Building projects around the home require selecting the right types of materials to use as the foundation. If the foundation is not secure or properly built, whatever is being placed on top will also not be secure. Further, you want to choose materials that do not degrade, rot, or break down over time, as this weakens the foundation. For instance, one common kind of wood used for a variety of foundations, supports, and beams is cedar.
There are different cuts, sizes and lengths of cedar available for your projects. When using it for beams, supports, and foundations, it is recommended you select the heartwood. Cedar heartwood contains natural resistances to rot, fungi, decay, and pests and does not have to be sealed using a preservative treatment. You can apply an approved product, if you so desire, before using the wood. However, in most cases where the wood is being covered, like the roofing beams on a house, it is left in its natural state.
In addition, cedar is a good choice to use for the support posts, underlying frame and cross beams on decks. The wood is one of the few species which is naturally at home in the outdoors. It is classified as a durable wood by the building codes across North America for outdoor applications. Once your framing is completed, you are free to choose from a variety woods for the deck boards and railings, including Ipe, Garapa, Tigerwood, Massaranduba, and Apitong. You could also decide to use cedar for the deck boards.