Redwood Decking

Redwood decking provides a striking, warm reddish brown tonal range that adds an organic, dramatic luxury to outdoor spaces without requiring a heavy saturated stain. As a top performing natural softwood, California Redwood is highly dimensionally stable, meaning it resists warping, shrinking, checking, and splitting even when exposed to severe weather changes. It contains natural tannins that make it highly resistant to wood-boring insects, rot, and decay. Additionally, Redwood maintains a Class B flame spread and heat release rating, making it a safer option for fire-prone regions, and it naturally stays comfortable and cool underfoot even during peak summer days.

With regular cleaning and standard periodic maintenance (such as applying a UV inhibiting sealer or stain), a premium Redwood deck can easily last between 15 to 20 years. Because the wood is lightweight yet structurally resilient, it stands up exceptionally well to both damp environments and dry climates over decades of use.

No, the application of paint, heavy stains, or solid sealants is not mandatory to maintain the structural integrity of your Redwood deck. Redwood is naturally resistant to UV rays and organic breakdown. However, while it will maintain its structural strength for decades without intervention, untreated Redwood will naturally weather over time into a soft, silvery-gray patina. To preserve the vibrant, original reddish-brown hues, it is recommended to periodically apply a clear or lightly tinted water-repellent sealer with UV inhibitors.

Yes. The California Redwood decking supplied by The Decking Superstore is a renewable, highly sustainable resource sourced from responsibly managed forests. Wood naturally traps and stores carbon throughout its lifecycle. Because it requires minimal industrial processing compared to the chemical manufacturing of synthetic composites or the extensive carbon footprint of shipping tropical imports, natural Redwood stands out as an environmentally responsible choice for outdoor construction.

California Redwood is structurally stronger and denser than Western Red Cedar. Redwood has a Janka hardness rating that is roughly 20% to 30% higher than Cedar, making it significantly more resistant to scratching from pet claws, scuffs from patio furniture, and heavy foot traffic. Because of its superior bending strength, Redwood can also span slightly longer distances between joists without sagging.

Both Redwood and Cedar offer excellent longevity, typically lasting 15 to 20+ years when properly maintained. Both species contain natural tannins and oils that make them highly resistant to rot, decay, and wood-boring insects without requiring chemical pressure treatments. However, because Redwood is physically denser, it is slightly less prone to “checking” (surface splitting and cracking along the grain) over decades of weathering.

Generally, California Redwood and Western Red Cedar are comparably priced, but cost fluctuates based on your geographic region and the grade of lumber. On the West Coast, Redwood is highly abundant and incredibly cost effective. In other regions, Cedar may have a slight price advantage due to its broader distribution footprint across the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

Yes, combining the two woods is an excellent, cost effective design strategy. Because they share identical natural resistance to rot and decay, they age at similar rates. A popular industry practice is to use Redwood for the high traffic horizontal surfaces (like deck floorboards and stair treads) due to its hardness, and Cedar for vertical accents (like privacy screens, pergolas, railings, or fencing) where its lighter weight and varied color tones shine.

Both woods are highly workable softwoods, but Cedar is physically lighter. Cedar’s lower density makes it exceptionally easy to cut, drill, and manipulate, putting minimal wear on your power tools and saw blades. Redwood is also highly workable and dimensionally stable (it resists warping and twisting during installation), but it is heavier to lift and handle on the job site compared to Cedar.