IPE vs composite decking for Brooklyn homes
This is not wood vs composite in general. That comparison is already on the site. This is IPE, a specific hardwood, versus a composite board on a Brooklyn deck or roof.
We install both. We also restore IPE that has gone gray. The right pick depends on the building, the maintenance you will actually do, and whether fire rating matters.
IPE
IPE is a dense hardwood. It starts a deep brown. Sun turns it gray. That is UV weathering, not rot. We restore gray IPE with cleaning, sanding where the boards need it, and a penetrating oil. It comes back close to the original brown.
Oil about once a year if you want to keep the brown. A shaded deck can sometimes stretch to every other season. If you skip oiling, the deck still works. It just looks silver.
IPE is a good backyard or terrace board when you want real wood and you will service it.
Composite
Composite does not need oil. It does not gray the same way. It is the lower-maintenance pick.
On many NYC roofs, fire rating matters. Some composite lines are made for that. Not every board qualifies. If the roof has a fire requirement, we spec a product that meets it. We are a Fiberon certified installer.
How we choose on a job
Backyard, you like wood, you will oil it: IPE is often the better look.
Rooftop, fire code, or you do not want yearly oil: composite, or porcelain pavers on pedestals when the roof needs a lift-out surface.
You already have gray IPE: do not rip it out first. Send a photo. Restoration is usually cheaper than a new deck.
See also: why IPE turns gray and IPE restoration cost.
Call (347) 212-0637