Redwood Decks
Redwood
A beautiful, versatile redwood deck has a deep reddish brown color that deepens with age. It is fairly tight-grained and knot-free, lightweight yet strong. Redwood decking is the wood decking of preference in Southern California. Redwood resists splintering and is less damaged by weathering than other woods and can last over 30 years.
Ipe
Ipe is a South American wood that is also called ironwood, and by the trade name Pau Lope. Ipe is very durable and resists cupping, splintering and twisting. It is very strong and heavy, is low-maintenance, and will not shrink. It is extremely difficult to cut and frequently require predrilling, but the denser the wood, the better it will stand up to foot traffic and weather, however, you can expect labor costs for installation to be very high. Ipe homeowners may choose to seal the wood and maintain its natural color or allow it to weather to a silver-gray while remaining smooth and splinter-free. Ipe is extremely dense and should last over 25 years.
Mahogany
There are many different species and sub-species of mahogany. Colors can range from white and yellow to light and dark red. Meranti, a Philippine mahogany, comes in all colors and even has a dark red variety that looks like teak. Each Meranti color variety has its own faults and a wide range of decay resistance. It must be maintained with water repellant to protect it and keep its dimensional stability. Meranti is not as durable or dimensionally stable as real American mahogany, which comes from the West Indies, Mexico, and Central and South America. American mahogany has a beautiful, dark red appearance that will last for decades.
Douglas Fir
Fir is a great building material. It is strong, lightweight, easily worked with tools and relatively inexpensive. The only problem with fir is that many varieties of bacteria, fungi and insects find it appetizing. When fir is in contact with the ground or moisture for any period of time, these organisms attack the wood. Untreated wood like fir will only last a year or two if it is touching moist ground.
Pressure Treated Lumber is the material of choice for projects exposed to the rigors of weather, hot, humid climates, mold, and termites. This economical building material offers all the benefits of wood, plus built-in resistance to decay and termite damage.
At San Diego Decks we construct all ground level deck frame’s using pressure treated lumber.
Hardware
A variety of joist hangers, patented connectors and deck fasteners are available. When working with pressure treated lumber, we always use top quality, hot dipped galvanized, stainless steel or aluminum hardware. To avoid splitting, pre-drill holes for nails or screws at the ends of the decking boards
Amenities
After the deck is finished, adding amenities completes the job of individualizing your project and making it a true outdoor living center. Popular add-ons include relaxing spas, shade shelters, privacy screens, built-in benches and planters. If you like to entertain, incorporate a grilling center and service counter. Plant enthusiasts often create a work center for potting activities and storing garden equipment and supplies
Custom Redwood Decks
