Exterior Lock Miter Wood Opinion

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
Good morning!

I’m planning to remake the posts on a house that we close on Tuesday and would like some opinions about exterior wood choices with a lock miter.

This is the look that I’m after:

11BC4786-B286-4AFF-85D9-8C9B6EE5E1CB.jpeg


I’m replacing these and planning on going modern

5FB988DC-95E5-412F-9CD7-6DD818599235.jpeg


I originally thought ipe, but I’m also thinking mahogany after seeing the outdoor table post this morning. Any other suggestions for exterior dark wood? I’m after a darker wood, not something light. I plan to epoxy the lock miter to help seal the edges of the boards and hopefully keep the miters tight.

Another reference photo and another project that will happen with miter corners:

8EAAEFC0-B6C9-44DC-8DFD-2633DA573105.jpeg

(I also plan to remove the ridiculous shutters and redo the planters, stairs and add landscaping.)
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
If they have in NC Balau, comes from Asia does not turn black like Ipe over time and is 2 x harder than oak (ipe roughly 3x).
Balau is a prettier reddish colored wood and very straight grained.
 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
Thanks Casey! Looks like they have some distributors within 1.5 hours from me. I’ll have to take a look!
 

Henry W

Henry
Corporate Member
Besides - the thought of cutting lock mitered corner joinery in Ipe just brings up thoughts of burned up router(s!) and a lots of dull bits....
 
Last edited:

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Good point, he could do a miter and blind spline. The router would appreciate that.
My experience only need trim screws oand glue on the miter
 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
Henry hit the nail on the head!
My hope was the small cuts would be doable, but there are going to be a lot of them!
 

iclark

Ivan
User
Thanks Casey! Looks like they have some distributors within 1.5 hours from me. I’ll have to take a look!
Zach: Where/how did you find it?

Woodfinder says the 2 closest sources are in PA and CA and the PA site does not admit to carrying it.
 

Alan in Little Washington

Alan Schaffter
Corporate Member
Ipe will hold its reddish color if sealed well. Left natural, it turns gray like teak. My 17 year old unsealed Ipe porch deck is in great shape, but it is gray. Ipe is tough on tools, all tools, since it contains a lot of silica. It will eat carbide saw blades and router bits in no time.

If you go with something a little softer, like, mahogany or similar Asian or South American dark wood, you will need to take care of the finish every year just like with a boat. Make sure you use a finish with good UV protection. Unless you are really looking for a true wood finish, I would make the posts from one of the dark composites like TREX. You can mill one surface smooth and easily mill the lock miters. You can't glue it however so you will need to reinforce the lock miters with brad nails.

As to using a lock miter bit- practice first on inexpensive wood and get yourself a Lock Miter Master setup jig from Infinity. I know the guy who invented it. He says it works great. :)
 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
Zach: Where/how did you find it?

Woodfinder says the 2 closest sources are in PA and CA and the PA site does not admit to carrying it.

I started googling and ended up looking specifically in Charleston—I haven’t followed up with either yet. I thought I had found another supplier in Charleston, but I apparently didn’t save it and can’t find it now!

I have not used this place, but the address indicates North Charleston:


This one will ship, but I planned to look at some of the lumber in person in Charleston before ordering.

 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
Ipe will hold its reddish color if sealed well. Left natural, it turns gray like teak. My 17 year old unsealed Ipe porch deck is in great shape, but it is gray. Ipe is tough on tools, all tools, since it contains a lot of silica. It will eat carbide saw blades and router bits in no time.

If you go with something a little softer, like, mahogany or similar Asian or South American dark wood, you will need to take care of the finish every year just like with a boat. Make sure you use a finish with good UV protection. Unless you are really looking for a true wood finish, I would make the posts from one of the dark composites like TREX. You can mill one surface smooth and easily mill the lock miters. You can't glue it however so you will need to reinforce the lock miters with brad nails.

As to using a lock miter bit- practice first on inexpensive wood and get yourself a Lock Miter Master setup jig from Infinity. I know the guy who invented it. He says it works great. :)
Thanks Alan! I’m still debating going the lock miter route because it does seem like a lot of work. But I really like the look of the natural wood tones.
 

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