Composite decking does have advantages, but have you considered tropical hardwoods like ipe or teak? They're naturally resistant to moisture and salt air, and while they do require some maintenance, the overall durability can be impressive long-term. Might be worth looking into...
"They're naturally resistant to moisture and salt air, and while they do require some maintenance, the overall durability can be impressive long-term."
Good point about ipe and teak—I've used both on coastal projects, and they're solid choices. But have you priced ipe lately? Might need to sell a kidney first...
Yeah, ipe prices have gotten pretty wild lately... Have you considered cumaru or garapa? They're solid alternatives—still durable enough for coastal conditions, and your wallet might thank you later.
"Have you considered cumaru or garapa? They're solid alternatives—still durable enough for coastal conditions, and your wallet might thank you later."
Interesting suggestion... have you actually used cumaru yourself? I've heard mixed things about how it ages compared to ipe, especially in salty air. With our historic beach cottage, we went with garapa last year because the price difference was pretty significant. So far it's holding up well, though it definitely weathers differently—more golden and less of that deep rich color you'd get with ipe. Honestly, once you factor in all the other renovation costs (windows, roofing, plumbing surprises from 1920s pipes...), saving a bit on decking feels like a small victory. How big is the deck you're planning anyway? That could make a huge difference budget-wise.
We used cumaru on a coastal project about three years ago, and honestly, it's holding up better than I expected. It does fade differently than ipe—more of a silvery-gray patina rather than that rich dark tone—but structurally it's been solid, even with salty air exposure. Budget-wise, the savings were definitely noticeable. Curious though, are you planning to seal or oil your garapa regularly, or just let it naturally weather?
