A California classic has made a comeback on decks across the country. Old redwood is new again.

After decades of technological advances in manufacturing and care, the traditional decking has returned.

"It's an interesting cycle," said Adrian Borg of Sacramento's Borg Fence and Decks, a deck installer for 27 years. "Before, when we first started, everything was redwood, just in varying grades. Then hardwood got hot. People asked for cumaru and ipe, the Brazilian imports.

"Then came Trex and the composites; they became very popular," Borg continued. "Then all of a sudden, it's PVC decks; now cellular PVC decks, which are really, really good.

"With everything else out there, people are coming back to redwood," he added. "It's almost come full circle."

But redwood is by far not the only option under foot with advances in such synthetic decking as cellular PVC that mimic real woods (particularly rare hardwoods) with less care.

As consumers emerge from their recessionary shell, decking has floated up the summer wish list. Whether it involves building a new deck, replacing an old one or reviving a worn surface, decks are a project within the skill level of many do-it-yourselfers or the budget of homeowners looking for professional installation.

Decks are considered a good return on investment; usually about 90 percent of a deck's cost is recouped at time of sale, say home remodeling experts. But decks also need regular maintenance and periodic replacement. Deck lifespans usually range from 10 to 25 years.

A new well-designed deck can add living and entertaining space to an existing home and make a backyard more like a resort – two popular trends.

Firepits or fireplaces help make the deck "room" usable year round, often featuring a well-equipped outdoor kitchen. As for deck shapes, basic rectangles have morphed into free-flowing shapes that hug trees and other landscape. Deck lighting (often incorporated into railings or stairs) and railing accessories (such as copper post caps) make the structures look more distinctive.

"My advice: Dream really big first," said deck pro Jeff Wilson, host of DIY-TV's "Build A Deck" as well as a regular on HGTV and DIY-TV. "Ask yourself: What are you going to do with that space? Is it for entertaining, dining or sitting in your Adirondack chair sipping a cup of coffee?

"Write down everything you want," he added. "Then, think about the budget and get back to reality."

Wilson and his wife, artist Sherri James, took that approach for their own deck at their Ohio home. The parents of two children with a modest 1,000-square-foot Cape Cod-style house, the Wilsons wanted more space for outdoor entertaining.

"My wife and I spent two, maybe three years looking at the space before we actually did anything," Wilson said.

For his own family, Wilson – who has built a hundred-some decks and restored many more (often on television) – built a 400-square-foot cedar deck that features a pizza/bread oven that doubles as a fireplace. A screened-in porch adds another outdoor room that gets a lot of use.

"It's a great family space," Wilson said. "We do a lot of entertaining, and we've spent a lot of good times on that deck. It enriches our lives."

How you're going to use a deck makes a huge difference.

"I love redwood, but it's not always the right choice for customers," said Borg, whose company has built nearly a thousand decks in Northern California. "With redwood, there's always maintenance; sand, stain and maintain every year. A lot of people won't do that."

Outside his Sacramento office, Borg has 14 demonstration decks to test various products. He really likes the cellular PVC – plastic decking – in such brands as TimberTech, AZEK and Endeck. But he has one caveat: Although the PVC products are guaranteed up to 20 years, they're still too new to tell.

Most stains can be cleaned up off redwood. Even a deeper stain can be sanded out.

"Pet urine is a real problem with decks," Borg said. "With redwood, bleach, sand, done. Try to get urine out of a composite deck – good luck. It gets in the grain; it's terrible. But PVC also cleans up well.

"If you have pets with sharp nails or kids rollerblading, they can scratch redwood," he added. "PVC is more scratch resistant."

Sometimes an old deck can be revived with new stain or deck brightener, which brings back the color to gray redwood or cedar.

"It's incredible the transformation," noted Wilson, who uses the Thompson's line of water sealer and wood products. "They look like a brand new deck."

As for exotic hardwood decks that turn gray, Wilson has this advice: "Learn to love silver. Ipe and other Brazilian hardwoods won't take stains."

Advances in formulas make new sealer and stain formulas easier to use and more effective.

Older decks also can get a new look with imaginative stain designs, such as checkerboards, stripes or faux area rugs. Wilson used concentric squares in three stain colors to enliven a basic square deck. But such transformations aren't possible on non-wood decks; they can't be stained.

Redwood and cedar have a familiarity people love, commented deck experts. Those insect-resistant woods have beautiful color and natural durability.

"People are looking for a proven product with beauty and great value," said Chris Brown, director of sales and marketing of the Eureka-based California Redwood Company, which farms about 428,000 acres of sustainable redwood forest. "Redwood is considered the ultimate wood product for decking and fencing. Our product has been around more than a century."

Farm-grown trees also make the product sustainable; of more than 1.7 million acres of redwood forest in California, about 90 percent is certified sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council.

"That's a big issue, particularly in California," Borg noted. "People don't want to cut down natural resources. But if you're buying from the right company, you're not doing that."

California Redwood Company, for example, harvests about 2 percent of its acreage a year, Brown said. When harvested, mature trees are 55 to 65 years old, but are second- or third-generation farmed forest.

In the pre-recession building boom, the company had more orders than it could fill, Brown noted. Business is still not back to that level, but consumer interest is growing again.

"We've seen a definite renewed interest in redwood decking," he said. "People are coming back to redwood because they like the natural beauty and it's sustainable."

Redwood has other attributes people love.

