ud83dudcda Wood Deck Build Log u2014 8 of 45
u2190 Frame Material Selection u00b7 Series Index u00b7 Material Comparison Pt.2 u2192
→ See the complete Wood Deck DIY Guide
2026 Note from DIY Dad: Choosing Deck Materials
ud83duded2 RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Pressure-Treated Deck Lumber
Pressure-treated lumber is the baseline u2014 skip it and you’ll be rebuilding in 5 years.
The most important decision in wood deck planning is material selection — natural wood vs composite, which species — because it determines cost, durability, and maintenance effort.
Material Selection Overview
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Deck Stains & Waterproof Sealers
Stain every 2u20133 years. It’s the single cheapest way to double deck lifespan.
I chose natural hardwood (Bangkirai) for decking and Super Light 700 steel pipe for the structural frame.
Originally published: 2017-04-14. A common reaction is “Using steel pipe on a wood deck? That’s unconventional!” Let me address that by comparing SPF wood to Super Light 700 — with full disclosure that this is a somewhat biased comparison.
Surface Treatment Comparison
SPF Wood
Treated with wood preservative. Requires re-treatment approximately once a year. Even with treatment, typical lifespan is 4–5 years.
↑ SPF lumber
↑ Wood preservative (Xyladecor)
Super Light 700 Steel Pipe
Hot-dip galvanized finish. Painting over the galvanizing essentially eliminates any rust risk — effectively maintenance-free in normal use. If corrosion occurs, spot treatment with Roval zinc-rich paint after wire-brushing will restore it. Minimum expected lifespan: 10 years.
↑ Super Light 700 steel pipe
↑ Roval zinc-rich paint for corrosion repair
Strength Comparison
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Deck Screws & Fasteners
Use stainless screws only u2014 standard screws rust and stain the deck within one rainy season.
SPF Wood (structural framing grade 1 — bending)
- Long-term allowable stress: 8.14 N/mm²
- Short-term allowable stress: 14.8 N/mm²
- Young’s modulus: 10,000 N/mm²
Super Light 700 (SS400 steel)
- Long-term allowable stress: 157 N/mm²
- Short-term allowable stress: 235 N/mm²
- Young’s modulus: 2.05 × 10⁵ N/mm²
The numbers alone do not tell the whole story — in the next post I will use calculation formulas to compare the difference quantitatively.
ud83dudcda Wood Deck Build Log u2014 8 of 45
u2190 Frame Material Selection u00b7 Series Index u00b7 Material Comparison Pt.2 u2192
DIY Renovation Quote Review Manual
How to read, compare, and negotiate contractor quotes. This manual saved me u00a5800,000 on a single renovation project.
ud83cudfe0 More from DIY Father
15 years of landlord experience u00b7 3 apartment buildings u00b7 DIY renovations that saved millions of yen. Browse all articles at diytosan.com
