reading here, I should let the new deck age for at least three months before touching it at all. I am going to do that. I was thinking that maybe I will just use the cleaner and brighter on the existing Ipe, for now.
Questions:
Is it OK to clean and brighten the existing Ipe, and nothing else?
The contractor that is building the deck is about to seal all the cut edges with a wax solution to prevent future cracking. Is this advisable? It looks like this was also done at the factory on the new boards that were delivered, but in a kind of sloppy way and the wax solution has seeped into the end grain and is visible on the face of the boards; and is dark. Should I let him seal the cut ends?
Also, if I clean the existing Ipe, one of my decks is suspended over the new deck. Will the cleaner and brighter damage or change the new Ipe deck below if it drips through the cracks of the old deck located above it?
Since we get rain here in the winter, and it is already late August, is it OK to let the new wood sit without any treatment for longer than three months; say until next spring?
Many thanks for all of the great information here.
-Yes but no reason at this point. Do it all at once after the 3 months.
-We do not believe in end cut sealing as it may hinder the stain color/absorption later. Looks blotchy around the ends. It also really does not do that much.
-Once again, no reason to prep older wood now and even if you did, you would have to redo the prep when you stain all later.
-Yes, you can let the new wood sit.
Thank you for this feedback Scott. Much appreciated. I am going to take a chance and not seal the cut ends. It can end up looking blotchy on the face of the boards, and yes, will not hold the oil/stain later; both as you noted.
A contractor had used the wrong stain on my new Ipe deck so I got advice from this excellent forum about how to deal with it. I had the contractor use RAD’s products and follow the recommendations from this forum. Since they botched it the first time, I told them to do one section before stripping the entire deck. They cleaned, then stripped with the RAD stripper and additives, then brightened with RAD’s brightener and washed off the brightener per the instructions. The wood now looks extremely light and I am concerned that when we re-stain after a few months we will not have that rich Ipe color. Below are before and after photos of the section they stripped and brightened. Should we be concerned?
No concerns. The color will come back when stained.
Help! I had three Ipe decks installed a mere three weeks ago and they’re already riddled with water stains and spots after our first rain. The contractor used Cabot “Wood Toned Deck and Siding Stain.” Cabot lists this for use on cedar, fir, pine, cypress, redwood, spruce and plywood. Looks to me like they used the wrong stain. Can it be stripped and, if so, what products and process do you recommend?
Post pictures of the deck.
Also, you cannot stain new wood right away: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
Here is a photo.
Here is a photo. I sure hope they don’t have to replace all of the wood.
Not sure if you are going to be able to fully strip that. Best to strip as much as you can, sand if needed to remove the rest, and then weather the wood properly until Spring.
Use the RAD stripper and brighener kits with both additives: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
Thank you!
Sorry but one other question: This is in San Francisco, so we don’t really have spring per se. (Nor do we have much rain for that matter.) How long do you recommend we wait before re-staining?
3 months at least.
I hope I’m not being a pain in the butt but I’m concerned my contractor might not have the process straight. Would you mind letting me know if I have the correct product and processes? From your sound advice here and elsewhere, it appears the following is the right approach:
1. Use a pump sprayer to apply RAD stripper with the RAD stripper booster and gel additives;
2. Wait 45 minutes;
3. Pressure wash;
4. If there is any old stain remaining (but only if necessary), remove by sanding;
5. If sanding was necessary, thoroughly clean;
6. On the same day as the stripping and sanding, and while the wood is still wet, apply RAD brightener;
7. Let brightener sit for 15 minutes;
8. Wash off brightener;
9. Wait 2-3 months;
10. Apply new — and correct — stain.
Did I get that right?
Yes, but you will need to clean and brighten for prep after the 2-3 months of weathering.
Thanks! So don’t brighten until after the weathering or brighten both before and after the weathering?
You have to brighten after the stripping prep now. You will then need to clean and brighen after the weathering.
Thank you so much!!!
I have a new ipe deck that I stained with Messmers UV natural oil based stain. The smell is horrific – is there anything I can do about it ? How long will the smell last?
Also- can you suggest a stain for ipe that will maintain the pretty teak color the ipe has when unfinished? I love that unfinished color and when I stained it with messmers it tuned dark red. Is there a lighter color option?
