1. What to choose? – The decking dilemma

You know you deserve a real wood deck that is genuinely dependable, beautiful and naturally durable, in addition to adding value to your home, Very often, homeowners searching for the right wood deck materials are stuck in vacillation with an array of abundant choices. The decision is made depending on the wood's intended use. Wooderra brings you a handy, quick-to-read rundown on the pros and cons of the most favourite wood decking materials: pressure-treated lumber, tropical hardwoods, and softwoods.

2. Pressure-treated lumber

What is the meaning behind the name? It gets its name when wood is chemically preserved under pressure, as this method helps prevent termite damage and wood rot.

What's great about pressure treated lumber decks?

• Widely and readily available and easy to work with – cutting and fastening with nails or screws.
• More affordable than standard hardwood.
• An ideal option for a deck building project that is located in remote areas with not much human contact
• Thanks to the chemicals used in the pressure treatment the wood is preserved from decay due to moisture. A prime example of a common pressure-treated wood is southern yellow pine. Pine wood is ideal for this timber processing technique because it can withstand effective chemical penetration without the need of being incised. Incising occurs when small slits are made on the wood's surface to allow a deep penetration of the chemical preservative into the layers of the wood. Pressure-treated technique results in resistance rot, fungus, and wood-boring bug in pine wood.

What's not so great about pressure-treated lumber decks?

• Regular cleaning and sealing is a must; otherwise decks made of pressure-treated lumber will crack and fall apart. Hence, it is not suitable for homeowners with busy lifestyle and don't have time for frequent maintenance.
• Not really dimensionally stable, so the possibility of cracking, splitting or warping is high.
• Not a suitable option to build a deck when: it is in close proximity with a garden or where water and plants are nearby. Installation on ground levels might create leaching, which might ruin the flower beds or vegetable gardens in contact.
• Toxic substances: Detected in most pressure-treated lumber are traces of chromate copper arsenate (CCA), a compound known as a carcinogen, even though the chemicals used in this process are locked within the wood fibers. In recent years, however, CCA has been replaced with a safer and less toxic chemical treatment, like alkaline cooper quaternary (ACQ) aka Copper azole.
• If pressure treated lumber is burned, these toxins will be released into the atmosphere.

3. Tropical hardwoods

Tropical hardwood is commonly referred to lumber harvested outside of North America.

What's great about tropical hardwoods decks?

• Widely and readily available – You won't have a hard time finding a place that sells them.
• Elegance for homeowners with discriminating taste: Tropical hardwoods capture the attention with its vibrant and distinct colour and elegant appearance of its grain and gloss. In fact, premium composite decking materials are manufactured to imitate the exuberance of these beautiful tropical hardwoods decks.
• Toughness: tropical hardwood decks are tough enough to withstand hail, walk on heels, playful children and pets. They are made for unforgiving conditions or inclement weather.
• Durability: Tropical hardwoods are not susceptible to cracks, chipping, or even stains. That means if drinks or food are accidentally spilled on tropical hardwood decks, the stains can be easily wiped away. Even when in contact with the ground, they are also immune to rot and insects.
• Lifespan: 25-75 years, depending on the type of tropical hardwood deck.
• Dimensional stability: Tropical hardwoods are dimensionally stable and don't expand and contract when the temperature fluctuates like plastics and composite decking boards do. Also, pressure-treated softwoods are significantly more susceptible to shrinkage than tropical hardwoods.
• Water sealant? No, thanks: Water sealants is unnecessary considering they don't work on your hardwood deck. Tropical hardwood decking stands up to the elements, whether it is left untouched or stained, the wood would naturally acquire its own unique delightful look.
• In case of fire: Tropical hardwood decks do not release toxic smoke into the air like ones made of composite boards or pressure-treated lumber that contains CCA.
• Sustainable plantation: For the sake of responsible forestation, only buy tropical hardwoods which are certified to be sustainably harvested from responsible plantation. Although Wooderra is structured to maximize return on investment, we believe it cannot be done without preservation of the world's tropical forests. One of our ecologically sustainable plantations is a timber extraction project from Lake Bayano, Panama where we provide submerged tropical hardwood. During its extended period underwater, the rare wood's high quality has been intensified, as much of the resin has leaked out. The fibre is maintained in excellent condition when submerged, which results in Wooderra's perfectly preserved tropical hardwoods.

