The research this homeowner did prior to buying Tigerwood has paid off.

It’s almost Summer and thousands of homeowners across the country are getting ready to start working on their deck. Some will be remodeling and many will be building a deck for the first time. But, before hammer goes to nail, the question you must answer is, “What kind of material is best for decking?”

Should you go with real wood decking, or composite “wood” decking? Regular readers of this blog already know the limitations and problems that plague composite deck materials. Let’s face it; if plastic decking were so good, wood decking would be obsolete. But, because of the documented issues that both composite and PVC decking face, many people are opting for real wood deck materials.

So, let’s say that you chose to buy wood decking. What material should you choose, and what pitfalls are to be avoided when buying decking?

Here are 5 Ways to Save Money When You Buy Decking:

1. Don’t settle for chemically treated and cheap decking materials. This is the “You get what you pay for” rule of shopping for anything. If you are on a tight budget, it pays not to settle for pressure treated decking. Yes, it’s cheaper than hardwood, but when you read about the chemicals used to treat the pine wood, and see how pressure treated wood decking looks in such a short amount of time, does it really benefit you to sacrifice your long term enjoyment? If you are on a tight budget, there are still some wonderful hardwoods out there that might cost a bit more, but will give you years of worry-free use. For instance Tigerwood and Garapa are very affordable. They are also great looking and naturally durable, without all the problems that treated decking has.
2. Price is not as important as you think. Of course, you want to get the most for your money. We all do. But, when it comes to buying lumber, it’s easy to order something and not know what you’re really getting until the truck arrives at your job site. If you’re shopping online, check to see if the supplier is FSC certified, been around for at least a decade and, at the very least, willing to share some testimonials or pictures of jobs that have been completed with their products. I know what you’re saying, “Ok, that’s all well and good…that still doesn’t clear up how to buy wood decking!” Let me address that by saying…
3. Lumber grade is more important than price. This may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s true. Some suppliers don’t want you to know the difference so they put up pretty pictures that they’ve doctored to cover up the flaws in their material. They also put up a very low price. This combination has led to many frustrated homeowners trying to get their money back in vain. So, with this in mind? It pays in the short and long run to ask up front about the grade of lumber BEFORE you buy. Here is a description of lumber grades to help you:
   • Common/Select Grade – Common grade can be poorly milled and come with unappealing color variances. It often contains sapwood, visible knots & worm holes.
   • Premium/Clear – This is the best grade and is all heartwood. There should be no knots, or worm holes. Premium grade wood is carefully milled material that truly reflects the colors and natural accents of the wood.
4. Convert square footage to lineal feet. Ah, math. The bane of many children and of people who are building a 500 square foot deck and order 500 lineal feet. Sure. you’ll get your wood, but you’ll have just enough to build half of your deck! An error like this means paying TWICE for shipping. You can avoid this pitfall and keep more of your money by using our Square Foot to Lineal Foot Calculator.
5. Buy Random Lengths. When it comes to buying hardwood decking, you save more money when you specify a range of lengths.  Many suppliers will charge you more if you demand one specific length. Why? It’s a simple matter of cost, inventory, and waste. With a majority of product originating in domestic and South American mills, suppliers buy a range of lengths of 8’ through 20’.  Selling within this range is the norm. There’s also the matter of waste. If a supplier has a greater inventory of 15′ decking and you order 13′ boards, there’s the cost to mill and dispose of all that waste. Besides, most deck builders will almost always use a range of lengths depending on both your home’s and the deck’s design.

These tips will save you hundreds of dollars and increase the chances that you will enjoy your new wood deck for a very long time.

Questions? Leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you.

This Tigerwood deck was built to code, has a strong support, & is durable enough to last over 40 years. Its striking looks & function also add to the home's selling appeal.

Are you in the market for a home and coming across properties that have a deck previously installed?

Don’t be shy about asking these questions. You will save yourself valuable time, money, and future headaches. You also give the current owner a chance to explain the history of the deck. After all, you wouldn’t dream of walking into a used car lot and buy a car, no questions asked. Likewise, when buying a home with a deck, you need to know its history.

Here are The 5 Most Important Things to Know Before You Buy a Home with a Deck:

1. What is the age of the deck? Obviously, the older the deck, the closer you want it inspected. Older decks deserve more scrutiny because of structural issues. Be sure to ask if it was every subject to insect attack. You’d also want to know if any part of the deck had been replaced.
2. What is deck’s overall condition? Is it still structurally stable? Don’t just look at the deck’s surface to gauge its health. Take a good look “under the hood.” You or your home inspector should look under the deck and check out the condition of the joists and other support components. Are things starting to rot or rust? Is decay visible? Hopefully, the posts are also in good condition.
3. Does it meet current building codes? This one is very important and can bite you in the you know where if you ever try to sell a home with a deck that isn’t up to code. The last thing you want also is to pay a fine, or have difficulty selling your home in the future.  You might want to look at an up-to-date survey, too.
4. What kind of deck is it? If you’re looking at an old pressure treated deck, then you will have to be aware of the many chemicals and other problems that plague pressure-treated decking. Are you looking at a composite deck? Older composite decking may not be the best, or have that much longer of a lifespan. As for wood decking, they have been proven to be more dependable, but you should still be diligent.
5. I love the home…but is the deck worth keeping / maintaining? If you found the home of your dreams, but the deck needs some work or repairs, seek a professional contractor’s advice to see how much it would cost to tear down and/or replace the deck. You might want to keep looking if you

All these question will help determine how much longer the deck will last, how much work will go in to getting it where you want, or if your better off starting over.

The point is, don’t just give those decks a passing glance. If you have to, jump up and down on the decking. If by looking at it, you’d rather NOT do that, then you might want to keep looking at other homes.

If you have any other questions you feel should be asked, or your own deck stories to tell, please comment below. Your experience can help other people.

Some of the more common defects that you can run into are checks, knots, and splits. If you’ve ever stepped on a chemically treated wood decks, you most definitely have seen all three of those defects since they’re most common with softer and lesser grade woods.

In this one picture, you can see how knots, checks & splits have made this surface dangerous to walk on.

Checks are a result of the wood separating across rings. They are more prevalent on vertical grain cuts of decking.

Knots are indicative of the presence of a branch that was in the lumber. Lower grade materials typically include knots and are, therefore, cheaper.

Checks and splits typically occur when the wood cells are torn apart. They are rather unsightly and can produce splinters.

Thankfully, you won’t have to worry about any of these defects if you install an ipe deck. Not only will your deck be made of premium grade materials, it will also need less maintenance,  look great and be safer than decks that are riddles with the problems outlined above.

Contact Advantage Trim & Lumber Co. Inc. today for premium grade ipe decking.