Completed Project · May 2026
Ipe Deck Cleaning & Oiling in Chicago, IL
Ipe Deck Cleaning & Oiling at a home in Chicago on West Melrose Street. 280 sq ft oiled. Completed by our Chicago team.
Completed by our Chicago crew
Ipe Deck Cleaning & Oiling at a home in Chicago on West Melrose Street. 280 sq ft oiled. Completed by our Chicago team.
Completed by our Chicago crew
Ipe doesn't age gently when the oil wears off. The dense Brazilian hardwood goes gray and dry at the surface, and by the time a Chicago summer and a few hard winters have cycled through, the grain is open and thirsty. This 280-square-foot single-level deck in Chicago — handrails, floor, and stair treads all in ipe — had reached that point, the previous season's finish spent. It was the second year we'd maintained this customer's deck, so we already knew the color: Sienna, matched to keep the look consistent year over year.
We started by applying cleaner and power washing the full surface to lift the accumulated dirt and grime, then moved into sanding — full power sanding on all horizontal surfaces and careful hand sanding on the vertical faces where a machine would do more harm than good. Any loose nails and fasteners we found during that pass got set and secured before the finish went down. Ipe is dense enough that it won't accept oil unless the surface is completely dry and properly opened, so we didn't rush that step. One coat of Deckwise ipe oil-based sealer went onto the handrails, deck floor, and stair treads — the trans-oxide pigments carry UV protection without masking the natural hardwood character. Both sides of the privacy wall got a coat of Rymar Xtreme Weather in Sienna to match, tying the whole surface together.
On this Home in Chicago, our Chicago crew carried out a complete Ipe Deck Cleaning & Oiling across 280 of decking — from thorough surface prep and any needed repairs through to a durable, color-matched finish built to hold up to Chicago weather. Here's everything the job included:
Work performed
Showing the home's condition before our team arrived, and the result after the ipe deck cleaning & oiling was complete.
Proudly serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
Our Chicago crew also serves these areas.
Common questions from Chicago homeowners researching Ipe Deck Cleaning & Oiling.
For this 280 sq ft ipe deck — including cleaning, sanding, wood railing, stairs, and one coat of Rymar Xtreme Weather oil — the project came to $2,930. In the Chicago area, ipe deck oiling typically runs between $1,800 and $4,500 depending on square footage, railing complexity, and the condition of the existing finish.
A 280 sq ft ipe deck like this one — with cleaning, sanding, and a full oil application — generally takes one to two days for a crew to complete. Drying and cure time for the Rymar Xtreme Weather oil adds another 24 to 48 hours before the deck is ready for regular use.
On this job we cleaned the surface to remove dirt and oxidation, sanded the boards to open the grain and smooth out weathering, then applied one coat of Rymar Xtreme Weather hardwood oil to the deck field, wood railing, and stairs. Sanding is a critical step with ipe because it allows the oil to penetrate properly rather than sitting on top of a closed, weathered surface.
Ipe should typically be oiled every one to two years, depending on sun exposure, foot traffic, and how well the previous coat was maintained — on this deck, the prior oil had worn off entirely, leaving the wood unprotected and beginning to gray. Staying on a regular oiling schedule keeps the wood from drying out and makes each maintenance visit faster and less labor-intensive. For a quote, call our Chicago team at (773) 997-1817.
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