Table of Contents
What is the best wood to use for a deck?
Overall, our experts at Patio Productions recommend Cedar or Redwood as the best wood choice for outdoor decks. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, pressure treated wood is your next best option.
What is the cheapest wood for decking?
pressure-treated pine
The cheapest decking material is usually pressure-treated pine, which can cost as little as $2 to $3 per square foot. There are solid wood and composite options that run $4 to $5 per square foot.
What is the cost of deck boards?
Averaging between $3.50 and $5.00 per linear foot, the cost of installing a high-quality composite deck will certainly be higher than building with traditional pressure treated lumber, which can cost between $1.00 and $2.00 per linear foot1.
Can you use untreated lumber for a deck?
Yes, you can use untreated wood to build a deck, but not without preparing it first. You can’t, of course, pressure treat it yourself, but you will need to seal; the wood and stain/paint it to ensure the wood is ready to take on the harsh external weather.
Do you need treated lumber for a deck?
It’s better to use treated lumber and know your deck will be secure in a few years than try to use untreated wood for the supports and watch them rot away rapidly. Pressure treated wood doesn’t release any gases or particulates that could harm you and your family.
Should you use pressure treated wood for a deck?
How many deck blocks do I need for a 12×12 deck?
Calculating Out How Many Deck Blocks for a Floating Deck
| Deck Dimension | Square Feet of Deck | Number of Deck Blocks 12″ x12″ Supporting 2000 lbs |
|---|---|---|
| 8×8 | 64 | 4 |
| 8×10 | 80 | 4 |
| 10×10 | 100 | 4 |
| 10×12 | 120 | 6 |
How do you build a deck without wood?
The rest in the list, while an option, aren’t terribly popular.
- Composite Decking. There are many options other than natural wood for a deck.
- PVC Decking. Source: Home Depot.
- Vinyl Decking Systems.
- Aluminum Decking.
- Vinyl Tiles.
- Bamboo Decking.
- Rubber Paver Tiles.
- Interlocking Grass Deck Tiles.
What is the cheapest deck material?
Pressure-treated wood is generally the cheapest decking material you can find, but it’s usually made from inferior-grades of wood. $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot. Cedar is widely available and makes for beautiful decking.
Which is the best decking material?
Capped Composite is the best decking material for you if you are looking for something more cost-effective than PVC but stronger and more durable than wood, capped composite decking is a perfect compromise. Capped PVC. Like capped composite, capped PVC adds an extra layer of protection to a standard plastic deck.
What is deck material?
Decks Materials and Supplies Outdoor Rooms Wood. While most of the structure of the deck is made of pressure-treated lumber and sometimes steel beams, the actual decking is the part you walk on. It can be made of wood, plastic (PVC) or a composite material that combines plastic with wood fibers.
What is a wooden deck?
Wood Decking. Wood decking is created using structural boards or planks and attaching them to joists, beams, rafters, or trusses to form a floor or roof surface. Similar to sheathing, the boards act to provide lateral support to the structure and carry the live and dead loads from above to the floor or roof structure below.