
Decks That Impress: 4 Reasons to Choose Real Wood Decking by HOUZZ
Looking to refresh your outdoor area? Find out why a natural wood deck is the best place to start
10.10.2022

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.

1. Natural Beauty
For warmth and natural appeal, nothing compares with real wood as a decking material. With its beautiful texture and rich tones, wood’s authentic look oozes rustic charm and instantly elevates your outdoor entertaining space. What’s even better? If you’re after a more modern, on-trend look, you can reap the benefits of real wood with an extra touch of style thanks to pre-greyed decking boards.
Real wood is practical as well. It’s incredibly durable and able to stand up to the elements, regardless of the climate. And it feels wonderful to walk on, being warmer underfoot in winter and cooler in summer than other outdoor materials such as concrete, pavers and composite decking. Not only that, but the right wood is resistant to cracks and splinters, so it’s barefoot-friendly and still feels smooth over time.
Love the idea of real wood decking but concerned about the upkeep? You needn’t be — there are innovative new products on the market that give you all the beauty of real wood with none of the drawbacks. High-performance acetylated wood decking, which is made from quick-growing, responsibly sourced pine, boasts the good looks of tropical hardwood in a rot- and crack-resistant material that requires practically zero maintenance.

2. Stands Up to Its Surroundings
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.

3. Ages Beautifully
Unlike synthetic decking materials, genuine wood decking ages gracefully over time, acquiring a beautiful silvery grey patina that adds style and depth to your outdoor area. If you’d prefer not to wait around for the natural aging process to occur, you can purchase pre-greyed decking boards that are dyed all the way through from the surface to the core. Because of the sophisticated non-toxic dyeing process, there’s no need for repeated painting or recoating to maintain the wood’s good looks. The grey color remains long-term, with no need for re-oiling. (It also means that scratches and scrapes won’t be visible.)
Pre-greyed wood decking is an increasingly popular choice for designers and homeowners who are drawn to its sophisticated look and feel and the fact that it allows for a seamless connection with concrete or grey-tiled interior floors. Grey wood also sits beautifully alongside other popular exterior materials such as brick, slate and stone to create a warm and appealing outdoor palette.

4. Sustainably Sourced
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.
More: To discover Accoya’s selection of high-performance, real wood decking options, visit the company’s website.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.

How To Select Low Maintenance Wood SIding For Your Home by HOUZZ
Enhance the look of your home with high-performing, modified and responsibly sourced wood siding
12.20.2021

When it comes to boosting your home’s curb appeal, great-looking siding is hard to beat. Wood is one of the most popular options, and for good reason. It adds warmth and natural appeal to your exterior and sits beautifully alongside other materials such as concrete and steel. While regular wood siding typically requires regular upkeep to maintain its appearance, acetylated wood offers an easy-care, highly durable alternative.
Read on to discover more about this siding material that’s gaining traction among architects, designers and homeowners alike.

The Natural Appeal of Wood
There are several products on the market that re-create the look of wood siding, but none capture the warmth and natural beauty of the real thing. Vinyl wood-look siding is a low-cost option, but being a look-alike plastic product, it will never give you the truly authentic appearance or texture of genuine wood. It also has a tendency to bend or crack in cold weather if subjected to impact, and it can conceal moisture issues in your home, which can potentially lead to dangerous mold growth. Engineered wood is relatively easy to install, but it doesn’t perform as well as tropical hardwood in an exposed setting, and it can swell if exposed to water for long periods.
Accoya’s modified wood siding, which is made from quick-growing, responsibly harvested pine, is an appealing alternative. It offers the stunning good looks of tropical hardwood (including increasingly rare species) while being more sustainable and outperforming even the most durable of woods, so you can create a healthier and more eco-friendly home for your family.

“Accoya is a modified wood that aims to overcome the shortcomings of standard timber,” says Jocelyn Mahan, marketing manager at reSAWN Timber. “The modification process enhances the performance of the wood, resulting in improved longevity. Accoya is modified by a process called acetylation, a cutting-edge, patented technology that enables it to resist rot, defy the elements and stay strong for decades.”
This residence (Six Square House) in Bridgehampton, New York, features charred Accoya Ikigai wood siding, burnt in the ancient Japanese style of shou sugi ban, which gives the exterior a uniquely textured, charcoal-like appearance while enhancing its performance and minimizing upkeep.

Low Maintenance
While standard wood siding requires annual maintenance, acetylated wood does not. Accoya wood siding offers superior durability and stability, which means it can cope with the toughest climatic conditions with minimal maintenance. It won’t visibly swell, shrink or distort, even in traditionally problematic spots such as around windows.
Coated finishes not only look beautiful on Accoya, but they last longer than on other surfaces, another reason why designers and architects love it.
The beautifully weathered facade on this lakeside home in Okoboji, Iowa, was created using Accoya Nigiri shou sugi ban wood siding. It blends in seamlessly with the landscape and speaks to the current trend toward natural, sustainable design. It will require very little maintenance to maintain its stunning good looks over its lifetime.