The smell will dissipate over a few days or so. No way to speed it up.
Not possible to retain the unfinished color of IPE. You must have a tint for UV protection from graying and that means the IPE will be enhanced.
Thanks! Which stain do you recommend for the lightest color and the least odor on a deck?
Try Restore A Deck stain in Natural.
We had a citronella candle melt on the railing of the deck – is there anyway to get this off?
Sorry but no. We have tried and nothing works that we know of.
I’ve been using Ipe Oil in my cumaru deck, and it repeatedly turns into an opaque brown film after a couple months (attached picture shows the dirty boards on the left and cleaned boards on the right, prior to restaining). The film is really hard to remove – cleaning it off with a sodium percarbonate cleaner still takes hours of scrubbing. Any suggestions of what’s going wrong with the stain? It doesn’t seem like mildew, since it’s so consistent across the entire deck. I cleaned the deck before staining in October 2020 (similar to the boards on the right in the picture), so I don’t think it’s pre-existing dirt. There’s a part of the deck with a slight overhang that blocks a little sun and most rain, and it looks much better.
For a stain that does not darken, try Restore A Deck of Defy: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/ipe-exotic-hardwood-stain-review/
I have ipe as a facing on my outdoor BBQ island. It was last stained 2 years ago when it was installed with Penofin stain (Ipe color). Stain has faded a lot on the side that gets direct sun, less faded on the shaded side. Reading the many posts, it seems there are better stains like RAD or Armstrong Clark. I’m thinking of switching to one of the recommended brands. Should I just clean the wood? Do I need to strip the previous Penofin stain too if I want to keep a similar color? What is recommended and what brands?
Strip and brighten are needed when switching brands. Try the RAD in Light Walnut. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain-for-exotic-hardwoods-review/
Hi, We have a two year old beautiful ipe deck and love the natural gray color as we have stone around it. Recently our dog chewed a bone with peanut butter and managed to get off his blanket with it and we now have a grease stain on the deck 🙁 I quickly googled and for hard wood, it said to use white vinegar and water with dishwashing liquid…that didn’t work..another site said to use just the dishwashing liquid and scrub..that didn’t work. Do you have any suggestions to get rid of this stain? Thanks so much for your help!
It is oil deep in the wood, it will probably not come out unless you strip and brighten all the wood while pressure washing and that will remove the gray. You could always use the “outdoor rug” option to hide it. 🙂
Hi – 17 years ago we installed a Deck with Masaramduba . Various finishes have been applied over the years. Various contractors have spoken with “account reps” at SW and other companies for the proper way to finish. It has been sanded several times I presume as a way to remove previous products. It just seems like each attempt has been a major project and failure.
From reading in your blog, I am hopeful that if we simply clean and stain each spring and “keep up with it” that we should be ok.
Not sure of the product that is on there now. Possibly Australian Timber Oil but not sure.
Could we use a stripper, then wash with cleaner/brightner and then reapply stain without sanding? Moving forward Would a spring cleaning and staining work without striping or sanding.
Thanks
Do not sand. Strip and brighten the wood for prep. Clean and recoat in the future.
Hi, i have a less than a year old ipe deck that my contractor sealed with Thompson’s. He swore by it and of course when I dug in a little, I read its terrible for ipe if not all decks. We live in SoCal but the deck did get a lot of rain in winter and spring. It spotted up then turned gray quickly. Also, have portion that is shaded so not as gray as sunny areas. I would like to get it back to natural color and seal it. Is it too late to do this? Plus what steps/products should I take into consideration. Thanks.
Strip and brighten with Restore A Deck Stripper and Brightener Kits.https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-injectable-deck-stain-stripper-review/
Stain with Armstrong Clark Hardwood Stains or Defy Hardwood Stains.
Have you ever used Semco teak sealer on an IPE deck?
We have not.
I have a client who is unhappy with the longevity of current stain. I am going to upgrade to Armstrong Clark. Curious what is the best / most efficient method to remove old stain before applying the new one?
Depends on the brand and type of stain you are removing? Pictures would help.
