Composite’s low maintenance is tempting, but if you’re in an area with wild weather swings, wood still feels like the safer bet to me.
That lines up with what I’ve seen too. Composite looks great on paper, but when you factor in hail, heat, and pets, it’s not always as “set it and forget it” as folks hope. Pressure-treated lumber isn’t perfect, but being able to swap out a board or sand down a rough spot has saved me more than once. Curious if you’ve ever tried sealing cedar to help it hold up in wet climates? I’ve had mixed results—sometimes it helps, sometimes not so much.
I’ve sealed cedar a couple times—once with a fancy “marine-grade” sealer that cost more than I care to admit, and another time with just a basic waterproofer from the hardware store. Honestly, both worked okay for about a year, but after two winters (I’m in the Midwest), the boards still started to gray and get a little soft in spots. Maybe it’s just our freeze-thaw cycles, but I haven’t found anything that truly keeps cedar looking fresh long-term unless you’re willing to reapply every season.
Pressure-treated has been more forgiving for me, especially when I’m on a budget. If a board warps or splits, it’s not the end of the world to swap it out. Composite was tempting, but my neighbor’s deck got chewed up by hail last spring—looked like someone took a hammer to it. For exposed trusses, I’d lean wood just for the flexibility and repairability. Not perfect, but at least you can fix what goes wrong without replacing half the deck...
Composite was tempting, but my neighbor’s deck got chewed up by hail last spring—looked like someone took a hammer to it.
That’s wild—never thought about hail doing that much damage to composite. Makes me rethink using it here in Nebraska, where we get some nasty storms too. I’ve had similar luck with cedar, honestly. Even with regular sealing, it just doesn’t hold up forever, especially on the parts that catch the most sun and snow. The graying drives me nuts, but I guess that’s just what cedar does unless you’re out there every year with a brush.
For laying deck boards over exposed trusses, have you tried using hidden fasteners? I’ve heard they help keep water from pooling around screw holes, which might help with longevity. Also, do you run your boards parallel or perpendicular to the trusses? I’ve seen both, but I’m never sure which is better for drainage and stability. Pressure-treated seems like the way to go if you want less maintenance, but I’m curious if anyone’s had luck mixing materials—like using PT for the frame and something else for the decking.