The right lumber is key to a successful deck-building project. We’ll walk you through how to select lumber, examine the quality, and more.

Decking comes with trade-offs depending on which ... With wood, we simply test by species (like yellow pine, cedar, and ipe). Wood of a particular species should perform similarly, regardless ...

Decks provide homey, organic outdoor social spaces, perfect for hosting friends and family in the fresh air. However, decks are expensive to install, and picking the wrong species of wood for your ...

(We also test western red cedar, ipe, and redwood.) The extra weight of composite planks can make them more difficult to handle if you’re doing the job yourself. And even a composite deck that ...