Spending our time outside is something that became popular in the past few years. Not only we can enjoy our regular activities from outside, but we can also do friends and family gatherings in our private environment. That is the reason why lots of people redid their yards and improved their decking.
There are lots of materials that a deck can be made of. However, wood is still the best option to consider both because of its aesthetics and because it increases the value of your home. In addition, it is a less expensive decking material which makes it an even more popular option.
In this article, we’ll talk about cedar as a decking material you might consider. In addition, you will learn whether it is too soft for decking and all its good and bad sides. Keep reading and find out more.
Contents
Cedar decking advantages
To see why is this one of the most used decking materials, we have to go through its advantages.
Costs
The first advantage of cedar is its cost. While it is not the cheapest possible option, it is still affordable for the quality and looks it offers. With costs slightly more than three dollars per square foot, it fits between the composite as an expensive and pressure-treated wood as the cheaper option.
Knowing the approximate costs of decking materials can help determine your project by your budget. However, as a middle option, cedar is the most used decking wood.
Looks
The decks look highly attractive and expensive because of the cuts that cedar planks come with. Depending on the type you’ll be choosing you can get red and brown tones with the western red or yellower tones with the regular cedar.
The factor that contributes to the aesthetics the most is the straightness of the wood grain. That way it looks uniform with the other planks. In addition, the end cuts are better looking and can be left exposed if wanted, while the decks made from the other materials are made to hide the ends with a frame method.
Ability to change the color
Although the cedar tends to lose its color with time, that is not a big problem since you can easily stain it after a couple of years. This contributes to the aesthetics since gives you the ability to change the color that matches the remaining of your home the best.
Natural durability
The well-known aromatics of cedar are due to the oils contained in the wood. The same oils are responsible for the natural durability of this material making it resilient to insects and moisture. The cedar is not completely water resistant it can still withstand rains and snow. However, by applying sealant, you ensure the longevity and intactness of the deck for many years.
The ability to withstand water makes it great around pools since the wood can breathe and remove moisture. However, if you plan on building a deck on the ground or even below, cedar should not be the material of choice.
By doing regular maintenance, you can expect your cedar deck to last more than twenty years which is surely a great thing. If you are looking for more information about durability or anything else regarded to building your dream deck, be sure to check this.
Is it too soft?
The question of whether cedar is too soft for decking depends on the activities you have planned to do on the deck. Cedar is a soft wood that was part of decking projects for many years in the past. The natural durability we mentioned above as well as the aesthetics make it a great material.
On the other hand, it might be too soft for some occasions since splintering and scratches from dragging furniture on top of the woods can happen. However, being a soft wood means it is less likely to shrink or warp compared to the other woods. This means your planks will stay straight for a long time.
Works well with all homes
The aesthetics that the cedar woods are offering contribute to improving the looks of your whole home. As mentioned above, you can stain it in a way that matches the colors of your home nicely. In addition, with lots of new homes getting their decks built out of composite or other materials, you are being sure that your deck will stand out with its natural look.
They increase the value of your property since every potential buyer will be amazed by its looks. This is one of the reasons why cedar decks are the best choice if you plan on selling your home after a while.
Cedar decking disadvantages
After going through the good sides of cedar wood, it is time to see its disadvantages to consider whether this is the right material for your decking.
Needs regular resealing and staining
To achieve perfect results and longevity with the cedar woods, you’ll need to spend time in regular maintenance which includes resealing and staining. The resealing process should be done every one or two years. Be sure to get a sealant that offers UV protection to prevent fading of the color.
Even with proper maintenance, you can still see fading of the natural color of your wood after around ten years. That is where you can do a staining project and improve the faded tones of your deck.
Gets dinged and scratched
Because of the softness of the cedar, scratches and dings can be common practices depending on certain situations that can happen on the deck. For example, dragging your furniture over the planks can scratch them which not only does it ruins the aesthetics of the deck but it ruins the protection of the sealant.
Dings can be difficult to repair. However, you always can remove a single plank and install a new plank in the same place. This is a relatively easy and inexpensive project that will help you maintain the looks of your decking.