Ipe Oil Hardwood Deck Finish
|Ipe Oil Hardwood Deck Finish – Part of the process of constructing a deck is deciding which materials to use for the decking. Basically, you have two choices – wood or composite. In this article, I’ll share the pros and cons of each and every type to help you choose the best one for your deck. The main difference between wood and composite decking may be the volume of maintenance required. Wood decking requires more upkeep than composite, but looks nicer. The companies who manufacture composite decking are doing their very best to create their product seem like real wood, but thus far haven’t achieved it. I personally don’t even think they’ll ever be capable of match the good thing about real wood. Because of the extra time needed to maintain wood decking, you first need to question yourself if you have the extra time necessary to keep a wood deck sealed and looking good. If you DO have the time and therefore are willing to wait in your deck, great! Go with wood.
If, however, there isn’t extra time or don’t want to invest in sealing a wood deck maybe once or twice 12 months, composite could be the best choice. Even though wood decks require more upkeep, there is a form of wood which you can use for decking which requires almost no or no upkeep. That wood is cedar. I’ve actually laid wood decking and done absolutely NOTHING to it coupled with it last for many years without any problems. Cedar is naturally proof against rain, snow, and sunlight. It doesn’t warp or twist, and have almost no tendency to check or cup.
The only drawback with cedar decking left unsealed is always that is will turn gray as time passes. If you are against this look, it is possible to decide to seal it maybe once or twice a year. It may still “gray”, however it will take longer to do so. Actually ALL wood decks will turn gray as time passes, until you apply sealer every month or two, which is a large amount of work. Composite decking, conversely, is virtually maintenance free. Once it’s laid down, it certainly can’t change much even through extreme weather. Some composite deck colors will fade over many years, however the fading is uniform, so that you won’t really notice it happening.
There are several disadvantages to getting composite. First, composite decking is more expensive than wood. This could be a challenge if you have financial constraints. If you take into account the cost savings of not buying sealer for years, it may balance the cost increase somewhat. Another problem with using composite decking may be the chance for the item failing. Just like any man-made product, composite decking could be faulty. A few years ago, one major composite decking manufacturer create some defective material. This triggered many decks going bad which created a class action lawsuit. Even with compensation provided to consumers, many were tied to high replacement costs. This doesn’t mean every composite deck product is planning to have problems, it is just a reminder that it COULD happen.
Overall, wood or composite decks are great. You just need to decide from a gray deck, a wood deck that requires maintenance, or perhaps a composite deck which requires no upkeep, but is more expensive and possesses the potential to visit awry.