Many builders and contractors have shared their best tips for working with Ipe wood. Here’s what they’ve learned and shared about gluing and painting it. Note, Ipe and Brazilian woods are very difficult to glue. Suggest gluing Ipe and painting Ipe only as a last resort.
Gluing
Ipe is a Brazilian hardwood that’s tough to glue because of its natural oils and tight wood grain. But with the right steps and glue, you can make it stick!
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Best Glue to Use:
Marine Grade Epoxy works great. Polyurethane adhesives are also choices and have been used with varying success. Traditional Wood glues will not hold.
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Cleaning:
Make sure the wood is clean from dirt, sawdust, or oils first. Use something like acetone or denatured alcohol to clean it off and let it dry completely. Glue quickly after the cleaning / drying.
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Sanding:
If you can, roughen up the surface with low-grit sandpaper (like 60-80 grit). This helps the glue stick better.
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Applying Glue:
Epoxy glue usually comes in two parts that need to be mixed together before you use it.
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Clamping:
Use clamps to hold the pieces together tightly. Put wax paper between the clamp and wood to catch any glue drips.
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Testing:
Always try your glue on some scraps first to make sure it works how you want it to.
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Using Screws:
Sometimes, glue alone isn’t enough for these hard woods. You might need to use screws or dowels too.
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Note on Cumaru:
This wood is super tricky to glue because its oils keep coming out, making glued parts fall apart after a few months. The consensus is to do not even try to glue Cumaru as the glue joint will fall apart.
Painting
Painting Ipe wood is tricky because it’s dense and oily. But here’s how to get the best results as told to us by contractors who have taken the plunge.
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Paint Choice:
Latex-based paints are your friend because they let the wood “breathe” and stick better.
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Prepping the Wood:
Let the Ipe wood get used to the environment and dry out first. Clean it well with something like alcohol or acetone to remove oils and other stuff that could prevent paint from sticking.
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Priming:
Use a metal primer like Zinsser 1-2-3 or XIM Bonder you can find at paint stores. This helps the paint stick better.
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Painting:
Finish up with two coats of good-quality 100% acrylic latex paint for a strong, lasting color.
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The Goal:
The aim is to make the wood look great while dealing with its tough nature, so your project turns out beautiful and lasts a long time.
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Why?
Ipe is a beautiful wood. Think about why you are painting it.