A natural wood and very nice looking....

They rarely split and crack, but when they do...whatch out!... it's like lots of tiny razor blades, and they are very difficult to sand out.

Of course we are talking about Natural Hardwoods

Ipe, (pronounced "ee pay") hardwood decking has recently become a top choice for residential decks due to its low maintenance, attractive color, and very smooth surface. Very resistant to rot, insects, UV exposure, ice, salt, abrasion, splintering, and chemicals, Ipe is a heavy timber, approximately 64 lbs. per cubic foot when dry, and has a Class A fire rating that lasts over 25 years. You may have heard it called "Ironwood" because it is the longest lasting natural wood on the market. There are others, like "Tigerwood" however the life span has yet to be determined.

All hardwoods are very beautiful once installed, but, every type of wood has an advantage, or a disadvantage and unfortunately the disadvantages to owning an Ipe deck, is that it will require a little more maintenance such as annual staining to keep it looking beautiful. That means an extra annual cost to homeowners, also the cost of building with hardwoods are on the upper end of deck prices.

I hope this brief explanation on hardwoods was helpful to you in making your decision whether or not to use them when building your deck. Please call me if you would like me to discuss it further with you.