When you think of cedar wood as a construction material, the warm scent of cedar made closets and cabinets are the first thing that comes to mind. But there is more to this material than what meets the eye. Remarkable in its strength and durability, cedar is also a great choice for creating outdoor installations in your property including decking and patios. It is a wonderful wood type to work with and offers a very natural look that will blend in perfectly with your surroundings. Let’s explore more reasons why cedar wood is considered to be one of the best wood for decking.
- Cedar is known for its dimensional stability. This means that the weather, sunlight, humidity and temperature conditions do not have much of an effect on its structure. Warping under the influence of the elements is not a problem that you will face with cedar.
- It is a light, porous type of wood that stands up against moisture, rot, decay and insect damage. It is also noise absorbent which means you can use your cedar decking conveniently without the fear of disturbing the rest of your household with the sound of your footsteps.
- It has a fine, straight grain with a uniform texture that makes it easy to cut, saw and nail. Fashioning outdoor decks with cedar wood will actually be quite an easy undertaking. You can use a variety of different stains and paints with cedar to give it the look and feel that you desire.
- Cedar requires reasonably low maintenance. Application of a UV block finish and regular staining from time to time will keep your cedar wood decking as good as new for many years to come. Re-staining or re-painting is required only on a semi-annual basis.
- Its natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties ensure that you can leave it untreated outside for many years without the fear of damage.
Cedar is a terrific building material for use in outdoor decking and patios.