I'm sick of red oak

[LittleBen]

hardware stores will not sell ipe .... it's for fairly high end decks ...

[takefive]

Check out Menards website, Robyn.  They carry ipe and, surprisingly, bubinga, jatoba, and more.  The catch is that you have to order online and have it sent to the store.  And the problem is buying a board sight unseen.  But if you're a gambler...  

[T Callahan]

Thanks mockingbird I'll give that a shot.

yeah lowes does not carry Ipe decking I checked this morning

[Sam Harper]

Here's some places that sell ipe in MD.

Whitewash, MD, about an hour from you:

 http://www.mcilvain.com/hardwoods/ipe-lumber-and-decking/

Laytonsville, MD, about an hour and 45 minutes from you:

 http://www.mcilvain.com/hardwoods/ipe-lumber-and-decking/

I found these by googling "ipe maryland."

[Sam Harper]

Woops!  That second link was supposed to be:

 http://central-maryland.archadeck.com/

[Sam Harper]

Here's a place that sells all kinds of hardwoods, including ipe.  They're in La Plada, MD, about an hour and 40 minutes from you:

 http://www.maryland-select.com/

[Sam Harper]

Here's a place in Dover, DE, that might have ipe (you'd have to call and ask).  It's about an hour from you.

 http://www.bestchoiceflooring.net/

[Sam Harper]

Here's a place about an hour and fifteen minutes from you that sells bamboo flooring. That's another option.  I've made lots of bamboo backed vertical grain flooring bows.  They take a lot of set, but they're easy to make, hard to break, and are very quiet.