--- title: "Decks 101: Composite vs. Pressure Treated Wood" description: Adding or replacing a deck can be a major project. Before you even start, you'll need to choose the right materials—but what are they? Composite decking? Pressure treated lumber? image: https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/hubfs/SUB.JuneBlogImage2.jpg --- CALL US:[(319) 362-3115](tel:(319)%20362-3115) [![Suburbanlumber](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/hubfs/Suburbanlumber-Nov2017/Images/suburban-logo.png "Suburbanlumber")](http://www.suburbanlumber.com/) - [Services](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/services) - [About](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/about) - [Blog](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/) - [Contact](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/contact) - - [Building Materials](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/building-materials) - [Doors & Windows](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/doors-windows) - [Decking & Railing](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/decking-railing) - [Cabinets & Countertops](https://suburbanlumber.com/cabinets-countertops/) - [Roofing & Siding](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/roofing-siding) - [Millwork](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/millwork) # Suburban Lumber Blog # Decks 101: Composite vs. Pressure Treated Wood [![](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/hubfs/SUB.JuneBlogImage2.jpg)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/compositevspressuretreatedwood) Adding a deck to your home can be a great investment— both in terms of the resale value of your home as well as creating a space to enjoy time with family and friends. For decades, pressure treated lumber was the industry standard when building decks. But as we’ve made advances in technology, composite decking, usually made from PVC or polyurethane, burst onto the scene and has gotten more advanced and more affordable over time. We can’t tell you which type of material you should choose for your deck, but we can provide you with information to help you make an informed decision.  #### **Cost:** “How much does it cost?” is the question we are asked the most when it comes to decking material, and it’s a fair question— but the answer isn’t so simple. As far as upfront cost, pressure treated lumber is going to be the least expensive. But upfront cost doesn’t take into consideration the longevity of the material, the cost of repairs, or the time and energy of maintenance. When these aspects are factored in, the costs can shift quite a bit.  This is a nice description from [DuraLife Decking](https://duralifedecking.com/news/article/2018/8/16/pressure-treated-decks-cost-composite-decks/) that helps explain true cost of the different materials and how they can shift over time:  The cost of the composite decking project is essentially fixed for as long as you own the home. On the other hand, the pressure treated wood will require regular, ongoing maintenance to keep it looking great and feeling safe underfoot.   According to Tim Slamans of Slamans construction, prepping and staining the pressure treated deck mentioned above, which was a few thousand dollars less expensive upfront, will cost the homeowner an additional $700 the first year and at least that every other year thereafter. Deck building professionals also recommend that the surface of pressure treated lumber be stripped and sanded every 5 years.   #### **Appearance: ** Even just a decade ago, composite decking could look a bit artificial and “plasticky.” But with advances in technology, today’s composite decking looks very natural. Below is composite decking that was installed and photographed by [Top Quality Carpentry](https://www.facebook.com/topqualitycarpentry). We even had to take a second look ourselves to make sure it was actually composite.   ![BlogImage-1](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BlogImage-1.jpg?width=600&name=BlogImage-1.jpg)Obviously, pressure treated and stained wood is what composite decking is trying to look like, but one thing to note is that composite decking will look like the images above for years and years, while pressure treated lumber *can* look great for years, but it requires a fair amount of maintenance to do so.  #### **Maintenance: ** This is the area where composite decking really excels. Most of the composite decking produced today will last for decades with almost no maintenance. Moisture, rot, sun and insects are the primary enemies of your deck and before composite decking became widely available, pressure treated lumber was the best defense against these enemies. But the treatment on any natural wood breaks down from exposure to sun and moisture, which opens the door for rot and insects. Regularly staining and sealing pressure treated decks will help keep the protective treatment intact but depending on the size and age of your deck, this can be a major yearly project. Hiring someone to do this ongoing maintenance can increase the total cost of your deck, which over time can nullify the savings of going with pressure treated lumber instead of composite in the first place.    Choosing your decking materials can be a more difficult decision than you initially might have thought. When starting your deck project, it’s best to visit your local lumber retailer who you can trust and who understands the local weather extremes that your future deck will be battling. Give us a call at [Suburban Lumber](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/) and our decking experts can walk you through your options and help you find the right materials for a long-lasting and beautiful deck.       ## **Want More Deck Tips? Read On! ** ## [Keeping Your Deck Cool During a Hot Summer](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/keeping-your-deck-cool-during-a-hot-summer) ## [The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Composite Deck](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-building-your-composite-deck) ## [How to Begin Your Deck Replacement Project](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/how-to-begin-your-deck-replacement-project) ### Archives - [September 2025 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2025/09) - [July 2025 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2025/07) - [June 2025 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2025/06) - [April 2025 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2025/04) - [January 2025 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2025/01) - [December 2024 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2024/12) - [October 2024 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2024/10) - [August 2024 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2024/08) - [July 2024 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2024/07) - [June 2024 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2024/06) - [April 2024 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2024/04) - [December 2023 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2023/12) - [November 2023 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2023/11) - [September 2023 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2023/09) - [July 2023 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2023/07) - [June 2023 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2023/06) - [May 2023 (2)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2023/05) - [January 2023 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2023/01) - [December 2022 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2022/12) - [November 2022 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2022/11) - [October 2022 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2022/10) - [September 2022 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2022/09) - [June 2022 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2022/06) - [April 2022 (3)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2022/04) - [February 2022 (5)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2022/02) - [December 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/12) - [November 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/11) - [October 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/10) - [September 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/09) - [August 2021 (2)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/08) - [July 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/07) - [June 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/06) - [April 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/04) - [March 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/03) - [February 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/02) - [January 2021 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2021/01) - [December 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/12) - [November 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/11) - [October 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/10) - [July 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/07) - [June 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/06) - [May 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/05) - [April 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/04) - [March 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/03) - [February 2020 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2020/02) - [November 2019 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/11) - [October 2019 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/10) - [September 2019 (2)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/09) - [August 2019 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/08) - [July 2019 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/07) - [May 2019 (2)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/05) - [April 2019 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/04) - [March 2019 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/03) - [February 2019 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/02) - [January 2019 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2019/01) - [December 2018 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/12) - [November 2018 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/11) - [October 2018 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/10) - [September 2018 (2)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/09) - [August 2018 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/08) - [July 2018 (2)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/07) - [June 2018 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/06) - [May 2018 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/05) - [April 2018 (2)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/04) - [February 2018 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/02) - [January 2018 (2)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2018/01) - [December 2017 (1)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/archive/2017/12) **VIEW MORE** ### Tags - [Home Improvement (50)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/home-improvement) - [Insider (26)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/insider) - [Exteriors (15)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/exteriors) - [Decking (13)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/decking) - [Roofing (8)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/roofing) - [Siding (8)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/siding) - [Windows (7)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/windows) - [Sustainable Materials (6)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/sustainable-materials) - [Cabinets & Countertops (5)](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/tag/cabinets-countertops) # [Follow Us On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/SuburbanLumberCompany) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ![Artwork 1@2x](https://blog.suburbanlumber.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Artwork%201@2x.png?width=300&height=110&name=Artwork%201@2x.png "Artwork 1@2x") 2630 Wiley Blvd SW Cedar Rapids, IA **PHONE:**** (319) 362-3115** [**sales@suburbanlumber.com**](mailto:sales@suburbanlumber.com) FOLLOW US - [Sign In](http://www.suburbanlumber.com/Users/Account/LogOn?ReturnUrl=%2F) - Sitemap - [Privacy](https://www.suburbanlumber.com/privacy-policy) COPYRIGHT 2025 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED