Have you ever worked with Ipe wood? It's extremely strong, dense, and durable, but it's expensive and tough to work with. Matt Risinger visits one of his top-notch finish carpenters to discuss the best practice when installing an Ipe screen and guardrail off a master bedroom deck. Despite the benefits of using Ipe wood, it's a valuable resource, so Master Builder Matt Risinger wants to emphasize that we should use Ipe responsibly. It takes a long time to grow and it's hard to get the wood to your building site.On this remodel, Risinger and the team are using the Ipe wood to build a deck with a screen off the master bedroom. They pre-cut the Ipe wood as shiplap before installed, and each piece of wood was sealed on the edges. Best practice with any wood construction outdoors, like the porch on this remodel, is to leave ½ inch between the screen pieces and the wood floor. This allows for airflow, which ensures that the wood will last longer and remain in great condition.Other tips, which should be considered for all outdoor projects, but especially in one that uses a finite resource like Ipe wood, include using stainless steel fasteners and not using glue. In the future, if a new owner wants to do another renovation on this home, they can easily re-purpose the Ipe wood and use it like it was new. Want more details on best practices and the benefits of using Ipe? Tune into the full video