Versatility
Wood is a versatile material with a variety of grain patterns and colours. As a deck material, wood can be modified for a wide variety of styles and sizes. The surface of the wood can be stained in various colours and finished with a number of textures and styles, for example with oil, stain or a long-lasting silicon treatment (SiOO:X, etc.) that hardens the wood from the inside.
Availability
Especially in the Nordic countries, the availability of wood is good, and the selection also includes pre-treated alternatives like pressure-impregnated and heat-treated wood. In general, wood material is available in most countries. Different types of wood are suitable as deck material, such as acacia, black locust, cedar, cypress, douglas-fir, ipe, redwood, teak, white oak, ash and Merbau. In Finland, the typical deck materials are Siberian larch, pine and spruce. Pressure-impregnated wood (green and brown) is the most popular choice.
Affordability
The price-quality ratio of the wood is excellent, as properly installed and maintained wood is a very long-lasting deck material. If you choose a high-quality and suitable type of wood for the deck and remember to invest in maintenance, the service life can be 30 years or more.
Durability
Wood is a material that is very resistant to weather fluctuations: it withstands moisture and frost well as long as it dries properly. Treatment with tinted wood oil improves the UV resistance of the wood and prevents the wood from turning gray (gray is, however, mainly a question of aesthetic opinion).
Sustainability
Wood is a greenhouse-positive product with a lower net environmental impact than most other building materials, such as emission-intensive steel, aluminium, or concrete. The process of manufacturing wood also uses substantially less fossil fuel energy per unit volume.
Buying domestic wood is sustainable because it is not transported long distances. Wood is a renewable resource unlike synthetically produced materials such as composite. Moreover, wood does not release any microplastics, it decomposes and can be burned and recycled.
Health Benefits
Wood is not toxic, and is safe to handle and touch. Wood is an antibacterial material by its nature and it has good acoustic properties. A report commissioned by Planet Ark has found that exposure to wood products and interiors created similar health benefits to those created by spending time in nature. Reported health benefits are, for example, lower blood pressure, heart rate and stress levels.
Style
Wood is a natural material that looks and feels warm and cosy. Ultimately, wood has a rustic and timeless charm that never goes out of style.
