Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Time for a new deck. Cedar or pressure-treated??

We have a 16'x20' cedar deck that's ready for replacement. I'm less than impressed with how the cedar held up and want to stick with wood to keep the cost down so I'm leaning towards switching to pressure treated lumber this time. If anyone has experience with both I'd like to hear your thoughts on which one you preferred and why.....thank you!

Trex.

The pressure treated looks kinda shabby after a few years.I'm not a fan of the synthetic.I am going to rebuild mine next year all redwood.The one I have now is redwood and was built in 76.The only thing that is rotten is the pine floor joist supporting it.I am told they put rubber tape on them now to help that

Definitely cedar.

Trex and other plastic composites are HOT on the feet and really hot to sit around in the sun.

Think having a backyard BBQ on a hot summer day on your black shingled roof.

They also expand and contract more than any other decking product.

If installing in the cold, a gap of 1/8 to 1/4 inch at the butt joints is required( butt ugly), Otherwise when the sun hits it it will expand so much that it will actually break the screws. Yes, even the high dollar screws designed for trex.

It will look nice if you are a fan if [bleep] up butt joints, but using it and walking on it will not be an option unless the deck is out of direct sunlight.

Cedar is not as it used to be
The Old growth cedar from decades ago is all but gone. What we have today is lowland fast growth. Soft, not as resistant as old growth and will not only not old a finish it will not hold up over time.

Treated sucks. It is treated when the wood is wet(still green), after installing it shrinks so much your joints can look like Schit.
Plus it needs to sit for at least a year for it to air dry be for you can stain or seal it.

What’s left. Brown treated if it is treated after kiln drying. More money that plain treated but worth it. Or a composite that is very light in color with special hidden fasteners.

I just re-did ours with treated 5/4 x 6 deck lumber from Lowe's. I rifled through about 5 for every one that I bought. most were so wet I could barely lift a 12 footer. but they are finally drying out, and look pretty OK. cheaper than cedar I am sure, but I did use some cedar for trim to cover ugly edges.

Cedar...no contest baby.

in general i like pressure trtd syp. it can be replaced, and sometimes is. 6/4, radius edged.

if one has got the money, or the hankering, heart cypress or as close as you can get.

small production, ain't cheap, but it's been around.

Just me, I'd go for CCA in .6 retention if you can find it. They say proper screws are needed to not corrode.

+1

Cedar

Pt poles and framing, trex decking. No slivers, staining, rotting etc. I scrub mine down once a year, looks new...

Timbertech decking and fascia . Pressure treated framing. Fortress Railing.

Did one last year, p.t. framing with teak decking. Really nice.
Want one to last and set on live wood, Ipe (ironwood). Pain in the ass to work with but longevity and aesthetically hard to beat

Pressure treated will keep it's looks if you keep it sealed.

I prefer pressure treated for the decking and support material. Cedar for everything else.

Living in the rain-soaked blowhole of Aleutian Hell has taught me a little on durability of materials in a land where everything rusts, rots and grows mold, moss and mildew.

The one main thing about having a deck, you never have nothing to do.

I’m in the same boat. Small deck job coming up and I’m about done with cedar.

Thinking synthetic or hardwood decking over PT frame with bolt down iron rail. Been looking at cumaru decking from Advantage lumber. Sure looks nice.

https://www.advantagelumber.com/cumaru_decking.htm

Need to look for some reviews.

Fantastic stuff... unusual smell when cutting, but everything you could ask in decking. Well, except for predrilling...

Redwood is far from being the same everywhere. Avoid the incredibly light stuff from new growth ("sustainable") sources. It grows too fast so it is soft and lacks decay resistence.

Cypress is incredible, but is slippery when wet.

This.

Depends on where you live and the climate.

I’d go grooved and hidden fasteners.

You ever do business with Advantage lumber? Buying sight unseen over the phone gives me pause.

