IPE and Purple Heart Deck

roby12345

New User
Rob
Beautiful. That deck must cost more than some homes!! Ipe is really toxic. But may be more applicable when sanding. Again, nice work. Hopefully, the break includes a dip in the pool.

With recent lumber prices, PH is actually more economical. I bought it for $2.20 a LF for 1x6". When you consider the 30 year lifespan compared to treated pine, it really is less money in the long run. Trex is something like $4 to $6 a LF, so it's even less than composite, and I believe much more beautiful.

If anyone is considering a Brazilian hardwood deck (IPE, PH, Tigerwood, Cumaru, et al) I would suggest you contact Sam at Brazilian Wood Depot in Georgia. Super helpful and prices can't be beat.
 

roby12345

New User
Rob
Recently my neighbor introduced me to IPE. All I can tell you is that stuff weighs a ton. Beautiful and heavy. I have seen Purple heart used in charcuterie boards, and other small projects, never something this large. Looks amazing!!! thanks for sharing.

Yes, a 4x4 IPE post is like picking up a concrete girder. It surely doesn't float in water. It also doesn't twist and deform as bad as Pine, and gives a rock solid anchor for tensioned cables.
 

kserdar

Ken
Senior User
I built an IPE sliding barn door in my home in Houston. The "barn door" hardware needed to support 400-500 pounds.
With just the frame (2x4 IPE) and enough slats (1x6 IPE) to keep it square. It was pushing 100 pounds.
I hung it in that minimal state. Then installed the remaining slats, with the door already hung.

No way was I going to lift that monster after installing all that wood.
 

roby12345

New User
Rob
Oiled the PH and IPE...really brings out the browns and golds. Building kitchen now so should be able to let some of my scrap PH and IPE go for you wood turners.
 

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roby12345

New User
Rob
Question....

I framed out an outdoor kitchen island...just a 7'x2' rectangle. Im going to stone it but miter cuts on ledger stone for all the outside corners is proving problematic. Indont have a big enough wet saw to cut 24" panels and trying to hand cut with no fence causes chip outs.

Soooo...I had the bright idea to put some left over IPE to frame corners. That way I can just butt the stone to it. I'm going to rip down some leftover IPE deck boards to 2 or 2.5" x 3' tall (height of my island). My question is, can I do a single 45 degree rip down the middle of a 5.5" deck board, reverse one board and have a good corner, or is it better to straight rip the board in half then run the two boards through the same 45?
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
Cut down the middle and make the 45 on a router table with a chamfor bit or on the jointer set to 45.
 

roby12345

New User
Rob
I would be happy to help if needed.

That's extremely generous of you to offer. The substrate is just durock covering 2x4 treated framing, so the tolerances are not critical. In fact, a perfect 45 might still show gaping because the durock is probably not a perfect 90 corner underneath. Im thinking as long as it's close I can sand the corners a bit if needed...dont need a sharp corner anyway. So maybe just a 45 deg rip down the middle is sufficient?
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
in that case a l
That's extremely generous of you to offer. The substrate is just durock covering 2x4 treated framing, so the tolerances are not critical. In fact, a perfect 45 might still show gaping because the durock is probably not a perfect 90 corner underneath. Im thinking as long as it's close I can sand the corners a bit if needed...dont need a sharp corner anyway. So maybe just a 45 deg rip down the middle is sufficient?
in that case a lap joint would be less likely to open up. can you do dowels? pocket screws would work as well. just be sure to predrill. Ipe is hard stuff. If you want to bring the wood we can make this up in a matter of minutes.
 
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roby12345

New User
Rob
Shout out to Fred...took my IPE to his shop and in short order he put together 4 perfect corners. Right tools and know how go a long way. Made it look easy. Thanks again and look forward to that cutting board :)
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
Shout out to Fred...took my IPE to his shop and in short order he put together 4 perfect corners. Right tools and know how go a long way. Made it look easy. Thanks again and look forward to that cutting board :)

Almost done ;)
I'll give a shout next time I'm in Raleigh.
 

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