DECKING OPTIONS – PART 1 – WOOD OPTIONS

IPE - An extremely dense, tight grained wood. Generally a deep rich brown with some pieces displaying red and amber hues.  Ipe decking offers benefits such as low maintence decking material, durable, scratch resistant surface,  all natural, chemical free decking.    Ipe has a high rating for insect and decay resistance and a 40+ year lifespan.  Sealers are not necessary! Ipe deck treatment is only needed if you desire to keep the rich brown colours that exist in a new installation. Ipe lumber will age to a natural silver gray patina, and outlast most woods with no chemical coating.

Check out Ipe lumber at www.ipedepot.com

TIGERWOOD - Light golden brown to reddish brown with irregular black and brown streaks.  Tigerwood is naturallly mold and decay resistant and is so dense that it holds together over many years of use. This kind of strength means that you won’t have to worry about splinters. Also, because Tigerwood dries fast, it’s also slip resistant.  Tigerwood offers a 20+ year lifespan.  A tigerwood deck will age well – it will slowly undergo a color shift if left untreated and attain a distinguished silvery-gray shade over time. 

If you want to keep the deck looking new all you’ll have to do is use a deck oil with a U.V. inhibitor twice the first two years, then once every other year after that. That’s it.

Check out Tigerwood at www.tigerwooddecking.com

PRESSURE TREATED WOOD - Very pronounced grain. Dusty yellow-green palor due to chemical treatment of the wood.  A chemical preservative, chromated copper arsenate is forced into the wood.  Offering resistance to decay, but also potential health concerns.  Amine Copper Quat (ACQ) and Copper Azone (CA) – Since 2003 these two chemical combinations have been the two most popular choices for pressure treated lumber deemed for residential use. Not much at all is known of the health risks of these chemicals. On paper these chemicals sound better than ARSENIC but at this point in time whether these new chemicals will turn out to be less hazardous than CCA in the long term is anyone's guess.

The effects of the elements on pressure-treated wood are no different than with ordinary wood. So a preservative is a must, and should be applied as soon as possible after your project is completed.  Pressure-treated lumber is shipped to the lumberyard in stacks that are tightly bundled and damp... sometimes even wet. If you go and pick through a bin of pressure-treated lumber, you will see some pieces are straight, and others moderately to wildly warped. The warped pieces are invariably the pieces that were on the outside of the bundle... exposed to the sun and air and dried on one side.  Once installed in your project and subjected to freely moving air and the sun, the same effect occurs. Shrinkage of deck boards can be excessive, in both length and width, and twisting can loosen railings and floor boards. Railings can become cracked and splintery, making them uncomfortable to use.

CHECK BACK IN NEXT WEEK AND WE’LL LOOK AT SOME MAINTANENCE FREE PVC DECKING OPTIONS.

Lenny & Lisa

Summer Maintenance To Do List:

•  Wash the exterior of windows and siding. 
• Apply a fresh coat of paint to the house or replace any damaged siding.
• Dust your ceiling fans. 
• Check windows and doors for air leaks and seal with weather stripping or caulking. 
• Repair broken fencing.  If you are thinking of replacing your fence take a look at the maintenance free options. 
• Check decks and railings for safety.  If you are thinking of replacing them there are many maintenance free options to consider.
•   Great storage options for all those summertime supplies are adding a shed or enclosing the bottom of a high deck. 
• Repair any driveway cracks and apply sealer. 
• Check your front and storm door for winter damages.  Now is a great time to paint or replace your doors.

Lenny & Lisa

WAYS TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE COOL WITHOUT GOING BROKE …….

•       Turn up the thermostat – keep your air conditioner on 75 – it will still feel much cooler than the outdoors.

•       Close up the house – keep shades pulled to keep the sun from driving up the interior temperature. If you need new blinds or shades white does the best job reflecting light.

•       Install ceiling fans – they do a great job of moving the air around and they can make a room feel 5-6 degrees cooler.

•       Only turn on lights when absolutely necessary – install dimmer switches so you don’t have to have lights on as bright.

•       Wash clothes in cold water and do laundry at night when it typically cools down – dryers, even when properly vented, still let some heat back into your house.

•       Use a fan with your window air conditioner unit to help move the cool air through the rest of the house.

•       Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.  Air dry your dishes instead of using the dishwashers dry cycle.

•      Replace air conditioners that are over 10 years old – they are only half as efficient as newer units.

•       Add more insulation to your attic – not only will it help keep the cool in during the summer – but it will also help keep the heat in during the winter.

•       When it does finally cool down outside – turn off the air conditioner and open those windows.

By trying out these things you may actually save a few dollars --- and keep cool in the process.

Lenny & Lisa