Building the Deck of Your Dreams

A deck is the finishing touch on your house. But what about the deck construction? Any deck can be made as simple or ornate as you wish, and personalized to reflect your tastes as a homeowner. A deck is a beautiful place to eat, relax, gather with friends, and take in the summer air. But you first must decide which wood is best for your deck.

Beautiful and Cost-Effective

Most any wood you could dream of exists in ready-made desk boards. Rather than reinventing the wheel, and going through the process of harvesting and shaping, consider choosing from the wide variety of boards available.

Most Popular

Redwood and cedar are the classic deck materials, for good reason. They are durable woods well-suited for the job, and their rich red and golden hues are alluring. However, they must be stained or they will fade to gray. This is simple to accomplish. The most economical and practical wood is pressure-treated pine. This is the most popular wood for deck construction.

Tropical Getaway

Some people desire tropical woods such as mahogany or tigerwood. Tropical woods are difficult to drill, cut, and stain, depending on the boards selected. As they are sourced from all over the world, availability can be erratic. However, the advantage to these elegant and interesting woods is that they are strong and resistant to insects. They also must be stained so they do not become gray.

Mixing it Up

Composite, metal, and plastic are catching on as deck materials because of their extreme durability and resistance to insects and to the elements. In the case of metal, aluminum is most popular. It has a trendy look and actually does not become hot in the sun.

Many Choices

Maybe you are able to put in more time and effort for the feel and look of, say, redwood, or maybe you need something more low-maintenance, like pine. In any case, there are many options available for deck construction.