Tips from Bear Creek: What material is right for your deck?

You’re thinking of building a new deck. You’ve seen composites, you’ve seen pressure-treated lumber, but you’re not sure which direction to take.

Brian Mininger at Bear Creek, who has been in the construction business for more than 20 years, is there with you.

Mininger lives in Waynesboro’s historic Tree Streets neighborhood, and his neighbors have every kind of deck and porch imaginable.

“One of the biggest questions I get asked all the time is, what materials should I use on my deck?” Mininger said.

Pressure-treated lumber is one option that is becoming more popular with homeowners because of the lower up-front cost.

The advantage to pressure-treated lumber: it will last a long time.

The disadvantage is that pressure-treated lumber, over time, may start cracking in the sun.

You can protect against that by staining the lumber, “but that can become an every few years maintenance project,” Mininger said.

Composite is being used more and more these days as the quality of the product has improved.

The big advantage to composite is the low maintenance, along with manufacturers’ warranties that can stretch 25 to 30 years.

“If you really prefer that consistent look, but you don’t want the maintenance, composite is a great product,” Mininger said.

For more tips from the folks at Bear Creek, go online to BearCreek.co.