What type of maintenance is needed for a pressure treated lumber deck?

Question

I am considering either a composite deck or a pressure treated lumber deck. What are the pros and cons of each? Does treated lumber need any regular maintinence?

Answer 1

Composite decking is really cool and is probably the wave of the future as it essentially is maintenance free. There are a few pitfalls however. First it is pretty expensive (depending on the brand), quite a bit more than a wolmenized deck. Also the boards are extremely "heavy" so transport and doing multi-tiered decking may be problematic. Lastly, my father put in a composite deck recently and 1/2 way through the job fell short of about 20 boards. He went back to the store, bought the same product, but because it was from a different "lot" it was a shade different. If you were to look you probably couldn't tell. We can. With composite decking you can get pretty creative with king posts, rails and spindles.

Wolmenized (pressure treated) is a safe way to go. It is sturdy, it weathers well. It is rather cost effective. You will want to paint or stain the deck because it will be that ugly greenish color if you don't. That will require power washing and re staining about ever two years depending on where you live. That can be a costly proposition every few years depending on your square footage. If I were going to build a wood deck again, I would still go with cedar.

The choice is yours. Having built both types, I would say spend the extra money now to save the hastle later. Go composite.

Answer 2

Composite decking is expensive but basically maintenance free. Treated lumber is much less expensive and if built correctly will last a long time. Let the treated lumber dry out for a couple of months then power wash with bleach and tsp mixture. Again let it dry for a couple of days and put on a high quality sealer or stain and sealer. Then just power wash as needed. For the price difference I would go treated lumber.

Answer 3

If you want your deck should look fresh and beautiful for a long period of time, then you should do deck repair and maintenance on a regular basis. It increases the life of the deck and make it last longer. For pressure treated deck maintenance, you follow these simple handy tips. First, start with deck cleaning and wood inspection for making the wood surface smooth and plane. Finally, seal or stain the deck to protect it from rain and the sun using a quality deck sealer or stain.

Answer 4

I HAVE A PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER DECK-THE ONLY THING YOU DO IS: MAYBE ONCE A YEAR-DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU LIVE-PRESSURE WASH IT WITH A LITTLE CLOROX AND WATER -THATS IT-I DON'T KNOW JACK ABOUT THE COMPOSITE DECK

Answer 5

You will need to seal the pressure treated on top,bottom, and sides, and depending on how soon it wears down, you will have to re-seal every few years. I personally would go for the composite if I could afford it.