One of the best choices for decking materials is tropical hardwoods. They have what it takes to stand up to the traffic and weather an outdoor deck receives. Hardwood offers an easy to clean, durable material that is more resistant to scratches and also more beautiful than composite decking or treated softwoods.

Here are some of the types of tropical hardwoods that are used for decking.

Ipe is one of the most popular choices for residential decking. It is also called ironwood, is very tough decking. It is also very beautiful. Ipe resists termites, decay and wet conditions. The wood is colored dark brown and very dense. Some companies give a twenty-five year warranty against decay or rot for Ipe.

Tiger deck is also resistant to termites and other insects. It will also resist fungus. Tiger deck does not require any chemicals for treatment, but as all woods should be treated with an oil sealant. When it is fresh, tiger deck is orange to brown. It has bands that are close to black. As it is exposed to the sun it begins to get more red, but if unprotected will eventually turn grey.

You should not confuse a tropical hardwood deck with a piece of furniture. Over time the original color will change. The wood will not be perfectly stable. It will lose and take on moisture. When wood dries, there may be check marks and it can split and specific boards may need to be replaced after some time.

The best way to keep tropical hardwood decking looking good is to pressure wash or sand it and then use an oil coating. Oil finishes typically last a couple of years. When the deck begins to turn gray, it is time to pressure wash or sand again and treat with oil.

If adequate air circulation is not provided, hardwood decking can cup or warp. Without proper air circulation the wood becomes wet and is only allowed to dry from one side causing the boards to cup or warp. Be sure that you have provided plenty of air circulation.

Without oil protection, the best of hardwoods will begin to gray in as little as four months.

Be sure that the boards have room for expansion. Most decking suppliers recommend a least one quarter of an inch between the boards to prevent buckling of the deck when it gets wet.

Tropical hardwoods last longer than cedar or redwood which are soft woods. These soft woods are also resistant to insects and to rot, but they are not resistant to traffic. If you have a lot of traffic on your deck, you may soon begin to see wear patterns in the soft woods that you will not see in the tropical hardwoods.

These natural hardwoods can be expected to last as long as many of the synthetic materials. They are more expensive and do require more maintenance than composite or PVC decking, but have the advantage of being real wood.

As you weigh the options, you can choose long lasting composites, PVC or tropical hardwoods for long lasting decks.