Fencing & Decking

Wood was the original decking material, and it’s easy to see why. Wood is easy to work with, fairly lightweight, pleasant to the touch and beautiful. Assuming you use the right species, wood is also strong enough to support a deck.

Another benefit of wood is that it is easy to spruce up. A worn-down wood deck can be refinished to create an entirely new look. A final advantage of wood as a decking material is that it is fairly low-cost.

However, there are also disadvantages to using wood for decking projects. As explained more thoroughly in the Wood Fencing chapter, wood is affected by moisture, sunlight and changes in temperature. Over the long term, wood decks can fade, splinter, warp and crack without proper maintenance. Wood decks must be refinished every few years. Finally, some woods are not insect-resistant.