Tag Archives: Cabot stains

Deck builder, Dock Builder, Ipe decks and outdoor structures

Bring home an exotic beauty right here in Central Georgia with an outdoor structure built from stunning Ipe Brazilian hardwoods

Central Georgia Ipe Decks
This deck in Forsyth, GA was built using Ipe and features an elegant black metal custom rail.

Out of all the materials available nowadays to use in building your outdoor structure, Ipe is among the strongest and most beautiful. Ipe comes from South America and is classified as an exotic hardwood. Ipe’s, rich, dark tone varies from board to board giving it an exotic look. The real advantage to using Ipe is its density and strength which make it a solid material to use on decks, porches and other outdoor structures.

Ipe is dense enough that it sinks in water. Its density requires that it be pre-drilled in order to be fastened. When fastening an Ipe deck we use stainless steel screws called head coat screws, which are brown to blend seamlessly with the decking itself. The ends of the Ipe boards need to be treated when they are cut during installation to avoid cracking. If you are dealing with a contractor that is not familiar with working with ipe then you usually end up with split ends from not treating the ends of the boards. Ipe is so dense that it doesn’t absorb much water which results in a lack of the normal expansion and contraction that are seen with other wooden decks.

Ipe pool deck in Macon GA by Archadeck of Central GA
See the beautiful rich dark shades in an Ipe deck.

Ipe is real wood, so it does require maintenance. It ages at about 1/10th the rate a normal pressure-treated wood deck does. But since it is wood, it can absorb enough moisture to cause cupping, splitting and warping over a long period of time. In order to maintain the beauty and life of your Ipe outdoor structure, we recommend applying an oil or sealer twice during the first year of installation and repeat this on an annual basis to maintain the deep, rich color. If you do skip a few years, you can pressure wash it and apply sealer which will cause it to revert back to its original color. The cost on an Ipe outdoor structure project is comparable to composite, PVC and synthetic materials.

ipe-deck-warner robins GA by Archadeck of Central GA
Ipe pool deck in Warner Robins GA

You may have noticed Ipe wood used at commercial venues. It was used by some of the Walt Disney Parks as the primary material for many of their bridges and boardwalk constructions. It is also used at the New Jersey boardwalk. Ipe also works great on docks and outdoor structures in close proximity to water features such as pools and spas for its resiliency near water. Because of the life span, strength, and durability of Ipe, it’s a great choice for commercial as well as residential applications.

When we use Ipe on a deck railing, we will often use pressure-treated wood rails with Ipe caps. The combination works very well when the pressure-treated wood is stained with Cabot’s Jarrah brown stain that perfectly mimic the look of Ipe. On the Ipe itself we use natural Australian timber oil to keep it in tip-top shape from the beginning.

Stephen Denton, owner of Archadeck of Central GA
Stephen Denton, owner of Archadeck of Central GA

If you are ready to transform your backyard space by adding the tropical beauty of Ipe Brazilian hardwoods, contact Archadeck of Central Georgia to assist you in your outdoor structure choice that best suits your needs and lifestyle. Call for a free consultation:  (478) 745 – 2000 Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

See more beautiful hardwood decks, including Ipe decks by visiting our wooden deck gallery located on our website.

Deck builder, Porch builder/contractor

This Macon GA deck has both functionality and style

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Macon GA deck with screen porch
Screened porch and new deck, in Macon, GA., has everything the homeowners wanted in an outdoor living structure and more.

When these Macon, GA., homeowners contacted us they were looking for a way to add functional outdoor space to their home. Their first choice was to add a full sunroom, but after careful consideration and weighing all the options, they decided that adding a screened porch and extend their existing deck by adding another side. In most cases a screened porch addition is more economical than that of a sunroom.

A screen porch addition can add at least 3 seasons of enjoyment to your outdoor living enjoyment especially here in the south where our warm days can sometimes extend into the latter months of autumn. These Macon residents will be able to watch the seasons change from spring through fall from their new screened outdoor room. With a screened porch you are protected from the elements as well as from insects. This type of outdoor living structure gives you all the benefits of being outdoors. It also gives you the feeling of extended living space – sort of a backyard living room.

Deck Builder Macon GA Porch Builder Macon GA - Archadeck
Painstaking care was taken to match the existing home. Note the brick deck skirt and white railings to match the home.

When we installed the screen porch and the re-decking we added some structural support and added the new deck area. We were able to match the brick for the  screen porch to the existing brick used on the home, we even had the brick manufacturer come to the home to ensure a proper blend that would match. This is an example of the painstaking lengths and care we take in each of our projects. The roof for the screen porch is situated between two gables on the back of the home. This was a challenge, which  we were able to make fit beautifully in spite of the obstacle.

The homeowners chose to use TimberTech composite decking material throughout the entire design. The color is similar to the rich tropical hardwood look of  Ipe. Because composite companies often change their colors every year or two, we always leave at least two boards under the deck to safeguard in case there is ever a problem. We used Cabot white stain to match the trim on the home and on the home’s siding. The railing is 6 x 6 posts also painted with the white Cabot sealer with composite rail caps to match the composite used on the floor of the re-decking, new deck area and the screen porch. We finished it up with pyramid post caps which add a little panache to the whole design.

To top it off  we installed a dog friendly  gate onto the deck which swings out to keep those muddy puppy paws off the deck. We also added a hatch underneath the deck on the brick for a storage area.

Stephen Denton, owner of Archadeck of Central GA
Stephen Denton, owner of Archadeck of Central GA

This design solution is an example of how Archadeck of Central Georgia was able to translate the customer’s intended functions into an outdoor living area design full of form, and style. Contact us for a free consultation. (478) 745 – 2000 centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

View more stunning imagery of inspiring screened porches and decks by visiting our screen porches gallery, as well as our deck galleries, located on our website.