Supplier is pushing Massaranduba at a great price for a residential dock in Minnesota. I know it's rot-proof and dense, but I've read it can check and get brittle with hard freeze-thaw cycling, more than Ipe. Anyone with real northern-climate dock experience with Massaranduba? Is the checking cosmetic or structural?
Built two Massaranduba docks on Lake Vermilion. It checks more than Ipe, no question — but it's surface checking, cosmetic. The structural issue is it moves HARD. Tighten your fastener schedule and don't skimp on end sealing and you'll be fine. At that price delta it's worth it.
One caveat: Massaranduba hates going from saturated to bone dry fast. On a dock that's fine (stays humid). Just don't use the leftovers on a sun-baked upland deck.
I've installed plenty of Massaranduba up here, and frankly, it's notorious for checking compared to Ipe. In Minnesota's freeze-thaw cycles, those surface cracks can grow deep, leading to splintering that's hell on bare feet. If you do use it, you absolutely must use high-quality end-grain sealer like Anchorseal immediately after every cut, and keep the boards coated with a penetrating oil like Penofin to manage the moisture flux. It isn't structural failure, but it’s high maintenance. If the client wants a 'set it and forget it' dock, steer them toward Ipe or even high-end composite instead.
Sign in to join the conversation.