Choosing the right materials for your deck can make all the difference. After all, your deck is an extension of your living space and making sure that it’s built to represent your style and your needs is critical. Choose the wrong materials and you might be in for more maintenance than you wanted or spend more money than you intended. In this guide, we’ll help you choose the best lumber for decking by highlighting the most important factors to consider when selecting lumber.
Things to Consider When Choosing Decking Wood Types
Before you go jumping into the process of creating the deck of your dreams, whether you’re building a new deck or resurfacing an existing structure, make sure you consider the following points.
Climate
Homeowners who live in areas susceptible to a lot of rain or high humidity levels need to factor in their climate. While all decks should be built from rot- and moisture-resistant materials, composite decking and tropical hardwoods will outperform most other lumber types and species.
Maintenance
Each decking material and species has an associated amount of deck maintenance required to keep it looking great and protected from rot. Some are high maintenance, requiring frequent staining or sealing to keep them protected. Others are less intensive, needing just a quick wash twice a year to maintain them.
Hardwood decking, such as ipe, requires a specific maintenance approach. Because hardwoods don’t easily absorb stains or oils, This Old House Magazine recommends treating your deck like a giant piece of furniture: starting with a clean, dry surface, brush on a penetrating oil formulated for dense wood and wipe off the excess with a clean rag. Reapply once a year or whenever gray starts to return. Even after many years of sun exposure, the natural look can be restored by cleaning with oxygen bleach and then oiling.
Lifespan
Certain lumber species will last longer than others when exposed to the elements. For instance, untreated wood will only last a few years, while pressure-treated decking will last 15 or so years. Cedar will last around 20 years, while redwood can last more than 25 years. Composite decking has a lifespan of 25 to 50 years.
Pro Tip: According to Blum, a wood-treatment expert quoted in This Old House Magazine: “Naturally durable species such as redwood and cedar are not as consistently durable as wood that has been pressure-treated with standardized preservatives.” Keep this in mind when weighing natural wood against treated options—the rot resistance of species like redwood and cedar can vary from tree to tree depending on the tree’s age.
Structure
Your deck’s structure may impact your decking choices, too. Composite decking often requires joists spaced 12 inches on the center if you’re planning on running the material at 45 degrees anywhere on the deck. Otherwise, most materials will perform well with joists spaced 16 inches on center.
Pro Tip: Tom Silva, This Old House general contractor, recommends keeping screws about ¾ inch from ends and edges when face-fastening composite decking, as composites may crumble if fastened too close to the edge. At butt ends, he angles the screws slightly toward the joist for a more secure hold.
Sustainability
Wood is a renewable resource, but some species are more sustainable than others. If you’re choosing a wood product and sustainability is a concern, make sure to choose FSC-certified lumber. This wood is certified to be sustainably sourced by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Cost
At the end of the day, the most important aspect for most folks is the cost of the wood. Your deck lumber choice needs to fit your budget to make sure you don’t overspend. Less-expensive pressure-treated lumber is fine for the structure, but you might want to spend more on the decking itself. Just make sure it fits your budget.
Popular Decking Wood Types
The following are the most popular types of deck lumber that you can choose from. Keep the lumber shopping considerations we mentioned in mind when comparing them.
Pressure-treated Wood for Decks
Pressure-treated wood is the most common type of decking material found on homeowner’s decks. This material is a softwood that has been impregnated with chemicals that make the lumber rot-, moisture-, and bug-resistant.
Pressure-treated lumber is the most affordable option. It’s also widely available, with most common lengths being available off the shelf at most lumber yards and home improvement centers. It does require regular maintenance, which includes staining or sealing every two to three years.
Cedar Decking
Many deck builders use cedar decking because of its natural resistance to rot, decay, and insects. It has a distinct smell and a warm appearance. It’s also incredibly easy to work with, meaning it cuts and drills nicely.
Cedar is long-lasting and doesn’t require as much maintenance as pressure-treated wood. Left alone, it will age to a beautiful gray color, or it can be sealed every few years to retain its natural color. It is more expensive than pressure-treated and isn’t quite as available, but homeowners can order cedar decking from most lumber suppliers across the country.
Redwood Decking
Redwood is another popular option. It’s naturally highly moisture-, pest-, and rot-resistant. It’s also denser than cedar, making it even more durable. It provides a rich, deep color (red with lighter sapwood) for a striking aesthetic.
When comparing cedar vs. redwood decking, there are a lot of similarities. Redwood has similar maintenance requirements as cedar, requiring periodic staining to maintain its color. It is more expensive than cedar, however, and it’s often a special-order item for anywhere other than its native range of the U.S. west coast.
Pro Tip: Redwood’s legendary rot resistance comes from fungicidal, insect-repellent compounds called extractives, which give the heartwood its characteristic reddish tint. Charles Jourdain, vice president of technical and inspection services at the California Redwood Association, explains: “Extractives are waste products, by-products of tree metabolism. The older the tree is, the more extractives it has.” This means lumber from younger, second-growth trees tends to have less natural protection than old-growth redwood.
Tropical Hardwood Decking
For high-end decks, exotic tropical hardwoods are a great choice. Species like ipe, cumaru, tigerwood, and teak are durable and resistant to decay in all types of weather and climates. They are also insect- and moisture-resistant, with beautiful colors and grain patterns.
Tropical hardwoods have their downsides, though. They’re very expensive compared to other materials, and they can be difficult to work with, dulling blades and bits more frequently than other materials. They also require pre-drilling, otherwise, screws can snap off as they’re driven. They can benefit from the protection of a transparent oil stain, though it’s not necessarily a requirement.
Pro Tip: Tom O’Brien, writing in This Old House Magazine, explains why ipe is the gold standard: “It’s dense and hard enough to shrug off the insults of skateboards, high heels, hail, and just about anything else you or Ma Nature can muster.” He notes that ipe is three and a half times as hard as teak, and its natural oils deter pests, rot, and decay so effectively that a stake driven into the dirt could remain intact 25 years later. Above ground, ipe can last up to a century.
Composite Decking
Composite decking is a manmade decking material composed of recycled wood and plastic. It comes in various colors and designs, with wood-grain patterns molded into the surface. It comes in several lengths, is widely available, and won’t warp or split like natural wood.
When it comes to composite vs. wood decking, composite usually comes out on top. Composite decking can mimic a wide range of actual wood materials, but it requires almost none of the maintenance other than cleaning once a year. It also lasts up to 50 years. Due to its recycled material consistency, it’s considered sustainable despite the manufacturing process. It’s more expensive than pressure treated or cedar decking, but quite competitive with redwood. It’s usually considerably less expensive than exotic woods.
Which Decking Material is Right for You?
Choosing the best lumber for decking requires deep consideration into all the factors listed above. You’ll need to balance your climate demands, maintenance needs, desired lifespan, existing structure requirement, sustainability preferences, and overall costs. With those points in mind, you’ll be able to choose the perfect decking material for your needs, budget, and taste while creating the outdoor living space of your dreams.
