Friday 30 November 2018

Deck Materials


For decades the default material used for decks and most porches has become pressure treated pine. It is readily available at any big box property repair store as well as any building supply. Virtually all low custom houses have decks built with PT pine. It is just a cost efficient material, but has it's issues.

All kinds decking material  should be sealed to lengthen their lifespan. Taken care of pine, especially in the more sunny areas, even when sealed can misbehave more than any other wood. We have all seen the buckled handrails, splits, twists, cracking and overall instability. Let alone the splinters!



Of course , we are talking about the horizontal surface types. In general, the vertical application of PT pine, at least when it comes to decks, is not so bad. You will still see some bending in the rail designs. That can usually be offset by simply carefully choosing the pieces that will be used, trying to eliminate just about any that are showing early signs of bowing. And, as the only option, at least cost wise, for the actual frame on the deck, PT pine is a winner.

Other options for decking include more expensive woods such as cedar or redwood. You will discover comparisons on Consumer Reports regarding these woods plus the more exotic rain forest woods such as ipe (pronounced age pay). There are still more options including metal, plastic and the quite recent development of composites which are generally speaking, a blend of plastics and solid wood products and are also more expensive.

Oddly, though, one of the most durable, long-wearing, rot resistant, bug resistant and beautiful woods is usually left out of the mix! Cypress! It could be that cypress is not easily available in all parts of North America, but neither are the exotic hardwoods imported from South America.

One could go on and on about the benefits of cypress. It has been used for boat building for centuries. Many experts have used for head"stones" in cemeteries! Though you probably won't be able to read the exact inscriptions, you will find these wooden grave markers in elderly cemeteries in coastal locations around the South. They are usually around 100 years old! Do your own search for cypress and be astounded!

Cypress grows in swamps and wet areas. It is adjusted to harsh conditions from birth. The product that results soon after milling is smooth and stable. Most of what can be used for deck flooring is already pressure treated in addition to the all-natural preservatives already in the wood. If left alone, it will weather to a light gray color. Like all decking material, however , it is not maintenance free if you want it for you to last as long as possible. It is recommended that it be sealed with a breaking through sealer the same as other woods.

The best part about cypress, nonetheless is it's cost. Aside from pressure treated pine, which has been discussed above, it is easily the most cost efficient option. Along with, it does not cost much more than the much less stable and much less interesting pine.

Another point about the cost is that when figuring the complete cost of a deck, cypress only adds a few cents each square foot because it is only the horizontal parts of the very deck where it would be used, generally speaking.