I am doing a deck and front porch in ipe and wonder if 1x is strong enough to use with 16 OC or if I should step up to 5/4. The stuff seems really hard and the salesman at the lumberyard says “everyone” uses 1x ipe for decking (maybe that’s because he only has 1x in stock!).
Anyone with any experiece using ipe want to chime in? As always, your input and comments are greatly appreciated.
Brian….Bayview Renovations
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Replies
Net 13/16" can span 24". Surfaced and radiused nets 11/16th, still can span 24" but a tad springy.
I'd frame on 16 centers and allow for the extra SS Screw costs, do NOT use any thing other than SS screws.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
let's be entrophatic, you start
with your framing 16" oc, the 1x Ipe' is plenty strong enough..
sometimes we use the 5/4 because the owner likes the appearance better and doesn't mind paying for it..
your salesman has limited experience... a lot of Ipe decks are 5/4.. mostly because of appearance ( or they may frame on 24" )
one by passes muster at 24" OC framing but seems a bit soft at that span to me. i do a lot of decks at 19.2"OC
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