Weighing the Pros and Cons of Decking Material---article series

Today’s market for decking includes  40 or more manufacturers and steadily growing. There are also some interesting choices in the wood sector to add more confusion. Of  course this makes deck buying decisions much harder for the consumer.

 For your benefit, this report will acquaint you with the overall picture of just what is out there.   Yes with this guide you can make a good buying decision according to your needs and budget.

 So what’s out there?  Decks come  basically  in wood , composite and Plastic/Vinyl.

Lets start with Natural Wood

Less expensive than composites and plastics, you can buy redwood for around 2.00 a foot and of course this fluctuates.  Other options for decking, is southern yellow pine, mahogany, a hardwood like all costing less than composites and plastics.  Plan on spending around 2.78 a foot for composites and plastics—this too can fluctuate.

Your choice may come down to your preference for real wood and the look it gives to your existing house and backyard. Some prefer to spend time in the yard with all natural materials.

 The drawback when using wood decking, is the yearly maintenance and cost of pressure washing, and staining the deck, plus removing any deck furniture and protecting the house from overspray/stain from your yearly maintenance.  You probably know that redwood in time will grey out too.  You should be able to get at least a good 15 years of dependability from redwood depending on how you maintain it.  And possibly more years—depends on the climate, stain, maintenance etc.
 
Another advantage of using wood, you can usually build your deck with a joist span  span 16 inches on center.  Composites and Plastics will require a  span of 12 inches. That means you have to use more wood underneath to support the deck surface increasing your cost.  However, if your choice is plastic such as eon decking, then you will save money over time because eon is maintenance free, no staining.

Exotic and Imported Woods

 In the search for wood that looks great in decking please continue reading. These woods must be able to be used structurally to meet the building codes, able to resist rot, decay and must look very attractive.  Here are the main players in this market:

 
Our first one is Ipe (pronounced "ee-PAY") it’s the old standby mahogany. Others include Teak ,Tamarack,  Cumaru and Jarrah.

Beautiful, durable and requiring little maintenance, Ipe leads the pack.

Ipe is most commonly found on the coasts. It’s attractiveness lies in It’s rich deep, color tones that making  it a source for a unique deck wood. Maintenance free.  No coatings or treatments required.  Although in time it will turn slightly gray, and  the color will fade over time but will look mahogany when wet.  I’ve been told you might want to stain it with an oil preservative shortly after installing to help keep its original lust and maybe again in the future.  But still that’s not too bad because your getting a solid deck and a very strong one otherwise.

 Ipe is very resistant to decay, splintering, fire , insects, and damage from ice.  It originates form South America, Ipe wood (also know as cambara decking, Brazilian walnut, green heart wood, jatoba, purple heart wood, massaranduba, and ironwood). Ipe’s price range is about 2.50 and up , more expensive if you want to use fasteners on the side so as to have no nail, wood plugs, or screw holes showing on the top of the boards.  Again a beautiful deck.

Mahogany

 An old timer used primarily in the 1930s and '40s as decking and still around.  It is resistant to decay and a solid performer. Colors can range from white and yellow to light and dark red. True mahogany lasts up to 30-years

 
 Tamarack

Expect its role to grow in the next few years. Tamarack is an extremely durable North American softwood. Sporting a  natural resistance to decay, insects, rot, damage and has excellent decking life. Similar in appearance to Western Red Cedar, it does not age nearly as well. On the East Coast, it is becoming a significant player as a replacement for cedar

Cumaru

Cumaru is an exotic hardwood species native to South America. . Its life expectancy in a deck is about 25 years. Rich in color, fire resistant-class A, and durable.  The wood naturally weathers to a silver-gray much the same color as weathered Eastern Red Cedar.

Jarrah- An Australian import.

In Australia, this is regularly used as decking. Durable, resistant to rot and insect damage. Straight-grained Jarrah looks something like a red-stained Douglas Fir and like some composite decking materials .

    For Composite Decking Pro's and Con's

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