The unpredictability of Fall and Winter weather is coming. Yet it tends to sneak up on us every year. Depending on where you live, fall and winter brings hard rains, heavy snow, winds, or brutally cold temperatures—all that can wreak havoc on your wood decking. Now is the time to prepare, including weatherproofing your wood deck.

While some wood decks (like Accoya) are more durable than others, it’s still prudent to ensure that any wood deck performs year after year. Here are some simple steps to weatherproof decking so you can enjoy it for years.

More preventive steps that are easy to do

Besides an annual cleaning, board replacement, and other maintenance, there are other complementary ways you can weatherproof and keep your wood deck lasting for years. Is water pooling anywhere on your deck? Consider adding gutter systems or downspouts to carry water off the deck and away from your foundation. To help shield your deck against your local environment from wind or rain, or snow, consider adding a retractable deck awning or a pergola with a waterproof cover. Try to rotate plant pots or furniture. Over time, leaving these items on your wood deck is a breeding ground for wet, moldy patches and can stain or discolor your wood deck.

Accoya provides a 25-year residential warranty, giving homeowners peace of mind that their decking is worth the investment. Decking boards made from Accoya wood are very durable and rarely need repairs. That said, take the time each summer to do a proper weatherproof decking inspection to keep ahead of any repairs, and always clean your Accoya decking regularly with just water and a brush.

To read more about our decking options, visit our website.

The deck, an extension of your home, is an essential space for homeowners to relax and entertain. As such, the house deck designs deserve the same attention to detail as the rest of your exterior. And that includes color combinations, finishes — natural or coated — and material choices.

Today, savvy homeowners are discovering new ways to mix materials on their home’s exterior, including color combinations. Contrasting your home’s colors with your decking can add visual interest, texture, and personality to a home’s exterior and create a unique, dynamic look that reflects your style.

Combining your home’s color with your new or existing deck offers cautionary advice. Here are some ‘how to choose deck color’ considerations and tips to think about.

Still trying to figure out what colors will work best to mix and match? We recommend getting paint samples and testing them in different lighting conditions. Your porch light can do good and bad wonders for a home’s color, as can the time of day. This will ensure how the color matches—or doesn’t—against your home’s exterior in various lighting situations to ensure a cohesive match before painting.

When it comes to enhancing your outdoor space, it’s hard to beat a beautiful deck. If you’re considering one, you’ve got some decisions to make since decks come in all sizes, shapes and materials. Whether you’re looking to extend your living space with a back deck, enhance the lounge area around your pool, add a roof deck for relaxing or install a durable dock, here are four compelling reasons to opt for real wood as your decking material.

Whether you’re building a pool deck, a rooftop deck or a dock, real wood can be a durable choice, effective against rot and decay even when in contact with water. But it’s important to select the right type of wood: Pine and western red cedar are popular choices for wet areas like poolside areas and hot tubs. However, untreated wood can splinter (not ideal for those barefoot summer days by the water) and require regular upkeep to maintain its appearance.

Acetylated wood, on the other hand, is an extremely hard-wearing and easy-care alternative. It doesn’t require any coating and it resists rot, splintering and insect attacks, even in water. And unlike many other types of wood, it offers exceptional dimensional stability, which means the boards won’t visibly shrink or swell when subjected to rain, sun, heat and cold, so they’ll retain their smooth, tailored appearance for decades. Acetylated wood outlasts many other types of wood by decades, with manufacturers providing a 25-year in-ground or freshwater warranty and a 50-year above-ground warranty.

Responsibly sourced and manufactured wood decking is an environmentally friendly material so it’s better for the health of your family and Earth. If you’re interested in going green, look for real wood with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification for proof of sustainability. You’ll also want to check that it has been manufactured cleanly, without the use of toxic chemicals. One indication? Cradle to Cradle Gold (C2C Gold) certification, a globally recognized measure of a safer, more sustainable product.