Why were you less than impressed with cedar? Cedar is on of the best natural wood materials there is for a deck. The mistake that so many folks make with cedar is, they try to stain and or coat it to make it look like furniture... Cedar - presuming it is actual cedar - is not meant to be stained or sealed for outdoor use - ever see anyone stain and seal a cedar split-rail fence? The best thing anyone can do with cedar is install it with coated nails (screws are obviously better), and just let it turn the beautiful silver-gray color it does naturally.

I think it is a beautiful deck material that should easily last a lifetime. If you want a deck with a stained finish on it, the price just goes up exponentially, an the work never ends.

Just my 2-cents.

[EDIT] If price isn't an issue then a man-made material can be a good choice.

I have a cedar deck, and in the near future, it will be getting replaced with Trex. My house is 5 years old as of last month, and the cedar while not rotting, it is dried and cracked all to hell, which is typical of cedar.

We have a higher end customer at work that is considering replacing his deck. I'll pass this info on to my boss and the customer, maybe we'll take a trip into Buffalo and check it out.

If it’s g round level or can be just poor concrete and relax. Ed k

I haven’t read the entire thread but have you considered Trex?

What ever the synthetic glue board that is indestructible and is formed to look like lumber.

Use that.

Cedar... but don't ever paint it! It will then rot.

Mahogany. Wears like steel. No rot.

Our home in Pa.

Will need to replace current rear deck in a year or three. Will be Trex decking with highest retention Pressure Treat I can secure for each component. If I feel motivated, might saw the structural pieces out of white oak. But, that gets to be like work as well...

Around here, the lower level retention PT is like dipping the wood in green Kool-aid. About useless...

The toughest environment ever, could be flatbed and lowboy trailer decking. Lowboy decks really get a beating, dozer tracks doing what they do. Apitong is kind of the industry standard for re-decking trailers, sure is pretty wood, silvers beautifully in a couple years. I don't think it is terribly expensive, but you could go to a commercial trailer website and probably get a real world price. I have no idea how suitable it would be for residential service, but with no treatment whatsoever, weather checking is minimal, slivering seems minimal, warping non existent. Countersunk bolt heads collect water and mud and they do not rot or soften. I have been called many things however, carpenter ain't one of 'em.

PT posts and framing, cedar hand rail, trex decking, this is about 15 years old..

I have trex decking. Granted, it is on my semi-covered porch, but it has been out there for almost 22 years in the rain, snow, 100 degrees to minus 20. Performance has been perfect - no issues at all. No slivers, no warping, no splitting, no staining or seal necessary. But the joists underneath the trex are rotting, so when I redo my deck in a few years, I plan to save the trex and reuse it but replace the joists with pressure treated.

this......bob

this is where people screw up...….bob

My pressure treated deck is less than 10 years old and rotting everywhere. Summer project is to rebuild it.

Cedar and coat it with Sikkens as directed...it will look like a piece of furniture for years.

If you can fit it in your budget, Ipe is the way to go. It'll be there longer than your house.

Been telling people for years...

The reason a cedar fence doesn't rot is, it's cedar! Has oils and whatnot that keep it from rotting - and prevent stain and/or paint from sticking to it for any length of time - ESPECIALLY where the sun hits it!

Ever see anyone stain or paint cedar roof shakes?

I love the silver/gray color - looks beautiful.

I replaced the 5/4x4 cedar decking on my front deck last year after 21 years and a couple of replaced planks. It gets most of the sun and all of the rain. I replaced framing with PT and 5/4x6 decking. Burned the old cedar painted rails 5hat required painting every year with vinyl railing from Lowe’s. Next occupant might have to replace in 18 years....

Lotsa folks around here pressure wash shake roofs and oil em. For a deck the no staining/slivers is a huge plus for me

Anyone thinking cedar is better without oiling either lives in a very narrow range of climate or is kidding themselves.

Test board!

I've seen that pretty successfully installed and used in the NW, but in other regions not so much.
In the SW, I see decks and benches and the like built of it warped all to hell, they are torn out and replaced with wood rather quickly. Apparently excessive sun or UV does a number on it. Docks built of it can be a disaster, don't overfill that running tank on the dock, a gas spill eats the stuff. Then there is just the whole idea of a plastic deck.....

