We have no idea what the other deck looks like but we have a cedar deck all around our above ground pool and it requires a redo every 3 yrs at best. We would have done a concrete deck if the pool had been in ground and believe me the cedar gets hot too in the sun. I would have done IPE if we had the money.

Patricia Cowell Consulting: thanks much for your feedback. May I ask what you mean when you say “re-do”? Powerwash & reseal? Or actually replace? Also, is the cedar too hot for bare feet? Thanks again!

I recently had an I ground pool installed and really wanted a wood deck around it for a tropical look. But Ipe was too expensive- even to add as an accent. And other wood options concerned me with splinters and getting hot and maintenance.
I went with a white limestone and could not be happier. It does not get hot at all and it is all in full sun in Houston. It was listed as an option under travertine pricing for me. But my friends recently redid their pool decking with a light color travertine and it was hot to me. I was another pool last weekend with flagstone and my feet were on fire.

But if I’d had the money I would have loved to use Ipe. Although one pool guy convinced me to not use it by saying the gross bugs who cannot be named would crawl up the cracks. So maybe I wouldn’t! Haha

Poollivingthedreamnow: thank you for sharing your own experience with me. Yikes on the gross bugs! :-D

We have an in ground salt water pool with a concrete patio on one end and an ipe wood platform on the other. Because we are in the mid west we have two very harsh seasons-and want materials that last. Concrete can be hot, but this is not Palm Springs so it is fine, the ipe platform gets hot, but we love the natural look. Not sure I would do cedar as it is more work for maintenance over the ipe. I am penny wise so looked at all options while the ipe is expensive it is not much more than the cedar and the longevity makes it a bargain.

Thanks for your feedback, Diane! I really do only hear raves about ipe. By chance, do you have plants or trees around the ipe, and if so, is that a problem with staining, etc? Our pool area is woodsy, and my husband wonders if the droppings from trees and other plantings that surround our deck might damage or stain it if we decided to go with wood.

We have a weeping cedar so it is not an issue, however, our neighbors have silver maple I pick up every leaf as soon as it falls. I realize nothing is completely maintenance free and am willing to do a little bit of extra work for quality.

Thanks for sharing your experience with me, Diane. One last question if you don't mind. Do you protect the ipe with anything? I've read that ipe doesn't need to be treated; wondering if that really means no stains or seal whatsoever. (I like the grey look so wouldn't need to stain for color.)