> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gabriel Orgrease
> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 9:37 AM

> 
> As consultant to an architect on a project at Gramercy Park 
> North desire is to replace faux Tudor wood plank installed in 
> 1900's w/ new wood. I was asked to confer on IPE (a Brazilian 
> ironwood? 

Ipe is a Brazilian hardwood; the product we are seeing in the building
industry is farm-grown. It's good stuff in the appropriate application.
Its durability is rooted in its extremely high density and its natural
oils. It is naturally resistant to water and insect and microbe
infestation.

In addition to the workability drawbacks you note, these durability
traits also make  it extremely difficult to get a finish to adhere to
Ipe. It won't absorb stain, and getting a paint film to stick is like
painting a teflon pan. 

Is this tudoresque tongue and groove paneling, or tudor "beams" in a
field of stucco? In either case they would have likely been stained or
painted, and I think Ipe would be a bad choice.

Dan

_____________________________________
Dan Becker, Division Manager
City & Regional Planning Division  
Raleigh Department of City Planning 
919/516-2632  




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