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DIY deck construction and maintenance tips for decks and railings.A simple deck structure with railings will take two people around two weekends to complete, and the result will give you and your family the pleasure of outdoor living for a lifetime. You’ll find a wealth of deck construction guides online, including designs, plans and instructions for building decks, stairs and railings. Choosing materials.You have two basic choices; natural timber or wood composite. The choice you make will depend on your budget, the type of material which best suits the architectural style of your home, the amount of maintenance you’re prepared to do throughout the life of the deck, and ultimately on your personal taste. Most people consider natural redwood, cedar or cypress to be the most attractive materials for deck construction, although natural timber tends to be more expensive, and requires regular maintenance to protect it from weathering and rotting. Natural timber may be “pressure treated”, or treated with chemicals to prevent it rotting, although new regulations have recently been introduced in the United States which mean most pressure treated timber products have effectively been banned due to health concerns. Wood composite materials are manufactured from a mixture of natural timber and a plastic polymer, for exceptional resistance to rotting, weathering, fading and insect attack. Wood composite decking is virtually maintenance free; it never needs painting or resealing. The more sophisticated products are very attractive, and almost indistinguishable from real natural timber.
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