Looking into the brand and type. I do believe it’s semi-transparent Penofin. No photos at this time but it’s a 3ft x 15ft bench. Using 1x3x3 Ipe boards.
The RAD Stripper will remove the Penofin: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-injectable-deck-stain-stripper-review/
Brighten after.
Hi I have Ipe wood siding. I stain this siding every year but have the problem of fading at the top where it meets the metal. The siding is 5 years old and is holding its color beautifully except for the fading at the top.
There is not anything that will last you any longer for IPE. t is fading faster due to UV exposure.
My Ipe deck is 12 years old and I have been using Messmer’s Cleaner/Brightener and UV Plus yearly to maintain it. The cleaner requires significant scrubbing for satisfactory results. Since it’s exposed to several overhead trees, it looks great for a month and then quickly loses its attractiveness. Would I get better performance from RAD and an Armstrong stain? If so, which stain do you recommend to retain a near-natural appearance?
Also, is there a product you recommend for a mid-season cleaning which doesn’t require the effort of the major annual maintenance/cleaning?
Every time you prep you will need to reapply. A pressure washer will help with the prep.
The AC and RAD should last a little longer but IPE will require annual coatings. There is not a way to prevent the dirt from the trees accumulating on the wood.
Hi – love your site, very helpful. We’re about to install a new deck. I want to use garapa instead of ipe. I love the look of ipe as it comes (not the price), but when stained it always becomes too dark in the samples we’ve seen. Garapa is a little yellow, but due to it’s lower density, I think it would be more absorbent of a pigmented hardwood stain and give more color options. Here’re my question(s).
– I’ve read that it’s good to pre-finish deck boards before installation to give maximum protection from drying out, ease application of that first coat, and to get coverage on all sides. But some say to wait few months. Which do you recommend?
– You recommend the Defy and Armstrong Clark stains in several places on the site. But the TWP100 has as good a review score here as those two, but doesn’t get any other mention. I am looking at TWP due to the variety of colors for the garapa. Is it not as good as the other two?
– Since garapa is less dense, would it accept more stain deeper and provide a longer window between coats?
-It has to weather and be prepped before staining: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
-TWP 100 is a great stain but not a hardwood decking stain. We would not use it on the garapa.
-Doubt it. Still, need to be done annually.
Thanks very much for your response. I’ve read on other contractor/pro sites and on the TWP website that TWP 100 is a hardwood stain and works well for garapa and ipe if excess is wiped. But if you’ve tested on hardwood and found it not to work well, I’d take experience over sales pitch every time.
– Is TWP 100 not penetrative enough for h/w?
– I’m looking to darken and change color of garapa to a medium brown. Would Armstrong Clark Amber (or other color) be a good choice, or would I need to blend two colors?
TY
-If done correctly it should be okay but it is not a true “hardwood” stain.
-Not sure on what mix would work to achieve a brown on garapa. Might want to get some samples and do some test mixing. Get AC Amber and Black Walnut. I would start at 3 parts Amber and 1 part Black Walnut and go from there.
First, thank you for this site. It has been very helpful. We are considering installing a new IPE deck and using Armstrong-Clark Mahogany stain. We understand that we should let the deck be exposed for 2-4 months before using the RAD kit for prep and then staining. From posts below (Maya, Barbara), it seems that new IPE deck boards are likely to get stained or get water marks during that 2-4 month “exposed” period that would require cleaning or even sanding to remove. We are concerned that concerns regarding the staining and water marks could make it hard to use the deck or place furniture on it for the 2-4 months until it is stained. Please comment on how much of a problem this can present.
The IPE should not get stained by sitting for a few months. People do this all the time without issues.
Hi,
We are ready to seal our IPE deck. We live in South Florida so our deck has became lighter which we actually like. We do have water markings on several spots. I would like to get rid of the water markings and keep the lighter color it has become. What kind of sealer should we use? And should I use the frequently mentioned Restore A Deck to get rid of the water markings? I already understood our first choice Thompson water sealer is a no go but have no clue what the best option will be.
Tx!
Yes on the prep but if deep water stains, nothing will be able to get it out of the wood. For a clear sealer, try the Defy Extreme Clear.
Thank you very much I will research the Defy Extreme Clear and start getting everything needed. Once done I will let you know how it went . Thank you !
