You know the old saying “they don’t make ’em like they used to”? It’s safe to say there’s a lot of truth to that. But, believe it or not, some products are actually better than they used to be.

This screened porch in Overland Park KS has a pressure-treated wood floor.

Twenty or so years ago, there were 2 or 3 good materials for a new deck. These included pressure-treated pine, cedar, and redwood. It was a simple decision. They were not vastly different and the prices & performance were quite similar.

Over the last 20 years, a whole host of new products have emerged. In addition to different types of wood, there are different types of man-made decking products. There are multiple kinds of composites, made with multiple ingredients, by multiple manufacturers, with multiple different types of warranties.

Twenty years ago, if you didn’t want to do regular maintenance on your deck, you were basically stuck. Wood requires maintenance. The degree of maintenance it needs depends on a number of factors including the direction of the deck, the amount of sun the deck receives, and other factors. Today, if you don’t want to perform annual maintenance on your deck, you don’t have to. But, this comes at a price. Synthetic decking options are now available. The cost of the materials can be 2, 3, or 4 times more. But, you get a product that lasts longer and doesn’t degrade like natural wood.

Kansas City AZEK deck in Acacia color with Deckorator balusters and cedar railing

In addition, whereas a wood deck may need to be replaced in 10 or 15 years depending on how well it’s treated and maintained, new synthetic decks may last 30 years or more without needing any annual maintenance.

You can still get a wood deck and that can be a really good option. But you can now also get a synthetic deck that has superior performance characteristics and ultra low maintenance. How do you sort through all of the choices? The best way is to talk to a professional experienced contractor. The contractor will explain all the choices and help you evaluate what options are best for how you want to live in your new space and for your budget.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you are considering adding a new deck, porch, or other structure to your Kansas City area home, give us a call for a free consultation at (913) 851 – 3325. You can reach us via email at kansascity@archadeck.net.