This post was updated on May 30, 2024
Ipe Oil Hardwood Stain Stain Review 2025
IPE Oil has become popular in the past years. It is an oil-based semi-transparent stain that will give a brownish tint to your IPE or other exotic hardwoods.
My Pro Tip: IPE Oil is Messmers UV Plus for Hardwood Stain, just relabeled with a slightly different “browner” color.
If you have used the Ipe Oil Hardwood Stain, please post a review in our Star Ratings and or comment area. Our comment system does allow the ability to post pictures of your deck or exterior wood.
Note: See here for my other exotic hardwood and Ipe Stain Reviews: Exotic Hardwood Stain Reviews
IPE Oil Wood Stain Review
IPE Oil Hardwood Stain Review
Ipe Oil™ Hardwood Deck Finish is designed specifically for IPE and other Brazilian Hardwoods. Ipe Oil™ Hardwood Deck Finish offers deep penetration into dense exotic woods protecting the wood from water and UV damage.
Ipe Oil™ can be used on all types of wood including ipe, tigerwood, cumaru, or and hardwood decking and wood siding, preserving the natural grain while enhancing at the same time. Ipe Oil™ Deck Finish is a 250 VOC compliant oil-based finish that can be used in all 50 states.
Important Note: Testing for Exotic Hardwood Deck Stains
Exotic hardwoods such as IPE are extremely dense and difficult to penetrate. These wood types when stained will always fade faster than other woods such as Cedar, Redwood, and Pine. Testing will be changed to 1 year instead of 2 years for exotic hardwoods.
IPE Oil Hardwood Stain Stain Rating (1-10)
Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 8
– IPE Oil comes in only a Natural Finish. This is a transparent but pigmented color that really enhances the natural grain of the wood. The finished look after drying was a beautiful rich tone of brown with a hint of red throughout our IPE wood.
Preventing UV Graying at 1 Year Mark: 5
– We only test exotic hardwoods for 1 year. IPE oil had retained most of its color. Only about 30% of the color has faded from the wood. The was still a decent amount of color left.
Wear/Tear and Peeling: 9
– IPE Oil penetrates very well into exotic hardwoods. There wasn’t any peeling of the stain from the wood, even in the high traffic areas.
Cost Per Square Foot: 6
– IPE Oil Finish retails for an expensive $60.99 per gallon. Fortunately, the IPE Oil spreads extremely well. The coverage per gallon was over 300 feet per gallon. This is double the coverage on a soft wood such as Cedar or Pressure Treated Pine. We only used 2.5 gallons for the 800 sq. foot test deck.
Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 7
– Small amounts of algae were present after 2 years around the outside railings and in corners. We did not find any mold growing in or on the IPE Oil Stain.
Ease of Application: 8
– The coverage is excellent. We applied with a pad applicator, waited 20 minutes and back wiped the excess stain residue. The entire project was completed in about 3 hours.
Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 8
– The IPE Oil did not color shift/darken noticeably. No mold/mildew and very little dirt accumulation.
Difficulty of Reapplication: 8
– Future maintenance would require a wood deck cleaner and some scrubbing to alleviate the wood of dirt. This would be enough prep prior to applying a maintenance coat of stain.
Overall Score IPE Oil Hardwood Stain at 1 Year Period: 7.38
– We liked the IPE Oil overall. Easy to apply, coverage per gallon was excellent, and the finished look was stunning. This would be a decent product for any exotic hardwood that requires annual maintenance.
Note: See here for other exotic hardwood and Ipe Stain Reviews: Exotic Hardwood Stain Reviews
Product Information:
Where To Buy: Mostly Online with a few retail stores, Home Depot
Cost: $65.99 per Gallon
Stain Type: Semi-Transparent – Oil-Based for Hardwoods
Available Colors: Natural Finish
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coats Required: 1 coat for most hardwood decking surfaces
Coverage Per Gallon: 300+ sq. ft for Exotic Hardwoods
Application Tools: Sprayer, Pad, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 4-12 Hours
Cleanup: Mineral Spirits
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in all States
Manufacturer: IPE Clip
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: IPE Exotic Wood
Deck Square Footage: 800 Square feet
UV Exposure: Full Sun
How Many Years Tested: 1 Year
Stain Color Used: Natural Finish
*All products tested and results are from our experience. I offer no guarantee of similar results. Take into consideration that results may differ due to different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, and natural weathering.