Great! Post some pictures if you are able.
Hi…we just had an IPE deck installed. It has sat for a couple months now and we are getting ready for the contractor to complete the project. We are getting conflicting advice on whether to seal or oil the deck. Our contractor sampled a sealer with some color (don’t know brand) but our architect said to use oil only. What do you recommend? the deck is by the pool and will get sun. We live in Texas so sun is plenty.
You need a penetrating semi-transparent stain for the IPE. Look at Armstrong Clark or IPE Oil brands.
is thompsons water seal timber oil ok for ipe?
It will be useless for IPE.
Hi, I have an IPE table and I actually want it to be gray. If I power wash it and remove the old stain can I stain it a gray and I will have the same up keep, but the color of the stain will be different? I have had the table for years and feel like a want a change.
There are not any gray colors for IPE stains that I know of. You could seal with a clear product and let it gray naturally.
so if it has grayed naturally and we want to keep it….powerwash with anything specific? So many of the products I have been reading about actually restores the color and I don’t want the color, I just want it clean. Then only use a clear product (reco?) product to seal. Then in the future (do you know how long?) will i have to powerwash the clear seal off and reapply? Really appreciate your help. Painters are coming in two days.
When you clean, it will remove the gray. Use a deck cleaner and then pressure wash off. Then seal with a clear coating with no tint. It will gray naturally but be protected from other elements. Redo as needed. Every 1-2 years.
Just installed a new Ipe deck. Before we could seal the wood, we had a few wet nights and pieces of extra wood were left on the deck by the contractor. When these pieces of wood were removed we had stains. Some black drippings and even an outline of one of the boards. In addition there is some water demarcation where water dripped from an overhanging eave. Should we just sand out this area, sand the whole deck or not sand at all and just apply the sealer and the stains will go away. We plan to use Penofin as we have had success with this product in the past. But how to prepare the deck before application. Help
Try a deck cleaner and a wood brightener. If that does not work, you will probably need to sand.
We have ipe flooring in our courtyard that is gray looking – not attractive at all. Would Messeners be a good product to Use?
Messmers is a decent stain for IPE. We prefer the Armstrong Clark or Defy Hardwood Stains.
Yellow cedar help
I have a new yellow cedar deck and am trying to decide on the best finish to provide some surface protection and a uniform appearance. I’m not too concerned about rot protection with this wood. The deck was laid last fall and has been recently sanded. I tested a couple of Sikkens CRD stains but the wood is so dense the stain just sits on the surface and very little color is transferred to the wood. Now I’m thinking an Ipe hardwood type stain might be a better choice for penetration? Any experience with yellow cedar with that stain type, or other suggestions.
Sanding is not the correct prep in most cases. It smooths or closes the wood pores so the stain cannot absorb properly in the wood grain. See this for some tips on new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
You do not need a hardwood stain for this.
Thanks for all the great advice- super helpful for IPE owners who don’t know a lot (me). I’ve used the Penofin Exotic Hardwood Formula in the past, but I don’t see it reviewed here. Any reason it’s not reviewed? Or any reason I shouldn’t continue to use it?
For where I live in Brooklyn, NY, Penofin is easier to get than the Deckwise or Armstong-Clark, though I can get the Defy product pretty easily, so just wondering which I should use.
It is reviewed here: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/penofin-exotic-wood-stain-review/
It does not seem to last very long, plus it has a strong odor to it. Defy Hardwood is better.
I have a new redwood fence but I love the ipe look. Is there a stain I could use that would give me more of an ipe look?
It is not possible to make redwood look like IPE when stained. Sorry.
Armstrong has a new color called Chestnut. It will make regualr wood look “similar” to IPE. Not the same texture but a similar color.
Hello,
I have a question regarding my ipe deck that we installed 6 months ago. We live in Malibu and we picked Ipe wood knowing it will last a long time in humid weather. Looks beautiful, but we have one problem that we noticed as soon as we lay down the patio furniture on the deck.
Our furniture is metal-based and some of the legs are starting to stain the Ipe in dark blackish color. Also, we have a metal hammock that's doing the same thing, staining the Ipe. It seems metal contact on Ipe should be avoided, something we didn't know about.
