Deciding to build a new deck is one thing, deciding on what to build it from is an altogether different thing. There are various choices available ranging from low cost wood such as pine, medium priced wood such as cedar, high priced composite materials and Garapa hardwood decking. Lets take a quick look at all of these options.
Pine: This material is cheap, the major reason for its popularity. To keep the cost low many suppliers offer pine that has not been kiln dried, the result is excessive shrinkage once it has been installed. The result of building a deck with wood that is still wet is large gaps between the planks. This wood is often pressure treated to extend its life and ward off insect infestation but the wood still rots quickly and the individual boards tend to splinter and crack.
Cedar: Cedar will last longer than pine but nowhere near as long as will Garapa hardwood decking. Another major problem is the fact that wood boring insects absolutely love to devour cedar as well as redwood.
Composite: This material is the most expensive of the four being discussed and even so, it is not as strong as good Brazilian hardwood such as Garapa. Composite decking takes considerable maintenance as mold tends to adhere to the wood fibers that are a component of manufacture. During the winter when wet wood fibers freeze, the material expands and quickly deteriorates.
Garapa hardwood decking: Garapa is a Brazilian hardwood; it is beautiful and costs less than composite material. The anticipated life span of Garapa can be well in excess of 40 years. This material is impervious to insects, will never rot and has a very good fire rating. The color of Garapa can easily be restored with a periodic coating of deck oil. Because of its inherent strength you will never have a problem with the deck surface sagging.
