Deck Buying Checklist

Deck Buying Checklist

When you decide upon building a deck, you must be careful of what type of decking you choose to use. You have a variety of options to choose from. Your choice must be made after you take into account the four main factors: appearance, cost, climate, and local building codes.

Appearance

You have to ask yourself what do you like your deck to look like. For a real wood appearance, you should go with a real wood deck over a composite material. But you have to take into account the fact that wood is prone to break down because of bad weather conditions or moisture. On the other hand, composite decking color is likely to fade. You have the choice of prolonging the life of your deck by treating and sealing your wood decking.

The lifespan of most wooden decks is around 20 years, but, with the proper care, a mahogany deck can be put to good use even 40 years.

In the case of the composite decks, the color of their material is prone to fade little by little at different rates in various locations, but it does not break down and can last forever in a landfill. Wood decking can be refinished and may be made to look like new but this is not the case with composite decking.

Cost

The cost of the decking materials differs from one to another. When you decide to build a deck, it is recommended that you start with a budget of both time and money and see whether or when you can afford the types of decking that you want. Remember also that there are certain types of decking which are more difficult to install and require more time. If you choose these, be prepared to pay your builder extra for his work.

Climate Conditions

If you want to buy the suitable decking materials, you also have to take into account the climate conditions in your area. Wooden decking materials have a shorter lifespan in an area where it rains often or where the humidity is high. But, of course, you can prolong their lifespan by taking necessary precautions such as weather treating and sealing. If you live in an area with this type of climate, it is less time and money consuming to resort to composite material instead of wooden decking.

Local Building Codes

You have to mind your local building codes. Your deck must be built in compliance with those codes. The same applies when you remove a deck from your property. You have to dispose of it properly. Building a deck while not following the codes may not be approved by the inspector or may give you hard time if you decide to sell your property.

When buying the decking material, you should choose something you can afford but also something that you like and wouldn’t want to change later. The material should be sturdy enough to cope with the local climate conditions and should also fit in the requirements of local building codes. It may prove difficult to find something to balance all four of these guidelines, but once you do, you can built a deck which will last and which you can.