What Wood Can Be Used For Outside Decking

The many varieties of wood have distinct appearances and textures. Pine, for example, is a very soft wood that has an organic appearance with visible grains of genuine timber. While cedar is tougher than pine, it is still softer than oak or iroko. When you cut into it, it has a unique scent that many people find attractive. Oak is a robust, solid wood that may be dyed or varnished and will last for many years.

Iroko is the heaviest of these woods, with an oily finish and a deep colour. Thermowood has a smooth look but is still durable since it is constructed of an engineered composition that is simpler to clean than other softwoods. The lightest, with a stunning silver colour, is Siberian larch, which is commonly used for decking, cladding, and fences; each style of wooden decking has a unique wood grain, lustre, and design.

When it comes to upkeep, you should pick your wooden decking wisely because certain decking requires routine maintenance. Softwoods, such as pine, should be treated with decking oil once a year to retain their beauty and suppleness.

Harder, denser timbers will require less treatment, but may only work with certain oils. To avoid fungal degradation, some hardwoods will require special treatment, such as pressure treatment. Normal sealers and stains are also out since they will damage the surface of the exquisite wood.

To gain a real picture of cost, several factors must be addressed. Most people just consider the initial cost of wooden decking, but there are additional fees to consider in the long run. The cost of the wood must be examined and compared to how long it will survive. Softwoods are less expensive than hardwoods, but they only last approximately 25 years before decomposing, whereas a harder, denser wood like Iroko or Balau can survive for more than 50 years.

Installation charges vary depending on how difficult the wood is to work with and whether there are local professionals available to install it. Softwoods, like pine and cedar, are the least expensive decking materials on the market, but they require more upkeep than hardwoods, which raises their yearly cost significantly. Having said that, hardwoods will become significantly more costly over time owing to scarcity and difficulties in installation.

The humid and fluctuating climate of the United Kingdom may make it challenging to choose the ideal wood decking for your home. Softwoods will need to be treated every 1 to 3 years to prevent decay.

Harder woods, such as iroko and Siberian larch, are more weather resistant and will last longer in tough conditions. Other wood species, such as balau or iroko, are more expensive than pine but survive longer due to their hardwood fibres, which make them less prone to splitting when stressed by circumstances such as strong winds.

When decking boards are damaged and twisted by the environment, splinters and other anomalies might occur. Softwoods, like pine, have long grains that might create splinters, but they are great for balancing the amount of moisture absorbed by your decking material, which is important if you want to avoid drying out too quickly during the colder months.

To get a particularly smooth surface, hardwoods can be sanded and even polished. They will keep their smooth textures for a longer amount of time because of their enhanced oil content and resistance to weathering. Softwoods are also good, but if not handled often, they can become harsh with time.

All hardwood decking has the potential to become slippery; the primary causes are all connected to moisture on the wood. Moisture may make decking slippery on its own, but the major cause of slippery decking is moss and algae development. A common misconception is that some woods, such as cedar, are more slip resistant than others; nevertheless, all of them must be treated with particular compounds to stay slip resistant.

You might also go for thermowood decks, which are particularly built to prevent slippage when wet, making it easier for persons who want assistance navigating around their property. There is no obvious winner in this category because all timber decking becomes slick if not cleaned and maintained. For long-lasting non-slip features, use composite decking, which does not absorb water like wood and does not allow algae to develop.

All of this information regarding hardwood being a wise investment has most likely piqued your curiosity about your beautiful iroko decking. This might be a problem because hardwoods are famously difficult to get and do not exist in a variety of shapes and sizes in the UK.

There is no guarantee that you will be able to obtain replacement planks or that, if you do, they will match your current decking, so this can be a problem now and in the future. Softwood decking is widely accessible and made of the same wood as much of the timber used in construction, meaning that it will be available soon due to extensive global supply networks.