Yep, that’s what the wife says. Easier to replace cedar than the spousal unit. So NO plastic here by proclamation. Recognize correct answer when told!

I built a small deck last summer, ALL PT wood . Looks great. Need to put on an oil stain this year.

This...

PT framing and Trex deck that is about 15 years old. I hit it with the pressure washer every other year or so and it looks like new. It sits in the full sun, we have experienced none of the negatives that have been mentioned here. I would go that way again in a heartbeat.

After years of maintaining the crappy deck I am tearing it out to build a patio with pavers after the joists gave up the ghost.. Life is too short to spend the rest of it messing with a wood deck!

Concrete patio is cheaper long term if you can make that work. You’re right, Hunts.

Yours has been my experience also. Installation is key. Trex has little structural strength so adequate support is critical. Also, the planks can’t be installed too closely together or problems will occur.

PT wood deck, cedar deck does not work in my area. Temp. swings of 100 degrees and 6 months of snow just tear wood decks up.
Put up with a PT wood deck for years, they need constant maintenance, and sealing/staining on a regular basis.
Two years go tore off all my decking, PT wood frame then Azek decking using invisible fasteners and picture frame style (no deck ends visible) Azek trim over PT frame, nice clean look, then vinyl handrail system and privacy fencing. No slivers, no staining, no warped boards. Wash it in the spring just like you do your car.
Last deck you'll ever need.
Trex, is a cheaper version of this, Trex will not stand the sun/snow like Azek

My experience exactly...

Life is way too short to spend several days a summer working on a wood deck.

ipe decking

Pressure treated hands down. Keep the "cup" right, keep it clean, keep it treated.. I've yet to see a Trex deck impress,

And carpenter bees love cedar boards. Last cedar deck I tore down to replace wit PT not only looked like crap but was unsteady. Some of the boards literally buzzed with bees. Some I cut open were tunneled like an ant farm.

This is my trade...
The OP is looking for a budget solution and while I will sign onto the recommendations for Ipe and synthetics I'll try to address the OP's main concern first. Cedar vs. PT As others have noted today's commonly available cedar is not what was typical in the decks of yesteryear. Unless you pay for very expensive old growth, say 20ish a square foot you aren't going to be happy for very long. I am unsure about some of the Alaskan Yellow species that those up North might have access to but, lower 48 anything you get will be a sapwood inland version of western red. Depending on where this deck will be PT could be a good solution. If it gets a lot of sun, read my comments below. If it is a wet-ish or shady environment it could go well. A trick of the trade and it's actually a part of the install instruction for EliteDeck is to spray the newly installed pt decking down with a special sealer Wolman sells. It's a low grade deck stain kinda like Thompsons, a light oil. This seals in the moisture and slows the drying process mitigating much of the downsides of pt lumber. Keep it covered before install, you actually want to keep it wet as long as possible.
I would take a long hard look at some of the more affordable composites if you can. Trex, Deckorators, Fiberon and Wolf are the best in my opinion. I despise Azek and TimberTech. they both are made by CPG and the warranty is not worth the paper it is printed on. Yes, sometimes their product serves people well which is why some folks will adamantly recommend it but, in aggregate there are way too many failures and they don't back it up. I once had a customers deck turn milky white and the rep said it was weathered not faded, so not covered. He almost got thrown off of that deck and in the end, after a lot of threats they did cover that one, most have not fared so well. Google it.
Fiberon has always shot me straight and Deckorators has never failed us once. They have a warranty that covers labor too, no one else does. They have a board made out of limestone and polypropylene that barely expands and contracts with temp. Anyone that lives in Montana or Wyoming etc. where there are wild temperature swings should take a long look at Voyage from Deckorators.
I import Ipe from Brazil through a broker and we sell tons of it. Not cheap and a laborious install. Nothing like it either though. Beautiful, same flame spread rating as concrete. Impervious to insects and decay. Some nuances to it's install but, if you ask or do your research it's fine.

Two years now since I built a 1000' sq ft deck and it still looks flawless. Many compliments.
I went pressure treated for joist work and Trex Transcends for the actual decking. There was a semi-local building supply store closing out overstock of Trex's best for 30% off so I went for it.

