Hi Christina,

I'm not one of the specialists on the board, but the general concensus about Trex is to avoid it (though there are a few supporters). I'd check out the post a few above yours about spots on Trex Brasilia. I'd also check out the post entitled "videotape your deck" from Steve. It's a link to an Ipe rooftop deck (like what you want).

I can't address Fir specifically, but as a homeowner who just went through the decision process for our 1,250 square foot deck, I can tell you that I selected Ipe for numerous reasons. The first is that I felt composites just hadn't been on the market long enough for me to sink the money into something I wasn't positive would hold up over time. I also wanted no/low maintenance and good looks. I know Ipe can be a bit of a hassle if you want to keep it stained, but if you're happy with a gray that won't deteriorate, won't burn, and won't attrach insects, I don't think you can go wrong with it.

In my area, Ipe is very cost-competative with the higher-end Trex products. Well, I can't get Ipe locally, but the price George at East Teak quoted me was actually a bit cheaper than Trex locally.

Having been the treasurer of a condo association in Chicago and responsible for selecting and installing new windows, I know that money is always a concern. I also remember our annual deck cleaning bill of several thousand dollars each year (for a 6-unit building). With Trex, you'll be paying something similar for the annual cleaning. With Ipe, left gray, you can take that money and use it to build your association funds back up quicker.

My advice comes, I believe, from the signature line of somebody on this board: Buy the best, only cry once.

Good luck with your project!
Birgit

Hi Birgit,

That's me that says "buy the best and only cry once". Sounds like ccassis is gonna be doing a lot of crying. I've dealt with condo and coop boards, and they can be stubborn, and cheap. I don't deal with them anymore. Anyone that goes for the lowest bid gets what they paid for.

steve