Wood Decking: A Timeless Choice for Your Boston Home

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Decking is a popular addition to a house for multiple solid reasons. It creates a perfect recreational space to hang out with friends, spend time alone, and enjoy the outdoors. Plus, it positively influences the market value of your building.

Yet, bringing your project to life and caring for it afterward might be very demanding, especially in Boston, Massachusetts, where the weather can be unpredictable. Wood is one of the most common picks when covering the deck’s surface. So, let’s explore the reasons behind its market success.

Wood in The World of Decking Materials

Of course, timber is one of the oldest decking materials. However, contemporary technologies are constantly evolving. As a result, besides a wide variety of wooden boards, you can choose between PVC or capped/uncapped composite decking.

A thorough comparison of the available alternatives will help determine what makes lumber stand out.

Decking material	Estimated life expectancy	Approximate price	Other potential benefits
Wood decking
Hardwood (e.g., Ipe, birch, oak, elm, cherry, mahogany, and tigerwood decking)	More than 25 years	It is the most expensive option among wood decking, but it costs less than composite or PVC boards.	Durability, cost-efficiency, simplicity of installation and repair, natural and unique appearance
Softwood (e.g., pine, cedar, redwood, or spruce decking)	~25 years	It is the most affordable option on the market.
Bamboo (technically, it’s grass, but some experts consider it an alternative type of hardwood)	Same as hardwood decking	Your expenses might be higher than average compared to other types of wood, but it’s still cheaper than composite or PVC options.
Alternative decking materials
Capped/uncapped composite (a combination of wood and plastic)	While uncapped composite decking will last no more than 30 years, capped composite boards can surprise you with 50 years of service.	This material lies in the middle between wood and PVC decking.	Eco-friendly and relatively low-maintenance
PVC (polypropylene (PP) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC))	50 years and more	It is the most expensive decking material.	Unmatched durability, almost no maintenance efforts, heat-resistant surface

Visible & Less Obvious Benefits of Wood Decking

Of course, timber always looks great and can complement any design. Nothing compares to the feel of a natural wood when you touch it. Plus, people have used this material since the dawn of civilization. Hence, the chances of encountering any unexpected unresolvable problem while working with it are minimal.

In addition, some people don’t notice many of its less evident perks that deserve recognition and appreciation.

It’s a Practical Material

One of the reasons why people have been choosing lumber as construction material for centuries is that it doesn’t require a lot of effort to work with. You won’t need special equipment or fasteners for most manipulations, such as installation, maintenance, or repair. Plus, you can carve, file, saw, or modify it in almost any way you like. For instance, you can cut the boards to adjust them to your measurements, or if you notice signs of decay, you can replace the piece with a new one.

Important Reminder

However, wood is a part of nature. It is resilient and durable, especially hardwood boards. Still, moisture will lead to rot, insects or pests will corrupt it, and sunlight will dry it out, making the colors fade.

Thus, you should be ready to invest more time, effort, and finances into inspecting and maintaining your outdoor project. Regular staining and sealing are vital to prolonging your deck’s lifespan and preserving its vibrant color.

It’s Worth the Price

It is hard to categorize wood decking as a cheap or expensive solution. Of course, premium wood can be as costly as composite or PVC decking. However, its cost-efficiency ratio is very high. Generally, the price matches the timber’s longevity, appearance, and other essential characteristics. With this material, what you see is what you get.

Cautionary Sidenote

With significant fluctuations in timber prices, it becomes more challenging to plan your budget. Therefore, you should regularly get updates from the market to follow up on the volatile prices. Moreover, you ought to add staining and sealing costs to estimate the total amount of your expenditures correctly.

Its Design Capabilities are Unlimited

If you intend to give your deck a noble classic design, make its vibe more whimsical, or create a ‘cozy cabin in the woods’ atmosphere, no material will suit your ambitions better than timber. It provides positive stimulation to all the senses, including sight, smell, and touch.

Furthermore, wood possesses additional traits that will help you envisage the most daring concepts for your project:

• No wooden boards are alike. Each has a unique pattern, which makes your deck’s appearance unique.
• You can combine different kinds of timber to construct a contrasting or matching color palette for your deck.
• Regardless of which pattern you select for your deck, you can embody it with wooden boards because they are easily customizable.

Professional Tip

Of course, every homeowner wants the construction to be flawless. Hidden fastening systems can be a perfect instrument to keep the hardware out of sight and out of mind. Plus, they make walking on the deck’s surface safer, reducing the number of potential incidents.

One of the bonus advantages of timber decking is that hidden screws are compatible with almost any type of wood. However, finding appropriate composite or PVC boards might become a real quest.

It’s Completely Natural

When you think about lumber’s natural origin, its maintenance seems to be a curse. Yet, when you realize that it’s eco-friendly, 100% recyclable, and brings nature’s vibes to your doorstep, it can change your mind into treating it as a blessing.

Unleash Your Creativity: Exciting Decking Stories

Wood Decking and Boston, Massachusetts: Compatibility Test

Weather and climate can influence the longevity of your wood decking immensely. Thus, your geographical position is one of the most crucial factors in determining whether the benefits of applying this material outweigh the potential complications.

If you live in Boston, Massachusetts, you are familiar with its imbalanced climate. You can often witness high humidity, bright sun rays, intense rain, or snow. However, these conditions usually don’t last for long. As a result, they won’t affect your decking boards to a critical extent. It makes Boston indeed an appropriate place to install lumber decking.

Bonus Point

Boston is one of the rare big cities that retained a cozy small-city vibe. With a stylish look and unlimited design capabilities, wood decking truly belongs in this atmosphere. More contemporary materials might fail to compliment the feel that flawlessly.

Final Thoughts

The popularity of wood decking is well-deserved. It has many perks, like effortless installation or repair, unique design customization, reasonable price, and durability. However, particular details can pose a challenge.

Therefore, it is crucial to consider both advantages and shortcomings to make a wise choice. Plus, if you want to preserve your deck’s naturally appealing look, you have to be ready to invest time and effort in your project.