This stunning Gulf-front property in Alys Beach, Florida, boasts unparalleled craftsmanship on both the interior and exterior, prominently showcasing Ipe wood. This property consistently uses oak throughout the interior and Ipe (pronounced “eepay”) exotic hardwood across its exterior to bring the inside out and the outside in. Even the garage door of this home utilizes Ipe, as it is the perfect material for a Gulf-front home due to its density and durability.
“The gates and shutters of this house had a spectacular design to them,” says Edward San Juan. “The whole interior panel was spec’d as a screen panel of latticework made out of Ipe, and we actually half-lapped all of the solid Ipe for those panels. It is an incredible design. Ipe is extremely stout and sturdy. The exterior shutters are over three inches thick, and a lot of the gates are similar. They have all held up incredibly well.”
CHALLENGES
This client wanted as much of the exterior as possible to be weathered wood to reflect the home’s location and the coastal landscape. The work included the shutters, gates, fascia, soffit, handrails, balcony newels, massive columns, and arched openings. All of these elements would pose a challenge considering the location being Gulf-front, as any materials used need to withstand weather conditions and rotting and have overall durability without sacrificing aesthetics.
SOLUTION
E. F. San Juan utilized its expertise and professional sources of over twenty-five domestic and exotic wood species. Our craftsmen and the KVA team determined that Ipe would be the best for the job. While Ipe is known for being very durable and an excellent choice regarding a luxury aesthetic, it is also so dense and heavy that installation can be a significant challenge. Fun fact: Ipe is so dense that it will sink in water! This is one of the reasons this material is so heavy-duty and virtually rot-proof. Thanks to these qualities, it is one of the few species that can be utilized for coastal homes directly on the Gulf or ocean. While this material is excellent for this project, Ipe is difficult to put through machines and glue. The E. F. San Juan team’s experience and skillfulness allowed us to craft and install this Ipe material using innovative joining methods to ensure that the gates and shutters had secondary and tertiary means of support on the joinery. This project turned out absolutely stunning and is a true testament to the fantastic craftsmanship provided by E. F. San Juan, even when working with difficult materials.