We are very upset and frustrated, what should we do about this issue and how can we remove the stains, any advice will be appreciated.
Thank you!!!
This is rust from your hammock and furniture. Nothing to do with the IPE itself. Rust turns black when it gets into wood. A wood brightener can help to remove if not that deep into grain.
Do not use Thompson's water seal.iIt turns grey in 2 days.Penofin nice but too$$$.still looking
Hello,
First of all, thank youf or your website, it is really helpfull for new people in decking
I live in San Diego CA, and I am having a 800sq.ft ipe deck installed
I plan to have the contractor stain the ipe deck with the Messmers UV Plus Red Mahogany.
However what i am not sure if it is needed to clean and brighten the deck before (using Restore A Deck). (it is a brand new deck)
I called Messmers and it looks like the advice to clean and brighten but my contractor is telling me no. Any thoughts?
Thank you very much
Yes you should always prep new wood. We would let the wood site for a month, clean and brighten, and stain. Another tip, best to follow the advice of the manufacturer of the stain over the contractor.
Hi! I have a 10 year old IPE deck, about 1500sf + 400sf of vertical surfaces (planters) part of the deck is under a porche. The whole thing is facing South with plenty of sun, humidity and snow from Northern VA seasons. I believe the existing finish (what is left of it) is 3+ years old. It has been finished before with Woodrich wiping stain. Last time I tried to fix a couple of boards that had some hard stains and sanded a few boards. That was a mistake as the stain did not take as well as in the other boards.
For my project:
1. How does AC compare to the Woodrich stain regarding easy of application and durability
2. How does the AC/Mahogany compares to the Woodrich/Amaretto. I like the darker version of the stains with rich color but letting the wood grain show
3. What product would you recommend for the vertical surfaces to clean and to finish, I remember those being typically tougher to clean well.
4. I read somewhere that under certain conditions it's Ok to apply the brightener without the neutralizer (is that true?). I used RAD in the past
Any recommendations on the current state of the art to make my job easier will be greatly appreciated!!!. Many thanks!!!
1. AC is easier to apply.
2. Colors are similar between the two.
3. Strip and brighten for the prep. Use Restore A Deck products.
4. Brightener is a neutralizer so not sure what you mean.
I'm installing an ipe fence (to match an existing ipe deck) and the contractor told me to go choose a stain at the local Sherwin Williams, where I was offered the SuperDeck Exotic Hardwood series: 2501 Natural, 2502 Walnut, 2503 Cherry. This is my first project of the kind, so I'm a bit lost. The fence will be facing the sun most of the day and it's very sunny here year round. I'd appreciate help with a few newbie questions:
– According to your reviews of SuperDeck, they don't seem to be the best stain around in general, but I haven't seen anything regarding the Exotic Hardwood series. Anybody has used this? Do you have an opinion on it? Is there another obviously better product I should be looking at instead?
– Assuming the fence is built with new wood, does it need pre-treatment or can I apply the stain directly?
Any other hints/tips much appreciated, thanks!
Let it sit until Spring. Clean and prep the wood first. Use Armstrong Clark in Mahogany or Defy Hardwood Stain.
Thanks for your response, I appreciate it. Did I understand correctly that I should leave the fence unprotected through the winter? Also, what products do you suggest for prepping the wood. Thanks again.
Yes leave it exposed for the Winter. Restore A Deck Kits for the prep.
I have a 6 year old ironwood deck with cedar rails that appears to have never been stained (we moved into the house 3 years ago). I just washed it with deck wash and it is a light gray color. Is it okay to leave it unstained? What are the benefits to staining it? Would it only require staining on the top surface?
Staining makes it look better while protecting the wood. Only need to stain exposed wood.
I have an IPE deck in Florida about 12 years old that had a previous stain applied that has darkened and splotchy. What steps do I need to take to get a beautiful rich color back? Please give me exact steps. I'm new at this.
Apply the Restore A Deck Stripper and pressure wash off. Use the RAD brightener after. Let dry for 2-3 days. Stain with one coat of the Armstrong Clark in Amber color. Clean and reapply every Spring.
Does anyone know if you can change the color of Ipe that's already been stained and sealed?
