Let’s talk about three of the most common materials used for residential decks in the Pacific Northwest.

Composite Boards

Hands down, composite decking is the most widely used type of deck board in this region. As a result, there are multiple composite decking brands in today’s market. However, here at Cascade Fence & Deck, we use Deckorators composite decking exclusively for all of our projects. We prefer this brand because of its warranty and mineral-based composition.

Some composite decking products contain organic materials, making them more likely to fail from moisture and water.

Regardless of which brand you select, all composite decking is manufactured with some combination of PVC along with other industry-standard materials chosen for longevity and low maintenance properties.

Cedar (Softwood)

Cedar is another popular option for decking materials here in the Pacific Northwest.

Cedar is another popular option for decking materials here in the Pacific Northwest. Cedar has natural water-repelling properties that make it an excellent choice for decking. However, cedar is a soft wood, which means that it can be more easily damaged than other types of material from traffic on the surface. Cedar also does need regular maintenance. It should be sanded and finished every few years at a minimum to keep it from decaying over time.

Ipe (Hardwood)

For those looking for a high end, natural material for deck boards, hardwood is the way to go. Here at Cascade Fence & Deck, we install Ipe, but there are many different Hardwoods that you can use for your deck.

Hardwoods are a much more durable material than softwoods like cedar. They can be installed at a smaller thickness and hold up a lot more to wear and tear over time materials like Ipe. However, require regular maintenance to keep them from graying out over time and maintaining the natural red Hue. And so it’s essential to keep in mind. If you are installing a hardwood deck that you’re going to need to do maintenance every other year, or even every year, if you want to, keep it looking new and fresh.