According to Steve Pray, manager at Hammond Lumber in Auburn, choosing the type of decking for your design is an important decision.

“There are four main types of decking material,” he said. “Pressure-treated lumber, cedar, hardwood and composite.”

Pressure treated is the most economical.

“It is hard enough to resist abuse,” explained Pray. “With proper treatment, it is resistant to rot, bug infestation and can be used in contact with the ground, or application below the ground. Customers need to be aware that the majority of pressure-treated decking is not dried after being treated; therefore it has a tendency to shrink unevenly when it dries. So it is necessary to keep a good, quality finish in order to minimize shrinking. To maintain, pressure-treated wood should be stained or sealed once its dry, making sure to saturate the end-grain as that tends to absorb moisture. It should be re-sealed every two to three years.”

But some people prefer the look of a cedar deck.

“It has a beautiful, natural look to it,” Pray said. “If the consumer loves that look, cedar can be a great choice. With its deep, red color, cedar won’t twist or split and tends to lay flatter longer than pressure treated. It is usually sold dry and has a naturally long lifespan. However, it will deteriorate faster when used for ground-level decks and it is slow to dry out if in a shaded area. To maintain, it should be cleaned and resealed every other year.”

Pray explained that hardwood decking is often referred to as exotic decking.

“Woods such as mahogany and other hardwood species are naturally resistant to rot, almost twice that of other wood decking. Although more costly than other materials, these exotic woods have natural beauty and color. They have a very luxurious look to them, but maintenance is a must in order to maintain that richness. Expect to treat it at least every two years, even yearly with a constant sun exposure.”

If near zero maintenance is what you are looking for, composite decking is definitely something to look into.

“Most composite decking is made from recycled plastic and wood chips/sawdust,” said Pray. “It’s more expensive, but once it’s down, it will not rot, splinter or twist. The material is defect free and you can use every inch of it and it comes in a wide variety of colors, styles and finishes to choose from. It lasts the longest of all decking materials and maintenance is as simple as spraying it off with a hose.”

Jeff and Jennifer Carleton of Lewiston are in the process of replacing an existing deck.

“We use our deck all the time, but with it being 12×12, it was just too small,” said Jennifer. “If we were cooking and had a full table of people it was pretty crowded. And now with a little one, we’ll be spending more time at home, so we really needed to make it more comfortable.”

“Besides being too small, the flooring was getting a bit squishy,” added Jeff. “It was time to change it.”

The Lewiston couple explored the pros and cons of decking materials and opted for the composite.

“We knew it was going to cost much more than pressure treated,” explained Jeff. “But between family helping to build it, its durability and minimal maintenance, it was the right decision for us. We wanted to relax on the deck, not constantly be maintaining it.”

The Carletons were also fortunate that the original deck framing was still in good condition.

“The supports were fine, and we added more joists for strength,” Jeff said. “Then we extended it another three feet in length, with three, full-length steps going down, and another 12×12 foot deck below. To finish it, two sets of steps go to the ground and we also put in a built-in bench on the top deck.”

“The biggest expense was the railings,” added Jennifer. “Between the basement windows and a water spigot, we couldn’t attach the deck to the back of the main house. So, it’s only attached to the sun porch, which is the short side, making for lots and lots of railings. And they all came, like a whole system with post covers, cross pieces with pre-drilled holes, banisters, and caps.”

“Another plus for the composite was that we could mix and match colors,” added Jeff. “So we went with brown flooring and railings with black banisters and caps.”

They drew up all the plans in May and their project is almost complete.

“The flooring is all done,” said Jeff. “It’s pretty much just finishing up the railings and adding some gates for safety. Once that is complete, we will put a hot tub next to the lower section to relax in with another gate for easy access.”

Jennifer laughed at how the new deck has really been a fun, family project.

“I got to pick out what I wanted, Jeff shopped for everything, and my brother and dad have done most of the construction. It really worked out well for me — I got the best job!”

With being home more often, adding the deck to this home is sure to pay off.

“It’s going to be our own little get-away, a place to entertain and a place to relax,” said Jeff.

“I just love it,” added Jennifer.