Summer Structures

Ipe

Approximately 70% more expensive than PT Ipe is arguably the very best decking lumber available in terms of it’s life time value. It is hard, strong, and naturally resistant to rot, abrasion & weather. It virtually never splinters, splits or warps and has a Class A fire rating right up there with concrete and steel. And we is guaranteed it for 20 years without any preservatives. Due to it’s strength and hardness fastening requires predrilled and screwed connections but the finished product is always worth it. Ipe starts out reddish/brown and turns a beautiful low lustre silver grey over time.

Genuinne Mahogany

Approximately 60% expensive more than PT · A furniture quality hardwood · Virtually no knots · Less likely to splinter, spilt or warp · Very strong and stable · All connections are predrilled and screwed together · Starts out golden/brown turns light brown.

Meranti/Philippine Mahogany

Meranti which is misleadingly also called Philopine Mahogany isn’t reallly a species of Mahogany at all. It’s a hardwood that comes from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia, and got that trade name becuase it it similar in appearance to serveral species of what is now otfen called "genuinne" mahogany. Philippine Mahagany is actually a mixture of woods from the genus Shorea.

Different varieties of Meranti/Philippine Mahogany come in range of colors and there is a dark red variety that looks like teak (see Boston Cedar’s Outback Decking). Resistance to decay also varies but is generally good but the wood needs treatment and maintainence with a water repellent finsish to protect it and maintain it’s dimensional stability.

While it is not as tough and as dimensionally stable as genuinne mahagoany which comes from the America’s it is considerably less expensive.

California Redwood

A beautiful decking and railing material which is usally straight grained with a fine, even texture. Color varies from cherry-red to dark reddish-brown and it exhibits a natural resistance to warping, twisting and cupping. (California Redwood Association)

Red Cedar — D & Better (almost clear)

60% more expensive than pressure treated wood Red Cedar D & Better has the same general appearance as Red D=Cedar STK, but it has almost no knots.

Port Orford White Cedar

Priced the same as STK Red Cedar · generally less knots than STK · Harder and stronger than Red Cedar · less likely to splinter, split or warp · Aromatic fruity scent · starts out yellowish/white, turns light gray.

Red Cedar STK (Sound Tight Knots Allowed)

25% More expensive than a PT deck · Relatively soft wood (scratches and gauges more easily) · Contains many knots - has a "rustic" look · Less likely to spilt, check or warp · Starts out reddish/brown, turns brownish/gray.

Pressure Treated Southern Yellow Pine

Once upon a time the most commonly used decking material in the New York and New England area it has slipped out of favor as a finish decking and railing material although it is still used for the framing and structure due to it’s incedible strength.

It is the least expensive of all the natural wood decking altenative but has a tendency to split, check and warp and the natural color a greenish brown is not the most pleasing color. With staining it does turn a dull brown/grey over time.