Only if you strip off the current stain.
I have a 13 year old ironwood deck in Minnesota that has never had any maintenence, either when installed or subsequently. It is very grayed out and I would like to get some of the original luster and color back. I did steam clean it and it came out much better but still grayish, can you give me some advice, recommendations or guidance?
Use the Restore A Deck kit and a pressure washing for this to get rid of the gray.
Thank you for the feedback. What I failed to mention is that an architect I'm working with suggested an IPE T&G deck installed on slopped joists to provide a more water protected area for the another deck below which is the main entry of my home. Unfortunately, after our first heavy rain, the T & G is anything but water tight. Because of the characteristics of each board, there is between 1/32' to 3/16" margin between each deck board being tight against one another and the water is getting thru. I was intending on using clear caulking in the gaps prior to using the IPE oil as you suggested. I would carefully work the caulk into the seams then quickly sponge up the excess to prevent the caulk from remaining on the face of the deck board. What are your thoughts on this? The deck is mainly shaded, so I anticipate the IPE oil may last more than a year. Do you think a clear caulk will be affected by the IPE Oil? And do you see any possible negative results of my intentions of trying to caulk the seams?
Shaybread, caulk will not work. It is not “stainable” with the decking stain. What will happen is that everywhere that the caulk is applied, the stain will not penetrate the wood. Basically the areas where the stain penetrated will have a rich reddish brown color and where the caulk has dried or setup in the gaps, it will look much lighter or have no color. I do not think sponging off will get rid of it 100% either. It may be possible to get a caulk color that would blend with the stained color of the IPE. I would get some test boards and see what if that would work.
Shaded decks do last longer from UV fading.
I am installing a new tongue and groove IPE deck here in Florida. What do you suggest as the best treatment for it? When I wet the face of the deck board with a sponge, the grain and natural look of the IPE is gorgeous, so I would really prefer an oil over a stain because I only want to highlight the IPE's natural characteristics.
Terry B, you need a stain with a tint as straight oil will not offer UV filtering and will attract mold and mildew. Look at the IPE Oil.
I have an Ipe deck that has been treated with Thompson water seal, it has been about 3yrs since the last treat meant. how do I prep it for the new stain? do I need to sand it down? also we have some sections that are beign repaired and wont be done for another 6mos-1yr should I wait till this all done before applying the new stain?
Ed, if the old coating is gone then use a deck cleaner and wood brightener for the prep. I would wait until all the new wood is installed then do the entire deck at once.
Joanne, a few months. Need to clean the wood first to prep.
I want to put a UV protectant on garapa boards being used in a truck bed. Foot traffic should be limited to hay rides and tail gating, but the wood will take a beating from the sun. I'd like to keep the natural yellow of the garapa. Is there a UV protectant I can apply that will not change the color of the wood yet still protect it from the sun? Messemer's Natural or Ipe Oil? or other?
Rob, all stains will change or enhance the color of the garapa. You must have a tint if you want UV protection. Stains like Messmers and IPE Oil will enhance similar to as if wet with water.
I just had an ipe deck installed. The contractor wants to seal it now and the weather is still cooperating. The Armstrong Clark dealer says I should wait til the spring. Your section on new decks says that you should wait a few months before sealing a new deck, is this true for ipe too?
Ellen, yes you should wait until Spring.
The contractor who just refinished our ipe porch and balconies screwed up. He was the one who originally painted them when the house was newly built, so we trusted he would use the right product. We came home to find that they had been stained with Deckscapes SW water based solid stain. Needless to say that the beautiful grain is gone and it is now covered in matte mahogany color. It is going to be a mess to have the stripped them now. What to do? If we keep this for a year or so and then strip them and coat them with an appropriate stain, is it going to cause any harm to the wood? Any suggestions are appreciated.
Anna, see other reply. I feel bad for you and hope it turns out okay! Sanding it all off is probably your best option.
Thanks for all your info. VERY helpful. I have a few questions on Ipe that I hope you can help with.
1. Penofin Marine Oil vs AC Hardwood? We have a local specialty lumber store who says the majority of high end deck builders in our Seattle-area neighborhood use the Penofin Marine. Apparently it doesn't color the wood and is very easy to reapply.