"It's cooler to the touch," Borg said. "You can walk on it barefoot. At the end of the day, choosing a deck is a very personal decision."

HIT THE DECKS

Depending on weather and location, most decks have a lifespan of 10 to 25 years. Here are some pointers for beautiful decks, new or old:

COMMON DECK MATERIALS

• Redwood: Longtime decking industry standard, this soft wood is making a comeback due in part to sustainable farms in Northern California, primarily in Humboldt and Mendocino counties. Naturally weather- and insect-resistant; can be sanded and stained to prolong life and good looks. Prices vary greatly by grade; $17 per square foot for common (with knots), $21-$22 for better grade (fewer knots), $30-$35 for clean heartwood (no knots).

• Cedar: Another popular favorite due to its good looks and long life. Naturally weather- and insect-resistant; can be sanded and stained. Better grade costs about $30 per square foot installed.

• Exotic equatorial hardwood: Includes such woods as ipe (also called Brazilian walnut), cumaru (Brazilian teak), garapa (Brazilian oak), jatoba (Brazilian cherry), massaranduba (Brazilian redwood) and tigerwood. Most of these rainforest products are not sustainable (some Brazilian ipe is now farm grown). These expensive woods ($30 to $35 per square foot and up, installed) look gorgeous when first installed, but are difficult to work with due to their ironlike density and waxy nature. Although often dark, red or honey-colored when new, they tend to silver with age and are nearly impossible to stain.

• Composite: Became instantly popular when introduced in mid-1990s. Prices have come down; now average between $18 and $25 per square foot installed. Made of plastic (either recycled or virgin) and wood flour, a fine sawdustlike wood byproduct. Although they don't need refinishing, they do need regular cleaning to maintain their look. Can be prone to stains and scratches.

• Cellular PVC: Newest option growing in popularity, this is plastic decking but looks just like wood, priced at $22 to $27 per square foot installed. Won't scratch, never needs sealing, impervious to water or stains. It's also fire-resistant. Holds its color without fading but does need cleaning. Darker colors can feel hot to touch.

CLEAN, RESEAL OR REPLACE?

Deck expert Jeff Wilson, host of DIY-TV's "Build A Deck" and a regular on both HGTV and DIY-TV, uses this simple test to determine if a deck needs refinishing:

In a heavily traveled area, splash the deck boards with a cup of water.

If the water sits on the boards and beads up, the deck is still sealed – even if it looks silver or gray.

If the water soaks down into the board and darkens the wood after two minutes, then it's time to refinish and reseal.

Do boards need replacing? Cracked boards are obvious; they need to be replaced. But a lot of damage could be happening out of sight.

Wilson recommends once a year to get under the deck with a flat-headed screw driver.

"Just poke around," he said. "If the screw driver goes into a board more than a quarter inch, you've got rot. That's a definite sign of issues."

Those bad boards should be replaced. If enough boards are bad, consider replacing the whole deck.

Pay particular attention to the ledger boards where the deck attaches to the house. "That's often where a deck fails," Wilson said.

Also, check railings and stairs; wood and connections should feel solid.

HOW TO CLEAN A DECK

Maintenance is the key to a deck's long life. Deck expert Jeff Wilson recommends cleaning decks regularly – ideally once a year.

Always clean a deck before applying a water sealer or stain to remove mold and mildew spores as well as dirt.

Wilson also recommends against using a pressure washer on decks. The velocity of the water can tear up soft wood fibers and do more harm than good.

Here's his deck-cleaning method:

Tools: All-plastic pump-style garden sprayer, plastic stiff bristle brush, broom pole (to attach to brush), plastic sheeting, gloves and goggles.

1. Before starting, saturate ground and plants around your deck to protect plants from runoff. Cover all neighboring painted areas with plastic sheeting. Also cover sensitive plants with plastic sheeting.

2. Remove any debris that may have accumulated between boards.

3. Use a deck wash cleaning solution designed for your deck's material. Mix deck wash according to manufacturer's directions and put in plastic sprayer.

4. Spray an area that can be cleaned in 10 to 15 minutes, usually about a 10- by 10-foot area. You'll see it bubble as it lifts the dirt out of the decking.

5. Attach pole to brush and scrub lightly with the wood grain.

6. Use a garden hose with a pressure nozzle to rinse.

HOW MUCH PROTECTION?

Deck products come in four basic categories and offer four levels of protection:

• Clear water sealer: As the name implies, this is a clear coat of protection from moisture. But it needs to be recoated every one to two years.

• Tinted waterproofer: This offers water sealing plus a sheer layer of color that helps protect the wood from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, which also age its appearance. Needs to be recoated every two to three years.

• Semi-transparent stain: This offers color, water sealing and UV protection while still allowing the wood grain to show through. Can revive red tones in redwood and cedar decks. Needs to be recoated every three to five years.

• Solid stain: Like paint, this covers the wood with a solid coat of color so no grain shows through. It lasts longest, up to 10 years, with protection from moisture and UV rays.

RESOURCES

• www.calredwood.org: The California Redwood Association offers plans and tips for building and maintaining decks.

• www.thompsonswaterseal.com: From the makers of the famed Thompson's Water Seal and hundreds of wood-related products, this company website offers step-by-step videos online, demonstrating how to clean, seal, stain and renovate decks.

• www.decks.com: This site offers lots of plans, resources and basic information for DIYers as well as those wanting to hire a contractor.

– Debbie Arrington

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Call The Bee's Debbie Arrington, (916) 321-1075.

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