Once you’ve decided to build a new deck, the next obvious step is to start the planning process. But before you break out the tape measure and start planning on the size of your deck, be sure to consider all of the options available to you in building materials, as well as the potential pros and cons of each.
Pressure treated wood is the most common material used in decks today, as it’s safe (no more arsenic added as in the past), durable, and cheaper than other options. Wood is obviously a flexible material, too, as far as designs go, enabling you to incorporate a variety of features.
The only downside to wood decks made from pressure-treated wood is the obvious one, which is maintenance. You’ll not only regularly need to preserve and/or stain your deck, but regular, thorough cleaning is also neccessary. And the reality is that no matter how hard you work, your deck will inevitable look weathered and aged over time.
With those issues in mind, manmade decking materials are becoming increasingly popular. Typically made of a combination of recycled plastic and sawdust, these materials need virtually no maintenance and are impervious to weather. What you see is what you get, and your deck made of manmade materials will look fresh and new for much longer than a traditional wooden deck and require a fraction of the work.
The downsides to manmade materials is they’re more expensive and they come in a relatively limited number of colors and styles. Because you can’t stain them like a wooden deck, you’re limited in the colors and appearance that you can achieve.
Decks are also built from other wood that by nature is durable and requires little maintenance, such as redwood and mahogany. These woods are also unfortunately very expensive, and not within the budget of the average homeowner who is considering building a new deck.
