My biggest piece of furniture…EVER!

by Jason Falejczyk - Frankfort, IL

About three years ago I started on a project that would become my largest piece of furniture to date: my deck. Furniture, you say? Yes…I do consider this deck a piece of furniture. It has all the qualities of fine craftsmanship: exotic hardwood materials, tight fitting woodworking joints, an oil-rubbed finish, concealed joinery throughout, and an anal-retentive woodworker behind it all!

Our house's elevation is not that high. Nine out of ten homes like mine are completed with a poured concrete or brick paver patio. Being a woodworker, I was not about to go that route. I had my heart set on a deck from the beginning. Knowing that I had never built a deck before, I decided to make it simple...NOT!

I found out about Ipe on the Internet and never looked back. Composites were never even considered. I don't care for the limitations with composites. With wood you can do just about anything. After doing a lot of research, I decided to buy from Advantage Lumber (www.advantagelumber.com), whom I highly recommend. They're a great company to work with, delivered exactly what I ordered, and made right quickly when damaged boards came on the first delivery.

If you haven't heard about Ipe, it's an imported exotic hardwood from South America. It has many trade names like Brazilian Walnut or Ironwood. It's one of the densest, most rot, insect, and fire resistant woods there are…it doesn't even float!

It's extremely difficult to work with, but the end product is definitely worth the added effort. Every end-grain cut must be sealed with a wax emulsion. Every fastener must pre-drilled with the correct sized pilot hole. Try and drill into Ipe, or just drill too small of a pilot hole, and you will snap the screw!

I designed 90% of the deck/gazebo in CAD. This was done more for the ordering side than the actual construction. I wanted to get an exact idea how much wood I would need, and the dimensions, when ordering. This is where the guys at Advantage were very accommodating.

The CAD design also came in very handy with the gazebo construction. Let me tell you a little something about Ipe: it does not “give an inch”…it's not forgiving. Everything had to be absolutely perfect in order to come together. You couldn't cut a board a tad off, push it into place, and shoot a nail through.

The double-rafter roof is a prime example of how particular the construction must be. In order for the eight custom built rafters to come together at the top, I couldn't be off at all. It was a real challenge…my hardest to date.

A few quick details about the deck, and then onto some more pictures…

• Entire deck/gazebo secured with concealed Ipe-Clips or countersunk screws with Ipe plugs.
• All stainless steel fasteners….screws, lags, carriage bolts, etc….pretty costly!
• All railing fasteners hidden as well. Pocket hole joinery used on undersides on railing.
• No-maintenance aluminum spindles.
• Picture frame decking.
• Finished with Messmers UV Plus for Hardwoods.

There are lots more pictures, with much more detail on my web page: Complete Ipe Deck/Gazebo Article. And now, more pictures.

This mezzanine is on the left side of the deck as you face the house—across the center access to the yard, opposite the gazebo.

An alcove to accommodate a grill, which I'll put in when I've rested a bit.

Detail of the post caps and rails.

One major chapter closed in my life. May I never build another deck for as long as I live.

(Compilor's note: In my opinion, one of the most stunning visual aspects of any project featured here, and a fitting final picture for this report.)