Deck Materials

There is a huge selection of deck materials used in the creation of an outdoor living area. Most decks are constructed from wood or have a wooden base with posts or railings made of cast iron or aluminum. The preferred and most commonly used type of wood is pressure treated pine, primarily because of its cost. An additional advantage to using this type of wood is that it does not decay quickly and rarely becomes infested with insects. Additionally, this wood is usually backed by a 40 year warranty.

A huge variety of woods are available for the construction of a deck. Cedar, redwood, mahogany, and a host of imported woods come in a wide range of colors and hues but are not without their faults. Cedar wood, despite being very durable, often more so than most woods, is quite susceptible to weathering. It does however boast a number of stunning light brown, tan and salmon pink colors. Also exceptionally durable, redwood ranges in color from light red to dark reddish-brown. Weathering is also an unwelcome consequence of using redwood and is a process that actually takes place very rapidly to this particular type of wood. Mahogany wood, as remarkable as it appears, has a few species that are not well-suited to outdoor conditions and undergo decay rather quickly. If it is to be used in the fabrication of a deck then it wise to use a medium to dark red or brown species as they are more capable of resisting decay. Several imported species of wood, such as the Portuguese Ipé, are relatively hard thus making them difficult to work with. As a result of their hardness, pre-drilling is often a prerequisite to nailing or screwing.

Aside from wood there are a host of other materials that are sometimes used in the assembly of a deck. Plastic and wood mixtures, such as polypropylene and polyethylene composites, are often used and come in an assortment of colors. Additional materials used include laminated vinyl membrane, PVC/vinyl, and aluminum.

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