Teak vs Ipe

[48dodge]

I'm looking to replace the teak on my boat as soon as I'm done painting. This includes toe rails, hatch runners and companionway runners. I'm looking into using ipe. I know it's notoriously hard to work with, hard on tools, etc. For the little amount that I'll be doing, it may be worth it. Anyone here tried to use the stuff? For the price, it may be worth trying. Typically less than 1/3 the cost of teak.

 

[Rick Webb]

I've Used It

I did not find it exceeding difficult to work with but it does make alot of yellow saw dust. I cant tell which pieces on the boat are teak and which is ipe now.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

If that's the Brazilian Hardwood you're talking about

I've watched it installed as decking on docks at Marina De La Paz in La Paz Mexico after they had been wiped out by a hurricane. The marina owner thought it was the very best thing he could rebuild his docks with, and the stuff looked beautiful. The big problem he had you already know about; tool life.Every screw hole had to be pre drilled with carbide bits and they wore dull pretty quickly. Each worker had a pocket full of bits, and he had a special shop set up to cut his boards. The stuff made great looking docks though.Joe S

 

[r.w.landau]

Brad, My approx. 8' long hand rails on my 25 O'Day are made with EPI.

I have looked for pictures but I am coming up empty. I plan to uncover the boat maybe this weekend. I used a rectangular piece the length of the handrail. I believe it was 1 1/4" wide buy 1" tall and about 8' long. I Installed 3' blocks a supports for the rail that were about 1' tall x 1" wide x 3' long. I used the old rail as a template and drilled the 8' piece at the same places that the original rail was drilled. I then cleaned the rail and the support blocks with alcohol and then applied gorilla glue and then bolted them together with the new screws and nuts that I was going to install them with.It worked great. The only trouble I had was the forward most section of the rail was hard to bend into the shape it needed to be and keep sealant between it and the deck. To make sure I had good seals, I counter sunk both the deck and the underside of the support so that when tightened the sealant was forced into and around the fastener and hole. I put the pieces together and just snugged them and did not tighten them until the sealant was cured. Then I tightened them by only turning the nut and not the screw. This helped make the sealant work like aq gasket.If I come across those pictures, I will post them.r.w.landau

 

[48dodge]

All or nothing

I'll be going all out with the ipe if that's what I go with so nothing to compare it to. I figured it's worth a shot. Glad to know someone else has used it.

 

[Manny]

Ipe is nice stuff

I've used it before and it is nice looking wood. It's definitely hard and dense but didn't seem to be too much trouble for my tools.