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Project Showcase

Showcase: 600sqft Garapa herringbone patio overlay

Phil Jennings Jul 16, 2026 at 10:34 PM

Just wrapped up this custom 600sqft Garapa herringbone pattern over a high-end waterproofed balcony system in coastal San Diego. Used 1x4 stock with hidden stainless clips. The challenge was maintaining exact alignment over the perimeter drainage channels while keeping the pattern tight without visible fasteners. We had to calibrate the gap spacing to exactly 3/16 inch to account for the salt air expansion cycles. The client wanted a seamless flow from the interior hardwood, so we used a transition strip of solid bronze. Garapa is brutal on carbide blades compared to Ipe, so I ended up burning through two premium 60-tooth blades just on the miter cuts for the border. How are you guys handling edge-trimming on these herringbone patterns? Finding it tough to keep the edges crisp without significant tear-out on the end grain.

2 Replies

Kevin DoyleJul 18, 2026 at 10:34 PM

Nice work, Kevin. That herringbone looks sharp. I’ve been running Garapa for a while, and I found the trick for those perimeter cuts is to score the grain with a sharp utility knife before hitting it with the track saw. If you're doing a lot of field trimming, try switching to a Diablo fine-finish blade; the higher tooth count seems to help with the end-grain splintering. For the edges, I usually use a sacrificial strip of 1/4 inch plywood clamped down as a zero-clearance guide. It saves the actual board face from any tear-out. Solid choice on the bronze transition—that detail really sells the interior-to-exterior flow.

Jordan HayesJul 22, 2026 at 10:34 PM

Killer execution on that layout, Kevin. Herringbone at that scale is no joke, especially with Garapa’s density. Regarding your tear-out struggle on the mitered perimeter, have you tried applying blue painter's tape layered with a bead of thin CA glue directly over your cut line? It reinforces the fibers against the blade exit. Also, I’ve found that swapping to a PCD-tipped blade for those cuts makes a world of difference. It handles the silica in the wood much better than standard carbide and keeps that end-grain razor sharp. That bronze transition is a classy touch—definitely worth the headache during install.