I was very skeptical after the Crosstimbers synthetic product I used in 2007 that failed so badly, but this Trex product is fabulous.
And I can't imagine a climate harder on a product than ours.

Is there any of the synthetics that will work over 16" centers?

Thank you.

A few companies make what they call a dockboard. It'll be a special order thing but, will span 24" Almost all products will span 16" just fine unless you are in a very warm climate or have big low E windows close by.

pdX- where do you buy Ipe or other hardwoods from?

Thinking of using cumaru over pressure treated frame. Don’t know of anyone local that handles it, just on line vendors.

Trex tells me the transcend product on 16" centers is fine but no installer will do that for me. I get it, they don't want guarantee a deck that they don't build the frame for.

I'm happy to do resurface it myself with that product but don't want to spend the time if its an issue. I've got 750 sf of decking and can't get anyone with real world experience to weigh in on this. Any help?

You edited....you had asked about 24" centers and they are will all work over 16". Only some will work over 24".
Our decking (trex trancends) is made for, and on, 24" centers.
I went 12" on center under the hottub, but every thing else is 2ft.
And one more thing. The first CrossTimbers deck I built (and ultimately tore out) had the 'hidden fasteners' system. It was complete garbage.
This Trex has traditional fasteners but they are barely noticeable. One has to look very close to even see them.

Well damnit make up your minds 🤦🏼‍♂️

Which is best ?

You can pm me any questions you have. It should be easy.

Plenty of painted cedar siding in the world too...

Obviously...

I've seen some shady stuff from the online hardwood retailers. I have to stay on my toes when we import, it's a rough game. Cumuru is fine but, I really prefer Ipe. All these imports want to be Ipe when they grow up...
Pm a zip code and maybe I can connect you with a source. If you need it I could write an import hardwood manifesto...
Full disclosure we sell Deckwise products but, we do for a reason. Ipeclips are a great product.

Just like sunscreen, the efficacy of deckstain is hard to overstate. UV is far more harmful than water. A good stain with UV inhibitors will add years of life.

Trex decking and its hand rails don't take long to get spongy and look like schitt. Look fake and weak. The OP had a Cedar deck. A pressure treated one will outlast the Cedar. And won't end up a spongy pile of schitt.

Marianne..... no, Ginger,,,,, no,,,,???

Checking if an edit is recorded.

This is added as an edit.

Edits are recorded. Good to know.

I'd go PT.....we see a bit of rain up here and haven't had any issues.

Oiling cedar is done to make cedar look like furniture, or to 'restore' the new(er) look of cedar - it its cosmetic only and does nothing to extend the 'actual life' of cedar as a deck, siding, or roof shake material. Once you oil it, you have an ongoing maintenance project, and you become the best friend of the Sikkens dealer.

Atlantic White Cedar (actually a Cypress) was chosen for early boardwalks in places with four season where wood is subjected to brutally humid summers and freezing cold winters. It is/was naturally rot resistant, and, because it could endure moisture indefinitely, folks started using it for siding and shakes. When they started running out of stands of material and prices rose, they turned to Western Red Cedar. Eventually the Boardwalk builders turned to Ipe in the 1960's because Ipe was said to last 25-years - in those brutally humid summer and freezing cold winter environments - with no finish on the material.

In the Pacific North Wet almost any material can become covered with moss or mildew on the north sides of buildings - folks power-wash it off and repaint where required.

The mistake people make with Cedar, is oiling it and or using it when something else is what they really want, but may not like the cost of. It all comes down to cost and how much time you want to spend re-coating your deck. I knew a guy that was a retired house-painter from the times when no one used a sprayer - his cedar deck looked straight out of the movies beautiful - he worked maintaining the like-new finish, every year...

But it sure did look beautiful!

Cedar isn't that great in a deck handrail form... Seen miles of Cedar handrail that will not last as long as PT. Sure Cedar is better than Pine LOL! Per price I'd take Doug Fir Over Cedar any day. Both will need replaced eventually. And so will a spongy azzed Trex deck.