The Benefits of Composite Decking vs. Wood Decking

A quality deck is an important part of your home, whether your climate offers a few precious months of temperate weather to be enjoyed to the fullest, or indoor-outdoor living is an integral part of your lifestyle year-round. Homeowners have appreciated the unique look of wooden decks for a long time, but natural materials require continuous upkeep to look and perform their best. Composite decking is a low-maintenance, pleasing alternative that maximizes the life of your outdoor living space and ensures you spend more time enjoying your deck than you do maintaining it.

Wood Decking

Wood has been the traditional material choice for decks for centuries, and it’s still used to build most new decks today. This is because wood decks start at affordable price points, they’re readily available, and offer a unique, natural look. Read on to learn about the most common categories of wooden decks.

Types of Wood Decks

Pressure-treated wood decks are by far the most common type of wood deck, but there are a variety of options to choose from:

Pressure-Treated Lumber: Pressure-treated decking uses less dense, lower-grade woods infused with chemicals to deter insects. It’s the least expensive wood decking option and is readily available at big-box retailers.

Softwood Deck Boards: Softwoods include pine, cedar, cypress and redwood, and are naturally more resistant to insects than other wood types. Prices of softwood decking vary according to the wood species.

Hardwood Decking: Exotic woods like ipe, mahogany, and teak are extremely hard and dense with a distinctive grain pattern. Naturally more resistant to both insects and moisture, they’re long-lasting and the most expensive wood per square foot.

Benefits of Wood Decks

The main benefits of wood decking are its natural beauty and upfront affordability. Wood deck materials are available at several price points that start lower than the prices for composite decking. Traditional wood has classic appeal, and it’s easy to customize with stain or paint for an outdoor space that matches your home. For homeowners on a budget, real wood decking is sometimes the right choice. But while it may be more affordable up front, wood decking has significant drawbacks as time goes on.

Drawbacks of Wood Decks

Wood requires regular maintenance that costs money every year. Wood can be treated to protect from insect damage, but weather exposure causes it to split, mildew, discolor, and rot. This is especially true in climates that experience significant temperature fluctuation and high moisture levels from rain, snow, and nearby bodies of water.

Homeowners must follow a number of maintenance steps to preserve the aesthetic and integrity of their wood deck. This includes refinishing the deck to maintain its seal, sanding rough patches, fixing broken nails and fasteners, and keeping an eye out for moisture rot and insect infestations. For many homeowners, the upfront savings of an affordable wood deck is counteracted by the time and money investment of maintaining it.