July 26, 2005
Best Deck Materials?
In today's home improvement market, there are a lot of deck materials available, everything from synthetics made to look like wood to a variety of wood species, tropical and domestic. Visiting your local home improvement store and getting samples of the materials they offer is a good way to get a feel for what you like. In the mean time, here's a look at some of the decking options out there:
Pressure-treated Wood
Pressure-treated wood is inexpensive (compared to other deck materials) and very popular. It's usually made from hemlock, southern pine, or fir (sometimes a combination). One of the downsides of pressure-treated wood is it uses chemicals like arsenic to help it resist rot (though the toxic treatments are being phased out). To be on the safe side, you should wear gloves and safety goggles when working with it (it's fine to touch and walk across once it's in a deck).
Tropical Hardwood Decks
Tropical hardwoods include ipe, mahogany, and meranti. These woods are often used in high-end housing because of their extreme durability and resistance to rot and insects. You pay more for those qualities though.
Softwoods
Softwoods include cedar and redwood. They are handsome deck choices and naturally resist decay and rot. Though not as expensive as the tropical hardwoods, softwoods are pricier than pressure-treated wood.
Synthetic Wood Planking
Synthetic woods are environmentally friendly deck choices. Though they don't have quite the same look as real wood, they don't require the maintenance, such as applying a protective sealer annually, and there's no danger of getting a splinter from them. However, synthetics are not strong enough to use for structural framing and can only be used for decking. They are made from materials such as recycled plastics and wood fibers and PVC.
Source: Taunton's Deck & Patio Idea Book