2. Raw/New Ipe: Should it be Sanded? I've been told not to sand because it closes wood pores. I was told to wash only. However, when I washed with a mix of water/TSP/oxiclean, a lot of color ran off the wood. Now, I have water stains from the different colors in the wood, I'm guessing oil, that ran. I tried to oxiclean them off but they don't come off. So now, it looks like sanding is the easiest solution.
3. Seal all sides and end cuts? I've been told to seal all sides and end cuts. And NOT to use Ancorseal/wax because of bleeding. Instead, to just use a very heavy dose of the stain/sealer used.
Again, thanks so much for the help. I really appreciate it.
Thomas,
1. AC Hardwood is better than Penofin. Penofin does add color to the wood.
2. Clean the wood for the prep is much easier. Not a fan of sanding. If you do than you will need to rinse heavily to remove the dust.
3. No need to seal all sides but you can use the stain for the end cuts.
I live in Maryland and have an Ipe deck that I've just stripped of a previous stain and applied a neutralizer 4 days ago. The weather is not cooperating for an adequate number of rainless days for deck drying and stain application. The forecast doesn't look great either for the next week. How long can I wait before I need to re-clean and neutralize prior to stain application? I'm using an oil-based semi-transparent stain, neutral color (Messmer's). Your site rated Messmer's pretty highly, but considering the previous post, is there something else I should know about it that's not covered in your hardwood deck stain reviews?
Joe, we like the Messmers. It lasts a season on IPE and can be easily cleaned and reapplied annually. You should be okay for a week or two. Hopefully it will not rain longer than that.
I have tongue and groove Ipe on my back porch. The contractor used Messmer UV plus Natural on it and I want to strip it off. It was applied pretty heavy in some spots. Any suggestion on a stripper. I have found a product I plan to apply produced by Shield Products out of Florida. He claims it will last 10 years. It is a flouropolymer. Then you top coat with Teak Shield.
marc, nothing lasts 10 years. 12 months max on IPE. Strip the Messmers with HD80 or Restore A Deck Stain Stripper.
We have an Ipe Dock on a lake. We have used penofin for the staining for about 3 times over the last 10 years. Now the treatments seem to last shorter and shorter times. We are going to pressure wash the wood (even though the builder told us not to). We are debating if we should we stick with the penofin or try the Armstrong Clark. Thoughts?
Chris, I would use a stripper then pressure wash. Switch to the AC in the Mahogany color.
Help!
I hired a contractor to remove sun dmamge from very large Ipe plant containers. He power washed and then applied a horrible stain by using a roller of all things. It is awful,howdy I remove his mistakes and begin again.
Jennifer, what stain brand did he use?
I'm power washing our Mahogany Deck and was told to use an Oil Based stain instead of water based. What do you recommend? Thx.
Vinnie, either is fine.
My pressure treated deck is now 3 years old and has never been stained. The wood began to cup just weeks after completion ( I believe the wood was not placed with the rounded part of the grain on top). i have mildew on the deck close to the house as that area gets less sun. I have scheduled a professional to power wash the the deck. Should he use a clearer AND a brightener? Also, I am confused re the best sealer or semi transparent stain to use. Should it be a water based with synthetic resins for mildew, insects etc or a product such as TWP. Thank you for your advice!
Eve, the pressure washer should use a cleaner and wood brightener to aid with the cleaning. If you have mold issues I would look at the Defy Extreme Stain for this.
My contractor just installed a tongue in groove Ipe deck on our covered, screened porch this week. They did not stain all 4 sides prior to installation and the deck is at least 6 feet off the ground. Is that a problem? The temps here are cold and will not be over 50 degrees until spring. Do you recommend we wait until spring to oil? Should we powerwash and use a cleaner prior to oiling? Which cleaners do you recommend? Do you recommend the penofin or messmers or Ipe Oil for this application?
Thanks
Sam, No need to stain all sides. I would wait until Spring, clean and brighten the Ipe to prep, then stain with A4rmstrong Clark in Mahogany color or Ipe Oil.
What is the best way to get metal stains that were from my metal chairs off my
Epi?
David, If it is black rust spots then you could try a wood brightener.