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I know it may seem a bit premature to talk about shopping for a new deck. As I write this, we have a fresh layer of snow on the ground and it is a frigid 10 degrees outside. But we are approaching the end of February, and spring is just around the corner. So I have some practical advice to help you get started making decisions for your new deck.

Low voltage deck lighting is one of the coolest, most practical things, you can add to your deck. As I’ve said before, we love to help our customers get the most out of their new deck. With a lighting package, your deck will be a more attractive spot for your families’ late night games and hanging out. It is also a relatively low cost way to set your deck apart from other decks in your neighborhood

Have you thought about using the space under the deck, or it is an idea that never sparked your interest? Some people prefer to keep the area open, whereas others prefer it closed off.

Our owner, John, loves to design decks and get the most out of the space. He has eight ideas to fill in the wasted space below the main attraction and turn it into a space the whole family can use.

Pros & Cons of Vinyl Wrapped Composite Decking

Vinyl Wrapped Composite is the newest type of decking on the market. We have been using the Timbertech version of it for several years. It is pretty much what it sounds like, the old composite type of decking, wrapped in a vinyl shell.

We here at Decks R Us are big fans of the latest versions of Vinyl decking, especially the Azek brand. We began using Azek back in 2005 when it was still sold under the Procell brand. This decking is made much like the older composite type, but is 100% plastic. It is available in many colors and sizes.

Pros & Cons of Composite Decking

Traditional Composite decking, such as Trex, is a mixture of wood dust and plastic. It is extruded in a machine with lots of heat allowing the wood, plastic, coloring, and UV protectant to melt and mold together. This technology was first introduced to the decking industry in the 1990s. Today there are dozens of different brands of it available. The color selection has expanded considerably,  but the technology has not changed much.

In this second part of our five part series on the pros and cons of different types of decking, we will look at the more traditional wood deck boards.

Wood Decking

There are two species of wood traditionally used by deck builders. Cedar has been a staple of deck builders for a long time due to it’s high acid content and natural weather resistance.  On the East Coast, Pressure Treated Pine is the #1 type of wood used for decks.

Finding the right decking for your new deck can be a bit overwhelming. Hardwood or Pressure Treated wood? Composite or Vinyl? And if you decide to go with something man-made, there are dozens of options and hundreds of opinions out there. Decking can be be put into 5 simple categories, Hardwood, Traditional Wood, Vinyl, Composite, or Vinyl-Capped Composite. So this post is the first in a 5-part series that I will share with you over the next few months. Hopefully I can shed some light on the pros and cons of each type of decking.

Hardwood Decking                                                                                                                   

There are 3 common species of hardwood decking, Ipe, Cumuru, and Mahogany. Ipe and Cumuru are Brazilian wood species but are readily available here, Mahogany is an American species.

Low-voltage deck lights are becoming popular for some very good reasons. They provide a nice gentle glow to your deck and they also can also provide additional safety for steps and pathways. In Pennsylvania, for example, it is required by code that any outdoor steps are illuminated. If you don't have an outdoor light in your house near the deck steps, you may be required to install riser lights on your new deck steps.