Caring for Hardwood Decking

There isn’t a decking made, except perhaps the extruded aluminum planks that hardly anyone uses, that doesn’t require some maintenance to keep that new-deck look. Even manufacturers of plastic decking are careful these days to say “low maintenance” instead of “no maintenance.”

There is no question that wood decking requires more maintenance than plastic decking. To me, that’s a cost worth paying. I’m a wood guy, and I’ve never seen a plastic deck that felt as inviting to me as even a run-down pressure-treated one. Tropical hardwoods such as ipé make the most beautiful decking, and as such, they deserve proper care.

I’m no expert at wood finishing, but Scott Burt is. Burt owns Prep to Finish, a Vermont company whose mission is training painters. His website devotes several pages to the care and feeding of ipé. If you own a tropical hardwood deck, build tropical hardwood decks, or are thinking of building a tropical hardwood deck, pay Prep to Finish’s site a visit.

Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products

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Flashing and Joist Tape

Flashing joists is a great way to prolong the life of a deck frame — after all, moisture management is key to longevity.

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MicroFoam Nitrile Coated Work Gloves

These gloves are comfortable and have a good grip, making for splinter-free work.

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Drill Driver/Impact Driver

Whether you're pre-drilling holes or driving screws, this Milwaukee® compact cordless driver is the way to go when it comes to building decks.

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