We evaluated cedar, ipe, pine, and redwood to find the best wood for building a deck
By Paul Hope
It’s hard to match the beauty of a wood deck. Manufacturers of composites have tried for years to mimic the look and feel. Some brands mix wood pulp into their formulations. And others, like Trex and Azek, even produce decking boards with random grain patterns, in an effort to resemble the natural variances you’d find in real wood.
But if all this still won’t cut it for you, we get it. Wood decking remains the most popular choice in most of the country. And it’s not just about looks. Despite varying performance levels when it comes to stains and dents (as a group, composites are better at resisting those), “all wood decking tends to shine when it comes to resisting flexing and slipping,” says Rich Handel, who oversees CR’s tests of decking.
What’s more, while lumber shortages and manufacturing delays have driven up the cost of lumber in general, they’ve also closed the price gap between entry-level wood options and more premium picks.
Pressure-treated southern yellow pine—the No. 1 seller for years—is far and away the cheapest and most abundant wood, making it only more desirable in the early days of the pandemic. But that, in turn, led to shortages of the chemical solution used to make pressure-treated lumber, and now, pressure-treated boards cost more than ever. The good news is that, as a result, cedar, ipe, and redwood are now a more viable choice than ever—these options naturally resist rot and decay, so they don’t need a chemical solution. With closer pricing, you’re better able to shop for the best wood decking based on performance, not just cost.
If you’re unsure about which type of decking to buy, start with our decking buying guide, which provides more details about the ins and outs of wood and composite decking. CR members can also jump right to our decking ratings.
How Consumer Reports Tests Wood Decking
We put wood and composite decking through the ringer, starting with the locations where we perform our testing: Hot, dry Arizona and warm, muggy Florida. We drop multiple weights on our samples to see which dent and which don’t, and apply ketchup and mustard to see which are best at resisting stains. We also use specialized instruments to test each decking sample for resistance to flexing, to ensure that boards won’t bow or bend if you’re entertaining a crowd. Finally, we look at slip resistance—especially important if your deck is near a pool—and we see how the samples age over a span of three years at our two testing sites.
Here, we zero in on the pros and cons of cedar, ipe, pine, and redwood—the four most common options you’ll find. Keep in mind, we test our wood decking samples without any protective stain—you can potentially add years to the life of your wooden deck if you stain and seal the wood properly.
Best Wood Decking
Natural Western Red Cedar
CR’s take: Of the four woods we tested, cedar offers the best overall performance and value. Like every wood option, it earns a rating of Excellent for resisting flexing. But where it really stands out is in our weathering test, with a rating of Very Good. That’s better than pine or redwood, and on a par with ipe, which is is roughly double the price. (Cedar costs about 30 percent more than pressure-treated pine.) Its one shortcoming is its tendency to dent—say, under the weight of a heavy grill or if you drop a platter during a cookout. As a softwood, it’s well, soft, and earns a rating of Fair in our surface-damage test.
Other Wood Decking Options
Natural Ipe
CR’s take: This South American hardwood, a relative newcomer to the world of decking, is exceptionally strong. It earns a rating of Excellent in resistance to flexing, and has even been known to break drill bits and screws during installation because the grain is so tight. However, it’s in short supply and grows only in certain regions, so it’s also very pricey—expect to pay roughly double what you’d pay for cedar. One thing to note: Ipe is prone to staining if you don’t treat the wood, which can be particularly upsetting, given its cost.
Natural Southern Yellow Pine
CR’s take: Pine isn’t a natural fit for decking—it’s soft, prone to staining, and not particularly rot-resistant. That’s why pressure-treated pine is so popular: The application of a chemical solution makes the wood roughly eleven times more rot-resistant than regular pine. Even so, it still doesn’t hold up as well as ipe or cedar in our tests. While it earns a rating of Excellent for resistance to flexing, it earns ratings of only Good for weathering, and resistance to staining and surface damage. Even with recent price hikes, it’s still the cheapest wood option you’ll find, making it a decent choice if cost is your primary concern. Treating the boards with wood stain and sealer will help pine resist weathering and staining over time.
Natural Redwood
CR’s take: Redwood—a softwood that offers some natural protection against the elements—nevertheless struggled in our tests. It earns ratings of Fair for both staining and denting. And you won’t get a break on pricing, either. Expect to pay somewhere between what you’d spend on cedar and ipe. For the money, cedar offers better performance and a similar look. That said, if you’re married to the look of redwood—it does have a beautiful natural red hue—make sure to stain and seal the wood periodically to keep it looking its best.
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