The Best IPE Hardwood Deck Stain Video – DeckStainHelp.com
Can you use Ipe oil stain on a cedar deck? Looking for a penetrating oil based stain for longevity.
Yes but there are much better brands such as TWP 1500 Series or Armstrong Clark.
Will the ipe oil ruin a non reinforced rubber roof membrane? We are doing a tiger wood deck with a rubber membrane underneath it, I just want to make sure when we put the oil on it won’t ruin the rubber.
It shouldn’t.
We used this on our Ipe deck and after 4 months it looks dark, dry, and patchy with gray scrapes all over from furniture movement. I want the wood to look oiled and not dried out. Two coats would have made it too dark and would not absorb. What product would you recommend to keep a medium brown saturated looking oil finish (like new teak furniture)? Our expensive deck looks awful. Unsure of how to post a picture.
Strip and brighten for prep and try one of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/ipe-exotic-hardwood-stain-review/
Can ipe oil be used on pressure treated pine? It has dried for a year, and recently has been cleaned and brightened.
Yes, but it will not make your PTP look like IPE wood like the picture above. It is not possible to make PTP look as beautiful as IPE when stained. It does not matter the brand of stain you use.
Hi Crew,
We are installing an ipe deck as we speak. I see from the post below that we have to let it sit for a few weeks and breathe before we do any stains to it(great info).
My question is is there a ipe oil that can stain it black or very dark ?
We have an old Queen Anne house and it will go with the color scheme.
Thank you for your time.
Sit for a few months then clean and prep before staining. Look at Armstrong Clark in their Black Walnut hardwood color.
My deck is a mix of pressure treated and ipe wood can I stain the treated wood with with ipe oil
Yes.
I had a contractor use this on my IPE deck which had not been treated in 3 yrs. It was cleaned properly, however once the IPE oil was applied the wood looks like it needs another coat? A lot of the wood did not come out dark and is light in some areas and darker in others,
IPE wood will not take another coat of stain. It is too dense.
Our Ipe deck was installed three weeks ago. We are trying to find someone to seal it for us. We are getting different recommendations on when to treat it. One company says to wait a few weeks , another says treat it as soon as possible. What do you recommend ?
You need to wait a few months and prep first. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
Thank you!
Do I need any special skills to be able to apply this to my ipe deck? Kind of a novice
No. Just make sure prep correctly and apply correctly. If you have prep questions, respond with a picture of the current condition.
Will do! And thanks for the response. Couple questions I had: everywhere I’ve looked just says to clean first, but do I need to sand it? Also, maybe a dumb question, but after you apply the oil, it’s supposed to sit for 30 min before you wipe it down, if you did a large job in one go, wouldn’t you be stepping in the wet oil as you do it? And would that affect its appearance afterwards?
You always have to prep. Clean or strip depending on the current condition. No need to sand unless you have to remove a coating that cannot be stripped. You will not harm the finish if you step on it while wiping. Just make sure back yourself off and while wiping your footprints.
Open to other stain if you have a favorite for ipe…
Need to clean house with bleach based product before cleaning ipe deck,porches, stairs…if I wet the ipe first do you think the cleaner run off will be a problem for unfinished ipe? Then planning two step cleaning: do you have a preference for rad or deck Wise 2 step kits? Hope for matte rich natural color…preference? Considering rad in light walnut and ipe deck oil…close to 2000 sq ft so want to get it right…thinking no finish on ipe currently…purchased 3 yr old home with no info from previous owner
Go with the RAD in Light Walnut.
Thank you! And the two step kit? Rad also? And bleach run off ok?
Yes on the prep kit. Make sure to rinse the bleach well after the house washing and you should be okay.