Are you planning on building your own deck? In finding your ideal decking design, perhaps you will have come across many different types of materials for your deck. Homeowners of the past were only limited to cedar, redwood or pressure treated wood. Today though, a wide range of building materials are available and this includes the whole range of domestic lumber right up to recycled plastics. In making your selection, you need to weigh the relative advantages and disadvantages of the materials you are considering in relation to having a certain look for your new decking design.The following are useful materials used nowadays:
Hardwood
Hardwood decking is long lasting if they are installed properly and well maintained over its lifetime. However, hardwoods are by nature quite expensive, and they are thus used only for visible surfaces on decks such as the staircase or as the wooden floorboards. One of the most popular hardwoods, red cedar, has traditionally been used in decking designs over the last 50 years due to its beauty and durability. Natural oils in cedar withstand most rotting and insect attack attempts though, as all woods, cedar does not tolerate moisture very well. The average lifespan of cedar is about 25-30 years. In recent days, higher costing hardwoods such as mahogany and various types of tropical hardwoods like the balau are becoming more popular in decking design because they have a longer lifespan (up to 40 years).
Yellow Pine
Yellow pine is mostly used for invisible surfaces such as the posts, beams and joists of your deck due to its low cost. If used for visible surfaces, you can stain the wood in some of the most unique colors in order to create an individualized decking design. The average lifespan of yellow pine is about 15 years. Pretreatment is highly recommended if you are planning to include yellow pine in your decking design. Otherwise, yellow pine needs to be treated against water every two years. However, pretreatment of yellow pine involves the use of highly hazardous chemicals, thus, you need to take the necessary precautions for its disposal.
Composite Decking
Many arguments exist in favour or against composite decks. Two types of composites exist on the market: wooden composites and PVC composites. Wooden composites are created from a mixture of recycled plastics and wooden pulp. Proponents of composite decking design claim that this type of decking design is very environmentally friendly as it is made out of recyclable materials. However, cleaners for this deck are harmful chemicals which strip the finish and are hazardous. PVC composites are much better than wooden containing ones, though, PVC is easily damaged by ultraviolet rays. Composite decks are also quite expensive, have a questionable warranty, and cannot be refurbished but can only be replaced.
Thus these are the usual materials used for decking designs at the present time. As technology advances, more and more decking material will appear on the market, for the benefit of the consumers. It is therefore, up to you to choose which material you wish your deck to be, in regard to the cost, your purposes, and the amount of time you are willing to spend to maintain your deck.
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