Ipe and Teak, how workable is it?

[Steve knight]

more expensive? not here I get 8/4 for around 3.50 a bf.
but it is a little easier to work with and the dust is not horrible. 80% of my planes are purpleheart so I cut a lot of it and seldom is it a problem. one thing to watch for is cross cutting it the wider boards say over 8" can bind the blade. I have jammed blades in it more when I am almost through with my scms. I usually chop through at the back of the board then go to the front and cut normally.

[Dan Larson]

more expensive? not here I get 8/4 for around 3.50 a bf.

That's a great price... less than half of the best price I've seen around here in the Chicago area.

[Joe Koren]

I asked at the local lumber yard, Mr. Robert's in Southern New Jersey, about Ipe and Teak. They are selling Ipe and Teak at $22 pbf.

So I have asked about alternatives. They mentioned:

1. Cedar
2. Cypress
3. Mahagony

I don't like the "yellow pine" look of Cypress, so what is everyone's thoughts on the other two. I did not think mahagony is an outdoor wood, and I though it would rot fairly quickly is left outside.

I have been trying to find information on these products to ... does anyone have any links.

Thanks again,
Joe

[Steve knight]

I asked at the local lumber yard, Mr. Robert's in Southern New Jersey, about Ipe and Teak. They are selling Ipe and Teak at $22 pbf.


Thanks again,
Joe

ipe for as much as teak? sounds like you need to shop around or do mail order. it is 5.50 a bf for lumber not sure on the decking price.

[Matt Calder]

All,
Last year we shopped for patio furniture. The sales person was pushing jarrah furniture as a reasonable (cost wise) substitute for teak. It is apparently suitable for outdoor furniture and I believe it is quite workable. Looks nice too though I think its color changes with time in the sun.

Matt

[Steve knight]

All,
Last year we shopped for patio furniture. The sales person was pushing jarrah furniture as a reasonable (cost wise) substitute for teak. It is apparently suitable for outdoor furniture and I believe it is quite workable. Looks nice too though I think its color changes with time in the sun.

Matt

the stuff is pretty splintry though and here it is the same cost. but it does not have oil in it so it would be easier to glue.

[Bill Pentz]

Joe,

My cast metal chairs and matching swing all came with white oak. Every year I refinished the wood, but the sun and rain left that an annual chore. When I took a forced vacation for a few years, rot set in and wiped out the oak. I replaced it all with cypress. Although the cypress was supposed to hold up forever, it quickly developed dark mold lines that made it look terrible. I began looking around and ended up going with the ipe instead of teak due to cost.

Last fall I found the ipe very reasonably priced from a local decking firm. Knowing it is hard on tools as it has much higher silica content than most other woods, believe it or not I paid that decking firm a little extra to do the ripping and put a quarter-round on all edges. Sanding was ugly with the dust ranging from reddish to mostly bright yellow, so work outside with a good mask. Splintering was also a problem resulting in my just tossing a few more boards than expected. My ipe was kiln dried, so moisture was not a problem, but finishing was tough. Start with wiping down with lacquer thinner or the finish might not stick. Nothing soaks in well at all, so stick with very thin light coats of a good penetrating deck oil sealer giving each coat a week or so to dry. Three coats made a really good looking result. Unfortunately, the weather moved in before I completed my finishing, so I still have three more sets of slats to finish before putting all back together.

bill

[Ed Garrett]

Joe,

I also worried about glue sticking to teak. I just made two teak projects using just lap joints and lots of stainless steel screws (see attached).They are plenty strong (and heavy). The dust from routering and sanding was nasty, but the finish is great. Good luck.

Sincerely,

Ed Garrett
Tallahassee, FL