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What are the Best IPE Stains
So what is the best IPE Stain? To better understand what stain or oil finish would work well for your IPE, it is important to understand what IPE is and why stains fail quicker.
Originating from South America and Central America, Ipe has earned its reputation because it is naturally durable, stable, resists checking, and is absolutely gorgeous. With a deep and rich red brown color, Ipe is considered by most lumber experts to be the ultimate choice for high quality decking.
IPE wood has a density of 78 per pounds/cubic foot. This is the highest rating of any decking stain and compared to softwoods like pine and cedar, IPE is 3-4 times denser. Due to this high density, stains for IPE have issues with penetration or lack there of. Since the wood allows minimal penetration of the stain, stains will fade faster.
Less stain absorption = less UV protection.
When choosing an IPE Finish you should look for:
- Ability to penetrate into the dense wood
- Fades lightly in color, not darken in color
- Not prone to peeling
- Can be cleaned and reapplied as needed
- UV protection
On the chart below we will rank the IPE Stains that we sell on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest.
Messmers | IPE Oil | Armstrong | Defy | Penofin | |
Penetration Into IPE | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
Fade Lightly (Not Darken) | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
Not Prone to Peeling | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
Clean and Re-coat Ability | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
UV Protection (Retaining Color) | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
Average Score | 3.8 | 4 | 4.2 | 4 | 3.8 |
These scores are indicative to our testing and may vary depending on the age of your IPE and where you are located. Feel free to ask any questions as to which stain would work for you.
The Best IPE Stains
Ask Questions in Comment Area Below
Comments
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Use Armstrong Clark or Defy Hardwood. IPE requires an annual application of stain.
Homeowner
Unless you recommend something different. So which stain would you recommend to slow the graying, and then how often might you think I'd need to re-apply? (I'm in northern Vermont, where there's plenty of rain and winter freeze-thaw cycles.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Hello, you will need to remove the old coatings first with a stain stripper. Once the wood is stripped, use a wood brightener to even it out. After the prep, stain with Defy Hardwood or Armstrong Clark.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Thanks for your help!
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Try the Defy Hardwood or the Armstrong Clark.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Confused on best product to use
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Try Armstrong Clark or Defy Hardwood stains. Prep first.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
The Black Walnut is their new color for hardwoods as of this year. There is nothing wrong with using a penetrating semi-transparen t for IPE, in fact, almost all the products we sell on this site are semi-transparen t.
Black walnut on IPe?
I know black walnut color is listed under hardwood stain on the AC websites, but there is a couple data points that conflict.
1) in I reading the Armstrong Clark instructions for the exotic wood stain, it explicitly states to only use amber and mahogany on IPE.
2) Also when ordering samples the black walnut on your webPage it Says it is semi transparent parent. And everything I read says to avoid semi transparent stains for IPE.
Please Look at the statements from their product data sheet from their website. Second page third paragraph.
http://www.armclark.com/downloads/2016/ProdDataSemiTransHW.pdf
Are their instructions wrong? Outdated? Or Is the some misunderstanding?
Thank you.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
IPE will require an annual coating. Look at Armstrong Clark in Black Walnut color.
Young deck
Looking for a stain. IPE Deck is 2 years old. Treated ends. Sanded. And stained only top side with Seafin Ship N Shore.
Deck is south facing with no shade and lots for rain (seattle). Would like easy to apply and avoid wiping (if possible). Deck is 400sq ft and took 2 gallons of the Ship N Shore.
Can you please recommend a stain. Performance is more important than the tone. But if I wanted the deck tone to be something it would tend towards walnut rather than redwood.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Your wood type requires an annual application or sooner as it will fade. 2 months does seem rather short. For the prep, you should strip and brighten if you switch brands. Richer colors will give longer UV protection. Armstrong Clark in Mahogany or Defy Hardwood in Light Walnut should hold the color better.
IPE Stain
Deck is 19ftx21ft. Is deckwise a good option still? Planning on getting IPE wood cleaner, power washing, and applying brightener before reapplying new stain.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
If you stain now it will be very uneven due to your spot sanding. The best thing would be to allow the wood to natural weather and then use the Ipe Cleaner to remove the oxidation. This would allow the wood to accept the stain evenly. Your would have to let it weather for 2-4 months.
to sand or not to sand...
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
All of the stains we sell are designed for this. You can test samples here:
http://www.ipestain.com/ipe-stain-samples
Home owner
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Try the IPE Oil for this.
Pie stain
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Look at Armstrong Clark or Defy Hardwood.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Prep with the Ipe Stain Stripper that we sell and pressure washing. Brighten the wood after. Stain with Armstrong Clark in amber on an annual basis for your wood type.
owner
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Any of our products should help.
interior ipe
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
All the coatings we sell will help to prevent graying. IPE needs reapplication every year at a minimum.
Protecting a new deck
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Yes you will have to remove first before using a different brand. Cabot changed their formulas so not the same. Use Defy Hardwood or Armstrong Clark.
Water stains on newly coated deck
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Yes you can.
IPE OIL
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Any of the products we sell can be used on IPE furniture. Make sure that there is not already a coating or stain on the wood.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Try the Ipe Oil.
interior stair treads
I am hoping to darken the wood as much as possible
Thank you
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
They are all tinted. See here for pictures of the colors:
http://www.ipestain.com/ipe-stain-samples
IPE oil or stain
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Oils should not leave water spots if properly applied and cures. Look at the Armstrong Clark or the Defy Hardwood. If you store properly it may be okay in a a year or so as long as there is not any evaporation.
home owner
Our contractor warns that some oils water spot. Is that your experience? And if so, which ones?
We have an existing redwood deck that will soon be refinished. What is the best stain/sealer for old redwood?
Since we will be recoating regularly can we use leftover product in the next year?
Many Thanks!
Connie
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
AC Mahogany will have better UV protection then the AC Amber.
uv
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Nothing will last more then a year with IPE on a horizontals surface. The longest we have seen will be the Armstrong Clark in Mahogany and the Defy Hardwood Stain in Light Walnut. Both still need to be cleaned and reapplied every year though. The issue is not the stain but the IPE being extremely dense. You can use the same stain for both the house and the decks. The house will last much longer since it is vertical.
Mr.
thank you.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
No you cannot apply a sealer on top of the Defy nor is it needed.
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
Look at Armstrong Clark in Amber or Defy Hardwood in Natural Pine.
Stain products for mukulungu
RE: What are the Best IPE Stains
The AC in the Mahogany holds the color the longest.
Advisor
Thank you.
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