What's not so great about tropical hardwood decks?

• Stubborn: Tropical hardwoods are super dense, which makes it extremely heavy to carry. Their rock-hard density requires much more time and wood-working skills with drill bits and saw blades, which slows down the installation. Conventional tools that work on other woods might not work on tropical hardwoods. Use hidden fastener to clip or screw into the edge of the boards.
• Pricey: When you compare it with pressure-treated lumber and softwoods, tropical hardwoods cost more. For instance, pressure-treated pine costs about half as much as the least expensive hardwood decking material. Typically, hardwood decks are more suitable for upscale houses.
• Stain acceptance is tricky: This is because of the super density of most tropical hardwoods. While staining hardwood is not impossible to achieve, it's best to use the oil-based kind that is specifically made for hardwood decks. If you would like to keep the original colour but don't want the weathering to gray, maintenance is a must so the colour is maintained. UV-blocking wood preservative or oiling should be done yearly.

Some excellent tropical hardwood decking species that offer diverse look and splendid performance:

4. Softwood

Softwood decking is made of timber cut from evergreen coniferous trees that are quicker to grow, such as Western Red Cedar, Larch, Douglas fir, Spruce, and Scandinavian Redwood.

Softwoods do not necessarily translate into softness, nor do hardwoods hardness. For many perfectionists, the go-to softwood decking options are the popular redwood or red cedar.

What's great about softwood decks?

• Affordability: Typically, the cheapest type of all three
• Easy staining: Can be easily stained to a different colour
• Durability: The structure of tightly packed wood fibres give softwoods the strength needed to last.
• Natural resistance: Redwood and red cedar both contain tannins and oils which keep rot, decay and voracious insects at bay. What's more, their weather and bug resistance also have a close relation with the amount of heartwood in the boards, which is the component located closer to the tree's centre. The more heartwoods present, the more they are resistant to decay.

What's not so great about softwood decks?

• Short life expectancy: Even with proper maintenance, softwood decks can only last for 15-20 years. This will even be shorter if there are more sapwoods (located in the outer part of the tree) than heartwoods found in the boards.
• Not built for heavy traffic flow: Softwood decks can easily scratch because of their porousness.
• Average look: Softwood decks don't offer the luxurious look that tropical hardwood decks do.

5. How to navigate through the options

Now that you have been informed with the pros and cons of the most common and popular decking materials, there are some questions you should be asking in order to make a smart investment:

• Which is the best option for the conditions of your exterior area? - Depending on the outdoor conditions year around, make sure the decking material you choose will be a fit to be outside 24/7.
• What is the durability of the option you are thinking of? – Needless to say, you don't want to install a material that costs you money on frequent repairing or replacement. You want a deck that stays, not splinter, crack or rot.
• Does the look of the material fit your tastes and complement the overall design of your home upon immediate installation, and after it has weathered? – If you are seeking for a short-term good-enough look solution, go for a budget-friendly option. However, if you are looking for a long-term, rich and high-end solution, do not hesitate to invest in a better quality wood.

In relation to these important decking questions, a tropical hardwood deck appears to be the superior option of all. Its competitive benefits justify the cost of a high-end project, it outlasts pressure-treated lumber and softwood decks and will save you money in a long run. On the other hand, softwood and pressure-treated lumber decks are quite adequate for a shorter-term, more economical home improvement project. Keep in mind that pressure-treated lumber decks do not last as long and are much softer than tropical hardwood decks, which means they are more susceptible to rot. While softwood decks look pleasing when first installed, typically signs of decay will emerge after a couple of years.

Tropical hardwood decks are durable, naturally resistant to water, weather, and insects and rot. If left to weather naturally, they need little maintenance and last longer than your mortgage.

It is important to be a part of the solution to help keep the forests green by building your decks from hardwood that is harvested from a sustainably managed plantation.