There’s a good reason that real wood decks are popular in this country and elsewhere, it’s a combination of beauty and touch and feel. A real wooden deck is both lovely to look at (especially in the rain, where the water highlights colors and grain) and gorgeous to walk on. There are many millions of decks in this country with the majority of them being made of natural wood. One of the most popular wood species used in the US for decking has been, until recently, Ipe and the use of this wood forms the basis of this blog, in particular when compared to the new revolutionary wooden decking material, Accoya Color®

Ipe, Latin name Tabebuia serratifolia, is a large deciduous tree that is native to lowland rainforests in Central and South America. It’s a hardwood that resembles mahogany in appearance and is commonly found in Bolivia and in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil – it’s also located in Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay among other countries.

Of course, it’s almost too good to be true. No wood from the rainforest can be sustained for ever and there are plenty of reasons why Ipe is now becoming harder to source and is simply not sustainable. According to lumber website greenworldlumber.com, 18 percent of the Amazon rainforest has been lost to deforestation and one of the victims is Ipe hardwood.

The tragedy here is that these beautiful trees, which can grow up to 150 feet in height, take between 80 to 100 years to grow before being felled, often illegally. Much of the documentation that accompanies imports of Ipe is forged and American consumers unwillingly and unknowingly buy this wood in a trade that is ruining natural rainforests.

Another major downside on the environmental side is the fact that Ipe trees grow very sparsely. It is said that in their natural rainforest habitats one Ipe tree is found in every 300,000 to 1,000,000 square feet. To get to this precious tree illegal loggers often cut down huge areas of rainforest that they have no interest in just to harvest one tree.

Because it’s so scarce these days it is a very expensive wood for both consumers and the installers too, it’s more expensive than redwood and cedar for example. Linked to the scarcity cost is the cost of installation. As it’s so incredibly tough it’s a difficult wood to work with, very unforgiving on tooling with some issues in getting fasteners to fix. All of these issues mean increased costs to consumers.

Accoya Color is the latest development in Accoya’s market offering, it’s the same hard-working and durable modified timber that is now colored a beautiful shade of grey throughout the wood. This means no additional treatments or coatings are needed, it’s ready to use straight out of the box. A great advantage for installers is that it’s a safe and reliable lumber to work with, tooling is protected which means lower costs for consumers and there’s less waste which is always good! It’s also quicker to install and holds fasteners better than Ipe.

It’s fair to say that a beautiful wood like Ipe has been overharvested for decades and this has made it unsustainable and very scarce. Accoya Color is the beautiful alternative that’s kinder to the environment. Now is the time for Accoya Color.

For more information and see projects made with Accoya Color go to www.accoya.com/products/decking/color-grey-decking/

There’s a good reason that real wood decks are popular in this country and elsewhere, it’s a combination of beauty and touch and feel. A real wooden deck is both lovely to look at (especially in the rain, where the water highlights colors and grain) and gorgeous to walk on. There are many millions of decks in this country with the majority of them being made of natural wood. One of the most popular wood species used in the US for decking has been, until recently, Ipe and the use of this wood forms the basis of this blog, in particular when compared to the new revolutionary wooden decking material, Accoya Color®

Ipe, Latin name Tabebuia serratifolia, is a large deciduous tree that is native to lowland rainforests in Central and South America. It’s a hardwood that resembles mahogany in appearance and is commonly found in Bolivia and in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil – it’s also located in Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay among other countries.

Of course, it’s almost too good to be true. No wood from the rainforest can be sustained for ever and there are plenty of reasons why Ipe is now becoming harder to source and is simply not sustainable. According to lumber website greenworldlumber.com, 18 percent of the Amazon rainforest has been lost to deforestation and one of the victims is Ipe hardwood.

The tragedy here is that these beautiful trees, which can grow up to 150 feet in height, take between 80 to 100 years to grow before being felled, often illegally. Much of the documentation that accompanies imports of Ipe is forged and American consumers unwillingly and unknowingly buy this wood in a trade that is ruining natural rainforests.

