Certain types of pressure treated wood decks require annual maintenance to be performed in order to preserve their current condition. This could involve pressure washing the deck; resealing wood with an approved stain, water sealer, or finisher; and replacing any worn, damaged, or rotting boards. It is important you take annual maintenance costs into consideration, the next time you are looking at replacing your existing deck with a new one. Many people overlook this step and end up spending a large amount of money over the life of their deck. When you take the time to put together an estimate of maintenance costs, you are able to add these to the prices of decking materials to get a far more accurate cost to install a new deck.
An alternative to using pressure treated wood is to consider Ipe wood. This Brazilian hardwood is denser than many of the pressure treated woods on the market today. Further, it has natural resistances to mold, fungus, insects, fire and rot which make it maintenance-free. Ipe decks are designed to last a lifetime and have an average lifespan of at least 50 years. In fact, the Janka hardness rating on Ipe is 3,680 pounds, which means it is harder than Maple and Oak.
Because of the hardness of Ipe wood, it requires using the right types of tools to put decks together. We recommend you invest in brand name carbide-tipped tools and keep the edges sharp. In addition, you should predrill your holes, and use screws to secure the decking to the base, in place of using nails. For this reason, it is also a good idea to have plenty of extra drill bits on hand.