A deck is a multi-purpose addition to your home. It gives a location for intimate gatherings, boosts your living space’s square footage, and even improves the curb appeal and selling value of your home. Today, we’ll look at the benefits and drawbacks of common decking materials.
Pressure Treated Wood
Pros: The most popular material for outdoor decks is pressure-treated wood. Homeowners favor the material over most others on the market since it has been chemically treated to withstand mold, rot, and insects — and its comparatively low cost, around $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot, doesn’t hurt either.
Cons: When it comes to pressure-treated wood, the most important consideration is maintenance. Due to deterioration, the decking material has a tendency to break or distort.
Concrete
Pros: Concrete is a versatile material that may seem elegant and sophisticated when well-designed. It’s also quite simple to clean and maintain over time.
Cons: According to many home remodeling experts, concrete decking has less character than other materials. It also gets hot when exposed to the sun.
Tropical Hardwoods
Pros: Tropical hardwoods evoke a sense of luxury. They’re also gritty, tough, and naturally resistant to rot and insect infestation, which are common decking issues.
Cons: Hardwoods are typically expensive, and drilling holes into them is difficult due to their dense nature.
Composite Decking
Pros: Composite decking materials, which are made from wood fibers and recycled plastics, are among the fastest-growing decking materials on the market. They do not twist, split, decay, or become infested.
Cons: Because composites contain some wood, they may deteriorate over time. They can also be pricey, ranging from $7 to $10 per square foot.