| Cecilt,
I'll agree with thedeckman, TO A POINT!
Wood is out. the chemicals involed, the fact that it won't last more than about 15 years, all of the upkeep in resealing it every year or two, ...
That leaves a composite or a hardwood, like Ipe, etc.
True enough, the hardwoods will last 25 to 30 years, but will the framing??? I doubt it. Almost nobody builds their decks so that the lifespan of the framing will match the lifespan of the decking. I do!!
Most composites have a 20 or 25 year warranty. The framing needs to be done so that it'll last that long as well.
Pressure treated lumber for the framing, seal the cut ends before it's assembled, Vycor on the joist tops, ... It gets time consuming and there is certainly some extra expense involved. But for an investment the size of a deck ($18 to $25 per sq. ft., and railing from $60 to $100 per linear ft., put the extra $200 and 5 or 6 hours into it as you are building it.
The hardwoods that thedeckman mentioned are a lot more money than a composite, and a lot more labor intensive. Most of my customers opt for the middle ground, a composite. Right now, composites are probably 50% to 60% of the deck market, and the farther west you get, the higher the percentage is.  |