Another major downside on the environmental side is the fact that Ipe trees grow very sparsely. It is said that in their natural rainforest habitats one Ipe tree is found in every 300,000 to 1,000,000 square feet. To get to this precious tree illegal loggers often cut down huge areas of rainforest that they have no interest in just to harvest one tree.

Because it’s so scarce these days it is a very expensive wood for both consumers and the installers too, it’s more expensive than redwood and cedar for example. Linked to the scarcity cost is the cost of installation. As it’s so incredibly tough it’s a difficult wood to work with, very unforgiving on tooling with some issues in getting fasteners to fix. All of these issues mean increased costs to consumers.

Accoya Color is the latest development in Accoya’s market offering, it’s the same hard-working and durable modified timber that is now colored a beautiful shade of grey throughout the wood. This means no additional treatments or coatings are needed, it’s ready to use straight out of the box. A great advantage for installers is that it’s a safe and reliable lumber to work with, tooling is protected which means lower costs for consumers and there’s less waste which is always good! It’s also quicker to install and holds fasteners better than Ipe.

It’s fair to say that a beautiful wood like Ipe has been overharvested for decades and this has made it unsustainable and very scarce. Accoya Color is the beautiful alternative that’s kinder to the environment. Now is the time for Accoya Color.

For more information and see projects made with Accoya Color go to www.accoya.com/products/decking/color-grey-decking/

Once upon a time…

Decks throughout the US come in many forms, backyard, front porch, docks leading down to the river and so on. Redwood, Cedar and Ipe have been the traditional woods used in deck construction for hundreds of years. But, the first two require periodic treatment to seal and protect against moisture and of course the use of Ipe is now frowned upon due to potential illegal logging practices.  Until recently, there was little thought given as to what we now call the ‘provenance’ or source of the timber and also the long-term sustainability of this precious decking material.

The devastation of deforestation

Without getting too pessimistic, it’s worth noting that the clearing of tropical rainforests is still happening at an alarming rate, despite the best endeavors of governments around the world. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN estimates that the world has lost a billion acres of forest since 1990, mostly in Africa and South America. The Amazon Conservation group reports that destruction rose by 21 percent in 2020.  Much of this unregulated illegal activity may find its way into the back yards of innocent consumers.

Read more here on deforestation.

Accoya Color is ideal for timber decking projects in the US. Unlike slow-grown hardwoods it is sourced from sustainably sourced softwood that is FSC® certified with 100% proof of provenance. This natural softwood is then modified using our famous patented acetylation process that results in Accoya wood – in this decking product it is also now colored a beautiful grey through to the core…Accoya® Color. To achieve this, after acetylation, the newly modified timber goes through an extra dyeing process in a purpose-built facility using organic non-toxic color pigment.

Important elements for wooden decking are the durability of the material and the degree of maintenance required after installation, most of which involve chemical treatments of some kind or other. Accoya Color is just like its traditional Accoya stablemate in that it’s very low maintenance. There is no need for additional coatings (although it coats very well) and its grey color anticipates the natural silvering of wood when exposed to weathering over the years.

As Accoya Color comes with a warranty against rot and decay, even when installed in ground (a unique feature), it results in an eco-friendly timber that lasts for decades and consequently locks away carbon too. These wooden decks are 100% recyclable too after their decking life, further increasing their sustainable street-cred.

Accoya Color is available to buy in the US from a range of our official lumberyard partners that can be found on the link below.

When laying down or replacing a deck there are many options for the professional builder or homeowner to consider such as the deck board material to use, color, coatings, weathering, plus of course safety concerns such as possible slips and splinters. This is a big endeavor and likely to cost money and effort, so it pays to do your homework.

Sometimes there are too many choices in life, and this is especially true when you are looking to create or replace your deck. What material to choose, what color stain, if any, and perhaps considering other types of coatings too. So let’s narrow down the choices straight away by taking out the composite ‘wood’ decks that usually feature a mix of wood and plastic materials. These may last a long time, but nothing beats a natural real wood deck. So, in relation to wood decking, one of the major choice factors is durability, how long your chosen wood will last out in the open before rotting or decaying.

