Deck railing and decking material choices for beautiful, durable decks and porches.

Choosing the right deck railing and decking material will determine the look of your deck, the initial and ongoing cost of building and maintaining the deck, and the amount of time and effort you’ll need to put in to keep the decking surface in top condition over the life of the deck. Decking materials come in a wide range of textures and colors, and there’s a considerable amount of variation in cost, so it’s worth finding out all the facts on materials for decks and deck railings before you take the plunge.

Choosing materials for decking and deck railing.

When choosing deck materials, you have two basic choices; natural timber and vinyl wood composite materials. You can use either of these materials for any kind of decking or deck railing, and each has its own advantages.

Vinyl wood composite deck materials are the less expensive option. The material is made from new or recycled plastic, plastic resins or PVC vinyl, mixed with wood dust or fibers and molded into decking or railings. The newer, more advanced wood composite materials have a very natural look and feel, which most people find to be virtually indistinguishable from natural timber decking. The great advantage of composite deck material is that it is extremely durable, resistant to weathering, splintering and insect attack, and it never needs to be painted. Not only do wood composite deck materials save you money on the initial cost of building the deck, they continue to save you money on maintenance throughout the life of the deck.

For many people however, nothing beats the classic look of natural cedar, redwood, treated pine or cypress, and the regular maintenance which is required to protect the deck from rotting, mildew and sun damage is worth the effort. The other advantage of natural timber decking is that it does not absorb heat from the sun, so you’ll never burn your feet walking across a natural timber deck.