When it comes to choosing deck materials, you don’t just need to focus on the appearance and looks. Affordability and durability are also extremely important for your DIY deck plans. Decks are constantly exposed to freezing temperatures, harsh weather, ultraviolet rays, excessive water, insects and more.
Moreover, as time passes by, simple deck plans can be damaged because of wear and tear. They become one of the most used areas in your home. Even when you work on the job yourself, a new deck can be quite expensive.
It is a long term investment, and therefore, you need to use the best materials for your deck design plans. In this post, we’ve discussed some high quality materials for your wood deck plans. It’s worth mentioning that you should always seek help from a professional deck builder. This allows you to get the best returns on your investment.
Standard Lumber – Standard lumber like spruce, fir and pine is affordable. It can also be easily waterproofed. However, it does not last for a long time. Once you consider the cost of your DIY deck plans, it will be better to spend a bit extra on pressure-treated lumber.
Most of the time, treated lumber is more affordable than cedar, redwood and some other deck materials like vinyl, plastic and more. Moreover, you don’t have to satisfy the beauty and strength of wood. It can be easily stained and finished to enhance the visual appearance. However, it needs a lot of care and maintenance.
Cedar and Redwood – These two materials have always been traditional choices for simple deck plans. You can choose heartwood to make sure your deck lasts longer. Heartwood is the combination of reddish interior of redwood, and orange-brownish wood of cedar. Unlike sapwood, heartwood does not lack oils, and even resists insects.
You can also choose softwood as these choices don’t have any problems regarding splinters. However, it is worth mentioning that softwood can also develop a silver or gray patina with age. While using softwood, you will also have to stain or paint every year to minimize this tendency.
Bamboo and Bamboo Composite – Bamboo can be a great choice for your wood deck plans. It’s used by a lot of professional deck builders. Just like plastic, aluminium, composite and vinyl, it can be a good decking choice rather than just being a framework material. It offers structural strength to your deck design plans. Bamboo is also considered to be eco-friendly and stress resistant. It does not wear and tear quickly.
Bamboo is perfect for warmer climates. However, it requires regular sealing and frequent cleaning. You can even use bamboo composite. It requires less cleaning since there are less ridges. It has more strength, and does not need any sealing.
The above mentioned choices can be perfect for your DIY deck plans. Before you choose a material, you should consider the benefits, drawbacks, appearance and cost. You should conduct an extensive research about different materials for your deck. It is important to use something affordable, high quality and suiting your needs. A well constructed deck made with high quality materials will last longer, and offer both value and satisfaction in the long run.
Hire Professionals for Best Results
When it comes to building a deck, it’s always better to hire professionals for the job. A professional makes sure only high quality materials are used for building a deck. In addition to this, professionals have vast knowledge and rich experience to handle everything easily. When you hire professionals, you also reduce the possibility of accidents on the site.
These days, most professional deck builders have their own websites, where you can look for detailed information about the company’s background and experience. You can also go through reviews and testimonials to make an informed choice.
When you spend some time on your research to look for a professional, it helps you make an informed choice. This makes sure everything goes smoothly regarding your deck building plans, and the project is wrapped up within set deadlines and budget. When you hire a professional, you should also ask for some references. This gives you a clear idea about the quality of services offered by the professional, and allows you to choose the best person or company for the job.