Durability
Siding is a major, long-term investment in your home, so the material you choose needs to be able to stand up to whatever your environment throws at it — now and for decades to come. Accoya siding is resistant to rot, decay and insect damage (including termites). It’s a cost-effective choice for lasting performance. “It’s guaranteed for 50 years above ground and 25 years in ground or fresh water — its performance and properties are remarkable,” Mahan says.
Exposed to heat, humidity and rain, this waterfront home in White Stone, Virginia, is subject to more weather extremes than most, so a high-performance siding material was a must. The material also needed to create a warm, organic feel that complemented the home’s natural setting. Accoya Nigiri wood siding was chosen (alongside charred cypress) for its superior durability and earthy, coastal feel.

Environmentally Responsible
When you’re building or remodeling your home, you want to know that the materials you choose are good for the occupants and kind to the environment. Accoya wood is fully sustainable — it’s responsibly sourced and harvested from certified sustainable forests, with every panel having FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification.
It’s also 100% nontoxic and contains no harmful chemicals, so you can breathe easy. The acetylation process of Accoya wood doesn’t add chemicals, which means the material is fully biodegradable at the end of its life cycle. “Accoya can be safely used, reused, recycled and incinerated,” Mahan says. “It also traps carbon for its full life cycle — it’s really sustainable.”
Accoya acetylated wood siding, windows and doors are also naturally insulating, which means they’ll help keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer, lowering your energy costs.

Design Freedom
Siding presents a unique opportunity to get creative with the look of your exterior and wow visitors from the moment they pull up to your home. To achieve this, you’ll need a siding material that offers plenty of design flexibility.
Accoya comes in different board widths and finishes so you can easily mix up the look — and you can install them vertically, horizontally or even in patterns. It’s dimensionally stable so joints stay smooth for a tailored look. Add a colored coating, leave your Accoya wood untreated so it weathers naturally, or opt for the designer favorite seen in the home here: charred shou sugi ban. You can also combine it with other materials such as brick, steel, concrete or stone to create an eye-catching, layered look that you’ll appreciate every time you come home.
More: Learn more about Accoya’s range of long-life acetylated wood products by visiting our homepage here.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.

Decks That Impress: 4 Reasons to Choose Real Wood Decking by HOUZZ
Looking to refresh your outdoor area? Find out why a natural wood deck is the best place to start
12.20.2021

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.

1. Natural Beauty
For warmth and natural appeal, nothing compares with real wood as a decking material. With its beautiful texture and rich tones, wood’s authentic look oozes rustic charm and instantly elevates your outdoor entertaining space. What’s even better? If you’re after a more modern, on-trend look, you can reap the benefits of real wood with an extra touch of style thanks to pre-greyed decking boards.
Real wood is practical as well. It’s incredibly durable and able to stand up to the elements, regardless of the climate. And it feels wonderful to walk on, being warmer underfoot in winter and cooler in summer than other outdoor materials such as concrete, pavers and composite decking. Not only that, but the right wood is resistant to cracks and splinters, so it’s barefoot-friendly and still feels smooth over time.
Love the idea of real wood decking but concerned about the upkeep? You needn’t be — there are innovative new products on the market that give you all the beauty of real wood with none of the drawbacks. High-performance acetylated wood decking, which is made from quick-growing, responsibly sourced pine, boasts the good looks of tropical hardwood in a rot- and crack-resistant material that requires practically zero maintenance.

2. Stands Up to Its Surroundings
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.

3. Ages Beautifully
Unlike synthetic decking materials, genuine wood decking ages gracefully over time, acquiring a beautiful silvery grey patina that adds style and depth to your outdoor area. If you’d prefer not to wait around for the natural aging process to occur, you can purchase pre-greyed decking boards that are dyed all the way through from the surface to the core. Because of the sophisticated non-toxic dyeing process, there’s no need for repeated painting or recoating to maintain the wood’s good looks. The grey color remains long-term, with no need for re-oiling. (It also means that scratches and scrapes won’t be visible.)
Pre-greyed wood decking is an increasingly popular choice for designers and homeowners who are drawn to its sophisticated look and feel and the fact that it allows for a seamless connection with concrete or grey-tiled interior floors. Grey wood also sits beautifully alongside other popular exterior materials such as brick, slate and stone to create a warm and appealing outdoor palette.

4. Sustainably Sourced
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.
More: To discover Accoya’s selection of high-performance, real wood decking options, visit the company’s website.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.

4. Focus on Natural Materials
As the saying goes, less is more. Choosing one “hero” natural material and using it in different ways across your home’s exterior can be a subtle, but very effective, way to bring cohesion to your home’s design. To create an uninterrupted sense of flow, you could carry the material through to the interior of your home or to any outbuildings.
The key to success when using a single natural material is to be creative with how you apply it. This award-winning boathouse (The Haven) in Norfolk, England, has been given light-tone Accoya wood cladding, decking and curved screening. As the property is surrounded by water on three sides, the architects selected Accoya wood for its water-resistant properties and dimensional stability, as well as its stunning natural looks and sustainability. The result is a graceful home that sits lightly in its tranquil coastal setting.

