| Decking is one of the most popular home | | | | regular maintenance, must purchase clear grade. The |
| improvements a homeowner can make and 85% of | | | | wood properties are equally earth friendly as the pine |
| homeowners on average will actually add one or | | | | decks. You can span more board in cedar than you |
| more in the lifetime of their purchase. The deck | | | | can in a composite deck board due to strength. The |
| boards are a very important part of the decision | | | | downfall is it may still be too soft for outdoor |
| making process for this project with many choices | | | | application and the clear grade is very pricey to |
| now available. In the past the choice had | | | | purchase. |
| predominately been pressure treated pine but now | | | | Ipe has a growing demand mainly due to it's strength, |
| with new technology the choices are abundant. Let's | | | | it has a janka hardness of 3680 compared to Cedar |
| take a look at several wood decks and the reasons | | | | at 350. This gives you an idea of just how hard this |
| for and against them. | | | | exotic hardwood is. Ipe also known as Ironwood is |
| Pine has been a popular choice for many reasons. | | | | originally from South America, Central America and |
| Readily available, this wood is pressure treated to | | | | parts of the Caribbean. This hardwood has been used |
| ensure insect control and resistance to decay. Earth | | | | in many commercial applications such as the |
| friendly properties of this wood include the fact it | | | | boardwalk in Miami for its resiliency and longevity. |
| produces less energy and air/water pollution than | | | | Naturally resistant to insects, mold, fungus and decay, |
| other building materials. Pine is four times stronger | | | | Ipe also has a fire spread rating same as concrete. |
| than plastic and is fairly easy to install with no special | | | | Lifetime of this material is over 40 years with no |
| tools required. Southern pine is comfortable under | | | | treatment. If you apply a UV inhibitor to this deck |
| foot when the sun is out compared to the blistering | | | | you can get over 100 year life expectancy. This deck |
| temperature of many composite or artificial decks. | | | | will require very little maintenance and you and your |
| The drawbacks of course are the chemical outgas | | | | future generations can actually enjoy more time |
| and replacement of this deck is usually 10-15 years if | | | | entertaining and relaxing and less time maintaining |
| annually maintained. | | | | your deck area. This wood product provides all the |
| Cedar has gained popularity due to its density and | | | | same benefits as above plus more. The cost is also |
| rich warm tones. This decking requires no chemical | | | | more than pressure treated lumber and this board |
| treatment for insect resistance. The price is about | | | | does have to be predrilled due to the density of the |
| twice that of pressure treated lumber and also | | | | board but the longevity will more than make up for |
| widely used. This deck requires stainless steel screws | | | | the initial labor as you will not have to remove and |
| but no predrilling. Lifetime is about 9-20 years with | | | | reinstall a new deck in 10 -15 years. |