The Best Type of Wood for Outdoor Terraces
If you’ve ever wondered what the best wood for a deck is, it depends on a lot of factors, including your budget and expectations.
For this reason we’ve rounded up some of the best types of wood based on durability, as well as other factors like price and sustainability.
Qualities to Look for in Decking Wood
When purchasing wood materials for your deck, it’s not just beauty that’s important, you need wood that will last for years and withstand a lot of wear and tear.
All of the types of wood we recommend on this blog are known for their..
• Durability
• Moisture Resistance
• Stability
• Cost Effectiveness
• Sustainability
Another important feature to look for in decking wood is quality. High-quality wood is often more durable and resistant to decay, rot, and insect damage than low-quality wood.
While quality is definitely more expensive, you’ll find that high-quality wood is worth the higher price. Don’t skimp when it comes to purchasing the wood materials for your deck.
1. Ipe
Ipe is an exotic hardwood that comes from the forests of Central and South America. It is known for its durability as well as its beautiful appearance.
Additionally, ipe wood is one of the sturdiest types of wood you can choose for an outdoor deck. Lastly, ipe is low maintenance, requiring only seasonal cleaning and oiling.
2. Cedar
Next on our list is cedar, a very popular choice among homeowners due to its natural beauty and durability.
In most cases, cedar wood decking is dimensionally stable. This is a fancy way of saying that it resists swelling and shrinking as temperature or humidity levels change.
3. Redwood
Redwood is a highly sought-after wood, especially when it comes to decking. Not only is it naturally beautiful with a unique reddish hue, but its special grain patterns also add a natural aesthetic appeal to outdoor decking.
Although redwood is durable and sturdy, it is also especially sustainable compared to other wood decking materials. This is largely due to redwoods’ carbon sequestration capabilities – they regenerate quickly which contributes to environmental stability and reduces CO2 emissions during the manufacturing process.
4. Hemlock Fir
Last on our list of the best types of wood for outdoor decking is hemlock fir. This type of wood is a combination of western hemlock species and true fir trees.
