Perfect View Decks builds and finishes  with any materials currently available in the market.  The Frame is usually always Pressure Treated Lumber because of it's price and durability.  However the options for decking, railing, benches etc. are endless.  Perfect View Decks never pushes a particular material like some companies  and encourages the customer to educate themselves.  The important things are personal taste, size, utilization and of course budget. Like everything in life there are advantages and disadvantages to each material.  What's most important is a good design and a solid foundation

Pressure-Treated Lumber (Pine, spruce, fir)

Pressure treated decking is readily available and some say it is now safer than ever.  Alkaline copper quanternary(ACQ) and copper azole have become the two most widely used wood treatments since copper arsentate(CCA) was phased out.  It's these treatments that give the wood it's longevity in outdoor applications. ACQ and CA have shown good results against moisture, mold and insect damage over the last 20 years.

With the right design, a good builder (sorts through lumber) and some nice deckscaping a pressure treated decking can be great value for money.  A pressure treated deck can either be sealed with water repellents or stained with an oil based semi-transparent. To preserve the look of  that finish will require periodic maintenance.

Cedar

Western Red  is the  most widely distributed species of cedar in this region.  Cedar is a popular choice for outdoor structures because it has strong dimensional stability with little tendency to shrink or twist. Cedar also contains natural compounds that resist decay.

However, it's Cedars warmth and beauty that attracts builders and homeowners to use it for their decks. A nicely stained cedar deck is  timeless and elegant,  providing a natural feel in backyard landscapes. Of course keeping that beauty can sometimes be challenging and definitely requires maintenance.

Ipé (pronounced Ee-pay)

Ipé is an extremely dense and strong wood that comes from a related group of South American hardwoods. Ipé is highly resistant to rot and insect damage which makes it a very durable and long lasting decking surface.  When newly milled, Ipé has a beautiful red to brown colour.

Ipé is comparable in cost to synthetic decking and is very time consuming to install relative to other decking options. Having a knowledgeable contractor is definitely a must. Ipé also has to be oiled annually in order to maintain it's original colour, however this usually requires no sanding!!  Perfect View Decks highly recommends researching this alternative and feels it is a great option for our Canadian climate.