Accoya boards have been used for wood decking for years to great acclaim – let’s face it, thousands of architects, builders and landscape designers around the world can’t all be wrong! The boards combine the beauty of real wood with scientifically-proven durability that will last for years. Due to its incredible ability to withstand rot and decay, even in water, Accoya has become the standout choice for decking timber projects.

There is now a new addition to the Accoya family, Accoya Color, which has all the advantages of our traditional modified timber but with a beautiful and consistent grey color all the way through to the core. Accoya Color has gone through a patented color impregnation and fixation process at the dedicated Accsys Accoya Color plant.

1. Boost Your Outdoor Living Space

A natural wood deck is an ideal transition from your home’s interior to the outdoors. “Decks are a great way to create a seamless connection between the interior and the exterior if the color of the hardwood flooring on the interior matches the deck beyond,” Bovell says. For this stunning home in West Vancouver designed by McLeod Bovell Modern Houses, the deck’s blonde hue corresponds with the light-toned flooring inside, both a beachy complement to the blue waters of the pool and the inlet beyond. Bovell’s team used board-formed concrete for the siding, which has a soft wood grain texture that mimics the natural wood of the deck.

For this project, Bovell selected acetylated wood for the decking — a material chosen carefully to stand up to the climate of the site. Acetylating changes the cell structure of the wood so the cell walls block moisture, reducing the wood’s ability to absorb water. This results in nontoxic wood that’s naturally water- and insect-resistant, is barefoot-friendly and is safe for people and pets.

“We found this product after searching for a replacement for natural wood alternatives for decking material in the challenging climate that is the West Coast of British Columbia,” Bovell says. “Accoya wood is a good choice of wood for the West Coast because there are not any other durable wood options that are hard enough for a durable deck surface.” Additionally, the wood offered by Accoya is sustainably sourced, with a smaller environmental footprint than other decking materials.

3. Complement Your Yard

Even if you have a modest-size home, a wood deck is a natural companion to any style of landscape or even a view looking out to leafy canopies. At home alongside lawns, flower beds, shrubs and trees, wood decking provides a calming neutral palette for colorful gardens and looks harmonious with green landscaping. Gray is an on-trend neutral color for decking, letting a green lawn and colorful flowers really pop. One of the advantages of using natural wood decking is that the boards will naturally weather to a silvery gray. If you’re bringing greenery to your deck with potted plants, choosing an acetylated wood reduces the chance of water stains left by the pots.

4. Express Your Personal Style

Options abound when it comes to color stains and surface textures for wood decking. You can let your design taste shine with smooth, brushed, charred or even custom textured finishes for a one-of-a-kind look. Bovell prefers a wood’s more natural texture and focuses on stains. “The stain is usually matched to the wood scheme in the interior or exterior architecture and material palette of the house,” she says.

The slight variation in the boards and natural weathering can add subtle texture to an expanse of decking. Additionally, you might like to explore mixing wood decking with different hardscape materials such as cut stone, poured concrete or crunchy gravel, and choose a board color and finish that ties them together visually. In the same way Bovell selected a blonde hue to match the hardwood floors of the previously mentioned home, you could select decking to pick up the colors of natural stone in a flagstone path leading to a deck, for a similarly cohesive look.

There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way we work. Although permanent home working is likely to be gradually replaced by a flexible hybrid office/home model as restrictions ease, there will still be thousands of us tapping away on laptops at home this year.  So, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing demand for garden offices soar as workers seek a quiet space outside away from the noise of the house.

Garden offices tend to be entirely separate from the house, fully insulated with heating and built for all weather conditions. Depending on space, they can range in size from a single person room to a fully kitted out office with a built-in kitchen and bathroom. Cheaper than a house extension, garden offices also come with significantly less environmental impact, particularly if built from or clad in sustainable timber.