Here are three of the most common decking materials to consider.
One of the best ways to take advantage of your backyard space is by getting a new deck. But with such a big investment, it can be hard to know what exactly you want. A good place to start is by looking at your options for deck material. Here are three of the most common decking materials to consider.
Pressure-Treated Wood
A natural, low-cost choice for decking material is pressure-treated wood. Most pressure-treated wood comes from fir, which is inexpensive and environmentally-friendly. It is then treated with anti-rot and insecticide agents. Pressure-treated wood usually only comes in brown but it is easy to have it stained different colors. Make sure you ask about what ingredients were used to treat it, because older processes used to use dangerous material like arsenic. Your pressure treated wood can last upwards of twenty years as long as you have it stained, sealed, or re-finished every couple of years.
Cedar
Another great choice for natural deck materials is cedar. Cedar is surprisingly durable as long as you choose a heartwood vs. a sapwood, because sapwood is more vulnerable to rotting. The way to tell the difference is that heartwood will always be darker in color, and it is often labeled as “heartwood common.” Cedarl will be a bit more pricey than pressure-treated wood but it requires almost no maintenance beside an annual refinishing for it to last for decades.
Vinyl
Lastly, if you aren’t sure if wood is the right choice for you then you have several options by choosing vinyl. Vinyl decking material is made of a polyvinyl chloride, PVC, that is either used on its own or wrapped around a reinforced core for strength. It was a newer option for deck materials, but has grown in popularity. Most vinyl decks come with a warranty of at least 25 years and, unlike wood, there is no need for sealing or re-finishing.
Contact Blair Construction Today!
For a beautiful new roof or new deck planned and installed by professionals you can trust, contact Blair Construction. We have been serving our valued Maryland customers for almost thirty years and look forward to giving your roof the care it needs for years to come. Contact us online or give us a call at (410) 729-0777 to get a free in-home estimate. To see examples of our work and get updates on what we are up to, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Houzz.