You can sand ipe anytime you want I dont know how that mith got started but it just wont go away.
John Hyatt www.deckmastersllc.com

John...I wonder if, like other woods such as cedar, Ipe does not readily absorb sealants/finishes well after the surface has been FINE sanded.
Certainly, application instructions for some cedar finishes specifically call for rough sanding of smooth surfaces before application of their product. Something about the absorbant (capillary?) cell structure of the wood being somewhat 'closed' at the surface by fine sanding.
Perhaps this myth about Ipe has been perpetuated by experiences of people trying unsuccessfully to coat finely sanded installations. And Ipe is an exceptionally closed grain wood to start with.
I'd bet that it would not be a bad idea to give any Ipe surface a pass of 60 grit on an orbital sander and then lift out the dust from the surface with a wipe of a rag soaked in naptha before applying the new sealant. The 60 grit would probably help reduce the intensity of the existing BBQ stains (if they are restricted to the surface) and the naptha might help lift the wax stains.
This is untested theory on my part. What do you think?
Dan

Dan my Man.

Ipe comes from South America sanded with 100 grit.

Using naptha is a really bad idea as well as being useless and of course you are using pure voc the green freaks would really love to get your address.

A person could sand with 320 grit the finish would take the same. Your just not geting it...ipe is wood

Reread.........Again.

One more time. Puting finish on ipe is no different than say Red Oak.Just drift on out there and sand a stick of ipe with 320 grit, put a brush load of twp on it, wait a day or so, and try to get it off. Ghessssssssssssss how maney times have I gone through this. J.