Types of Wood
Hello,
There are many types of wood you can use for a deck floor.
When it comes to tropical hardwoods, I see issues like overexploitation, illegal logging, and so on as major concerns. Splinters are unavoidable with any wood, and tropical hardwoods often contain substances that can cause irritation or even inflammation. (Many carpenters have had similar experiences with wenge, although that really isn’t suitable for decking.) Often, the dyes in these woods are overlooked; when washed out by rainwater, they can cause unsightly stains on substructures or splash marks on usually white walls. In terms of durability, tropical hardwoods do achieve higher performance. However, with appropriate structural wood protection, native woods such as larch, oak, or robinia can also reach similar lifespans. Tropical hardwoods are often chosen simply because many DIY enthusiasts think building a deck with a jigsaw is easy. Due to such amateurs who lack knowledge of structural wood protection, native wood has gained a bad reputation for not lasting long. This leads to the preference for imported tropical hardwood, which is claimed to be much more durable. What annoys me most is when these woods are marketed as eco-friendly.
Here in our region, sustainable forestry has been practiced for years; statistics show that more wood grows back than is harvested. By contrast, in the places where our so-called premium decking wood comes from, sometimes an area the size of a football field is cleared just to make use of a single tree. Harshly put, one might say that doesn’t matter, but these rainforests serve as the planet’s green lungs and are home to millions of animals, many of which are endangered. These trees also filter the air, absorbing the carbon from CO2 and providing us with essential oxygen. The world’s population is undeniably growing, along with the number of CO2 producers—especially from industrial sources. At the same time, the demand for tropical wood reduces the area available to bind CO2. In short, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere increases. The greenhouse effect and climate change are hot topics right now. To put it bluntly: by demanding tropical hardwood for your deck, out of laziness to learn about structural wood protection for native woods, you contribute to climate change. As mentioned, this is an exaggeration, but it mainly targets the so-called eco-conscious people who build a supposedly eco-friendly deck just to join the wooden decking trend. The irony is that the deck will probably be removed in 10 to 15 years because the owners no longer like it. In that time, larch, oak, or especially robinia without structural wood protection would likely have lasted as long—maybe not looking perfect, but making dismantling easier.
The lifespan of a wooden deck increases many times over—and I think that’s the key point—if it is properly maintained. This means it must be thoroughly oiled. Some so-called "experts" still claim decks don’t need to be impregnated. Because some people follow this poor advice, their decking turns gray or green from weather, hedges, grass, and trees, and it develops moss! Anyone who oils their deck correctly, and repeats this every spring, will have a low-maintenance and beautiful deck for many years! The effort required for re-oiling in spring is not significant. If you don’t want to do it, have it done professionally or reconsider getting a wooden deck…
Best regards,
Sepp
Hello,
There are many types of wood you can use for a deck floor.
When it comes to tropical hardwoods, I see issues like overexploitation, illegal logging, and so on as major concerns. Splinters are unavoidable with any wood, and tropical hardwoods often contain substances that can cause irritation or even inflammation. (Many carpenters have had similar experiences with wenge, although that really isn’t suitable for decking.) Often, the dyes in these woods are overlooked; when washed out by rainwater, they can cause unsightly stains on substructures or splash marks on usually white walls. In terms of durability, tropical hardwoods do achieve higher performance. However, with appropriate structural wood protection, native woods such as larch, oak, or robinia can also reach similar lifespans. Tropical hardwoods are often chosen simply because many DIY enthusiasts think building a deck with a jigsaw is easy. Due to such amateurs who lack knowledge of structural wood protection, native wood has gained a bad reputation for not lasting long. This leads to the preference for imported tropical hardwood, which is claimed to be much more durable. What annoys me most is when these woods are marketed as eco-friendly.
Here in our region, sustainable forestry has been practiced for years; statistics show that more wood grows back than is harvested. By contrast, in the places where our so-called premium decking wood comes from, sometimes an area the size of a football field is cleared just to make use of a single tree. Harshly put, one might say that doesn’t matter, but these rainforests serve as the planet’s green lungs and are home to millions of animals, many of which are endangered. These trees also filter the air, absorbing the carbon from CO2 and providing us with essential oxygen. The world’s population is undeniably growing, along with the number of CO2 producers—especially from industrial sources. At the same time, the demand for tropical wood reduces the area available to bind CO2. In short, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere increases. The greenhouse effect and climate change are hot topics right now. To put it bluntly: by demanding tropical hardwood for your deck, out of laziness to learn about structural wood protection for native woods, you contribute to climate change. As mentioned, this is an exaggeration, but it mainly targets the so-called eco-conscious people who build a supposedly eco-friendly deck just to join the wooden decking trend. The irony is that the deck will probably be removed in 10 to 15 years because the owners no longer like it. In that time, larch, oak, or especially robinia without structural wood protection would likely have lasted as long—maybe not looking perfect, but making dismantling easier.
The lifespan of a wooden deck increases many times over—and I think that’s the key point—if it is properly maintained. This means it must be thoroughly oiled. Some so-called "experts" still claim decks don’t need to be impregnated. Because some people follow this poor advice, their decking turns gray or green from weather, hedges, grass, and trees, and it develops moss! Anyone who oils their deck correctly, and repeats this every spring, will have a low-maintenance and beautiful deck for many years! The effort required for re-oiling in spring is not significant. If you don’t want to do it, have it done professionally or reconsider getting a wooden deck…
Best regards,
Sepp
M
Maier GmbH24 Jul 2008 02:23Hi!
I completely agree with Bausepp! If you want a wooden deck, you should stick to native wood species. It's incredible how everyone talks about the rainforests disappearing, yet almost everyone buys tropical wood. There are simply no valid reasons to engage in deforestation when local wood types are perfectly suitable as building materials.
Best regards,
listchecker
I completely agree with Bausepp! If you want a wooden deck, you should stick to native wood species. It's incredible how everyone talks about the rainforests disappearing, yet almost everyone buys tropical wood. There are simply no valid reasons to engage in deforestation when local wood types are perfectly suitable as building materials.
Best regards,
listchecker
Hi!
Yes, without rainforests, I believe our planet wouldn’t function properly anymore. Things are already moving in a way that climate change is causing more frequent extreme weather events. This is something to consider if you really want to use tropical hardwood.
Best regards,
yung
Yes, without rainforests, I believe our planet wouldn’t function properly anymore. Things are already moving in a way that climate change is causing more frequent extreme weather events. This is something to consider if you really want to use tropical hardwood.
Best regards,
yung
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