Why choose pressure-treated decking?

Pressure-treated decking is the easiest recommendation we can give. It's safe for style, nothing too extreme with a classic look. It's budget-friendly. And if built correctly, it can last long enough for most customers. How you use your deck is the most important aspect.

Budget-friendly

At $1.16 per linear foot or $2.53 per square foot, you can't beat pressure-treated lumber in price. This allows for other features or larger decks. Whether your decking is cedar, composite, or hardwood, the frame is almost always pressure-treated. It's cost-effective.

Authentic

It's real lumber, nothing fake. All the wood grain is random; no two boards look alike. When you step on a pressure-treated deck, it feels right; there's a nostalgic warmth.

Adaptability / change

With pressure-treated decking, you can paint it stain it and change the colour again in 5 years if you want. PVC and composite decking are not stainable, and paint won't stick. Also, if you need to fix a board, it's much easier to unscrew and replace it than composite fasteners.

Classic look that works well with most homes.

A broad audience consistently likes the appearance of pressure-treated decks. It's been around for so long that it just looks appropriate. Hard for it to seem out of place. It's really the shape that would make it not work. Or an intense stain colour. With composite decking, you can start to get an individual taste or preference. So if you plan to sell your home, your safe with pressure treated.


Brown pressure treated is the standard now.
It used to be when you said pressure treated, you pictured green.

Today your Edmonton suppliers carry different shades of brown. Home depot is a lighter tint; it allows for a broad range of stain brightness's. Rona has a deep rich brown, that stands out immediately.

Durability

The city of Edmonton uses pressure treated lumber for all of its outdoor wood features. Such as the river valley stairs. Or the white Mud Creek Boulevard. It lasts these high traffic areas because it's thick dimensional lumber of a high-quality grade. The city expects these features to last longer than 15 years. Pressure-treated lumber is more than a wood preservative painted on lumber. While under pressure, the preservative is forced deep into the lumber. You may also see larger timbers such as 4x4 or 6x6, with many holes on the surface. They "incise" the wood for even deeper penetration.

Disadvantages

It can scratch and stain easier than composite decking. And it requires maintenance to keep it looking new. But for the price savings, you could get a new BBQ, or redo the decking later on with all the money you didn't spend.