Just use normal wood decking —————————————————— (Wood cedar / treated) Pros Easier to repair -Can refinish to a different color at a later date -Has options for hidden fastener (camo is the name I think) -Stain or paint yourself/ contractor so no issues with finish -Cheaper than “composite” decking even if you decide to do cedar -Has a warranty Cons -Can rot, split, warp -Maintenance restaining or sealing —————————————————— (Composite decking “Ultradeck”) Pros -according to menards should not split crack or warp (seems like it does do this a lot though) -pre finished -Has a warranty Cons -Expensive -Often has issues with finish -Hard/ impossible to touch up if decking gets scratched or scraped -Often cracks splits warps (sometimes issue gets resolved) -Will fade (Color will fade in first month) which makes a replacement board look a different color down the road -Wood based composite up to 50% real wood —————————————————— Feel free to add any other pros or cons you think missed

We sell both air-dried and kiln-dried. Some species only come in kiln-dried (e.g., cumaru and massaranduba) because they tend to check when air drying. Ultimately, though, it's the final moisture content and the acclimation process that matters, not necessarily the way it was dried. I'd still recommend air-dried as long as it's offered. Aside from garapa and ipe, I haven't dealt much with the other species you mentioned, so I can't speak to their effectiveness in your climate. Ipe of course would be fantastic, but it's out of your budget. Garapa is less stable than ipe with regard to moisture expansion/contraction, but generally works well anyway as long as you take the proper precautions (acclimation, ventilation). One option that would completely eliminate any concerns about ventilation is to use wood deck tiles. They are pre-built tiles made of narrow slats secured to backer pieces in order to mitigate any movement that standard boards would see in projects lacking ideal ventilation. You can even install them directly at ground level over a concrete slab. https://www.advantagelumber.com/deck-tiles/

Composite decking is almost always going to be the better option as far as quality is concerned. And it's still quite a bit more expensive than cedar (even though it is high). Also, if you do choose composite you might look at additional options aside from Trex. It's really not the best quality. They just do a good job with their marketing and getting their name out. Aztek is really good. If you were our client, being that the deck is covered I would advise you to go with cedar. Unless of course the budget isn't an issue. Good luck Deck Bros Construction 1590 E Joyce Blvd Fayetteville, AR 72703 nwadecks.com

We're in the PNW and have a deck that gets a lot of sun. The deck will be partially covered on one end, with more shade and large skylights, the other portion exposed. We like the idea of Ipe and are OK with the silver patina that comes with age. But I can't get an idea of how uneven the patina will be on the covered portion vs the exposed. Is this a deal-breaker? (NOT my photo) Does anybody have real world examples? Or any input? Thanks!