Are you thinking about building a deck for your home? Have you considered the type of wood you will be using while building the deck? While building the deck, most people consider the expenditure.
The cost of the IPE Wood decks often makes people avoid them. The price, as well as the aesthetics, of the composite decks or decks of other synthetic materials, often make people choose these as the elements for their decks.
However, as people are getting inclined to choose the natural products for their home, they are getting curious about the differences between the decks made by the composite materials and the ipe.
In the following section of this article, we have talked about the factors that make these two types of decking materials so different from each other. Take a look to know more about this issue.
The similarities
The differences between these two materials of decks are so diverse, that it is easier for the salesmen of the decking stores to talk about the similarities between them. Both can be considered as moderate to high priced decking materials. The similarities between these two materials stop right there.
The Differences Between These Two decking Materials
Quality of Product
While the IPE Wood decks are an all-natural renewable real wood product, the composite decks are not natural. They are made from a mixture of plastics and wood flour. While this mixture enhances the strength of the decks, it is not natural.
Span
The synthetic decking boards do not span very far. The joists of the composite deckings should be placed at 12” on the center if the decking is installed diagonally. The ipe decking is very rigid. So much so that these wood decks can span up to 24” on the center.
Dimensional Stability
The ipe decks have amazing dimensional stability opposing to the composite decks. Most of the synthetic decks significantly contract and expand with the change of temperature. The plastic decking materials show the most significant movement due to the temperature changes.
Fire resistant
The deck materials that are made of plastic or composite materials do not have any resistance against fire. Compared to this, the decks made of Ipe offer significant protection against fire incidents. The IPE Wood deck materials have a class A fire rating.
Scratches
The synthetic decking materials are susceptible to easy scratches. The painful fact is that there is no repair for such unsightly scratches. On the other hand, the high-density ipe decking materials are so resistant to scratches that it often gets selected for making boardwalks and other high traffic areas. Even if the ipe decking materials do get a gouge, a simple sanding can solve the problem effectively.
The Colors
The synthetic decking materials come in different shades of color. However, the longevity of the colors entirely depends on the manufacturers. The severity of the fading of the color in the plastic decking material also depends on them significantly.
The color of the Ipe is not dependent on the manufacturers. As the color of the materials is natural, therefore you do not have to worry about fading a single bit.
Now that you know all the difference between the ipe and the composite decking, it’s time for you to make the decision. Even though the price of the natural decks like Ipe wood is higher, in the long run, the natural woods offer the best benefits.