Ipe DEck Problem

[Thomas Norton]

We have a deck with Ipe that has been oiled with Cabot Australian Timber Oil every few years. While away last year the folks who stayed at our home grilled on the deck and it resulted in oil/grease stain. Last Fall I tried, at the recommendation of the paint dept. at a local hardware, some degreaser. Now I have a mess. Not sure where to go for the next step and would appreciate some advice.
BTW I am a finish carpenter/woodworker that stains and finishes but I am stumped with this.
Thanks!

[Neil Gaskin]

What type of degreaser did you use and how did it affect the material?

Ipe is an incredibaly dense wood which often does not allow much to penetrate very far. Have you tried sanding it out? I would try to sand the entire board and see if you can remove the film or stain. Then reapply your oil.

As a side note, have you had any issues with the Cabots Austrailian Timber Oil gumming up? We used it on a few decks and had issues with areas that were exposed to high levels of sun gumming up. It wasnt a case of over application as we wiped down the decks twice within a few hours of application to remove the extra oil.

We've started using Penofin Hardwood Oil, a recent article in Professional Deck Builder recommoneds Penofin Marine Finish.

There was an article in the most recent edition regarding Ipe finishing issues. You can find it on their website, www.deckmagazine.com I beleive the recommend trying TSP to clean if you have a tough stain.

[Thomas Norton]

Thanks Neil. No problem with the Cabot product at all. I would wash the deck down let it dry a few days and wipe on the oil.