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Porches & Decks
sfdeckist

Painting an ipe deck

17 years ago

So, I've done a bunch of Google searches and I see that it is heresy to paint an Ipe deck. Alas, I am a heretic, and I really want to!

I'm replacing a small 5'x7' landing near my front porch on a restored Victorian and I want to maintain the same colors used on the rest of the trim of the house. Aged Ipe is beautiful, but I want brown!

The decking will be made from biscuit-joined 3/4"x3.5" boards.

Questions:

- Is this a reasonable thing to do? Please keep in mind I'm replacing an existing surface and maintaining the Victorian aesthetic and color design is important.

- How do I prepare the Ipe boards for painting? I've heard that I should wash with oxalic acid first, then sand with an orbital sander using 60 grit, but I've also heard conflicting advice.

Thanks!

Comments (6)

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