Handyman Services

Why a Cedar Deck vs Composite

Composite decks have come a long way, but there are still some challenges, the joists can be 16" on center, however 12" on center is considered a safer way to avoid warping....if one's deck gets hit with a ton of sun, warping is a real concern, the other challenge is the temperature of the Composite decking, many complain about the deck being to hot to walk on with bare feat, on the other hand most Composite decks have minimal maintenance,

If one chooses wood , pressure treated is chosen most often,, Cedar is an even better choice, Cedar has non rotting properties that make it ideal, it also look beautiful,

If one does choose Cedar it's important to remove the Mill Glaze, the glaze is created by the combination of heat and mechanical compression from the milling process, and one of the best ways to remove it, is with Oxalic Acid,

Once removed , a good stain/sealer is a great way to protect the wood,

Most wood decks don't experience the heat of composite decks, and warping from the heat is less of a concern, there is a certain amount of maintenance associated with wood decks so each material has it's trade-offs,

It really comes down to how much one wants to invest and the look one is after,