Three woods for a deck
We build wood decks in three kinds of lumber. Each one sits on the same kind of frame, footings, posts, beams and joists, and each one can have stairs and railing in the same wood.
Redwood
Redwood grows on the California coast, and redwood lumber comes only from California. It’s one of the woods used for decking. Redwood costs more than pressure-treated lumber.
Cedar
Cedar is another wood used for decks. Cedar costs a little more than pressure-treated and less than redwood.
Pressure-treated lumber
Pressure-treated lumber is wood that’s been treated with a preservative under pressure before it’s sold. It’s the wood behind our typical new wood deck price: about 16 by 20 feet with steps and railing, for $10,000 to $22,000.
Wood decks over the years
On the coast, weathered wood often turns a silvery gray. Plan on a fresh coat of penetrating stain every few years. When the time comes, our deck staining and sealing work cleans the deck, takes the mildew off and puts the stain on.
Wood stairs and railing
A wood deck gets wood stairs down to the yard and a wood railing around the edge: railing posts, a top rail and balusters, in the same wood as the boards or in a mix. If you’d rather have a different railing on a wood deck, metal, cable and glass railings cost more than wood.
Wood or composite?
Composite boards are made from a blend of wood fiber and plastic, and composite costs more than wood. If you’re weighing the two, see our composite decks page. We can price the same deck in wood and in composite so you can compare.
What we sort out on a wood deck
Picking the wood by budget
Pressure-treated lumber costs the least of the three, cedar a little more, and redwood the most. If you’re torn, tell us on the estimate form and we’ll price more than one.
Stairs and railing in the same wood
Stairs and railing usually match the boards, but you can mix them. We’ll show you how each option affects the price.
Keeping up a wood deck
On the coast, weathered wood often turns a silvery gray. Plan on a fresh coat of penetrating stain every few years, with the mildew cleaned off first.
Shade over a wood deck
A wood pergola over a wood deck is a natural pairing. A pergola set on a deck may need engineering or bigger footings, so tell us early if you want one. See patio covers and pergolas.