5. Play Up Textures
Natural appeal aside, wood cladding gives you endlessly creative ways to express your personal style. Take this three-story office building designed and occupied by architectural firm Dillon Kyle Architects in Houston, for example. It’s clad in 2,500 Accoya boards that have an abstract leaf-like pattern carved into the wood. The pattern references the oak trees that line the neighborhood, and it adds not just texture and softness to the modern structure but a unique personal touch.
“The Accoya wood boards are unsealed and allowed to weather over time,” says Peter Klein, associate principal architect at Dillon Kyle Architects. “The idea was to use a material where you couldn’t tell where the patterns started and stopped — just one big continuous object.”
As the wood siding would play a pivotal role in the look and performance of the building, the firm took their time choosing the right one. “Even left untreated, it didn’t warp or mildew or mold, and that let us know we were on the right path,” Klein says. “The neutral gray tones coupled with its long-term durability, resistance to rot and insects made Accoya wood the ideal material for this project.”

6. Go Skinny
Add texture and depth to your home’s exterior with narrow boards for siding, louvers and screening.
For this luxury apartment block (Blackwood Street Apts) in Melbourne, Australia, the architect specified 40-by-40-millimeter Accoya wood boards with a coat of Woca Exterior Walnut Oil for the louvers and screening in the alfresco areas. The oiled boards create a soft and inviting feel while bringing a sense of intimacy to the apartment complex.
The rest of the detailing in this spot, including hardware and pavers, was deliberately pared back to keep the focus firmly on the textural wood.

Running slender boards vertically, as the architect has done here, is a clever design technique for making a low roof or ceiling appear higher. You can use this strategy both outside your home with wood siding and inside with wood wall lining.
If room height is not a concern, consider mixing vertical and horizontal patterns for added texture and interest inside or outside your home.
More: Learn more about Accoya’s range of sustainable, acetylated wood products by visiting our homepage here.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.

5 Ways to Transform Your Outdoor Space With Decks by HOUZZ
Make the most of your yard, expand living space and cut down on maintenance with a natural wood deck
06.02.2021

Warm weather means spending more time outdoors, a season to enjoy relaxing in the backyard on a sunny afternoon or getting together with friends for a meal in the garden. If you’re looking to better set up your outdoor space, whatever its size, a wood deck can add attractive square footage for lounging, cooking, dining, entertaining and even working. The most dramatic decks can show off your home’s architecture and boost the overall look of your outdoor space.
“Decks are a great extension to an interior living space and can extend the feeling of interior space,” says designer Lisa Bovell, principal designer at McLeod Bovell Modern Houses in Vancouver. Read on to discover five ways that adding a natural wood deck can enhance your outdoor space and lifestyle, and learn the advantages of choosing natural, highly durable and sustainably sourced wood as a decking material.

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.

2. Enhance Your Home’s Design Features
A wood deck is a good choice for any home style, traditional to modern. Whether the wood is light or dark, the surface textured or smooth, decking can complement and enhance the design features of your home. One of the best things about natural wood, Bovell says, is the variation in color and texture between and within planks. “We find that this natural variation creates enough ‘noise’ and beauty as it is, so we try very hard to find a single wood that can be used in all applications and locations — horizontal siding, vertical decking, on soffits, sometimes on ceilings,” she says.
The designers used Accoya wood for the decking, soffit, exterior siding and exterior window screens of this contemporary West Vancouver home. Using the same material for all of these applications enhanced the minimalist look they were after, bringing the focus on the clean lines of the building and gorgeous view. Choosing a material that would work both indoors and out and stand up to weather exposure was essential to the integrated style.

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.

5. Cut Down on Maintenance
When assessing your garden as a whole, consider the size of the planted areas, including lawns that need frequent mowing and flower beds that require tending, versus areas that are hardscaped. The time that goes into tending lawns or beds, not to mention the irrigation needed, often far exceeds time spent keeping a patio or deck clean and in good condition. So including some areas of decking can not only boost outdoor living space but also the time you have available to enjoy it.
That being said, any deck will need regular maintenance since it’s exposed to the elements. In general, you should sweep it regularly, clean it yearly, repair any damage, and stain or seal the wood surface when necessary. Accoya’s uncoated decks are particularly low-maintenance compared with other decking materials and are made from naturally rot-resistant wood. However, any wood is susceptible to weathering, and sealing or staining can help protect it.
The wood acetylation process that changes the cell structure of Accoya’s wood improves the decking’s dimensional stability — the amount it expands and contracts —making it scratch-resistant, helping coatings last longer and requiring less maintenance. “Any stain product that is used tends to last longer on the surface of the material because the wood goes through less expansion and contraction, creating a better barrier to the elements,” Bovell says of Accoya wood decking.
More: To learn more about the benefits of Accoya’s sustainably sourced, acetylated wood decking and choose a style that complements your home and garden, visit our decking page here.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Where to Buy
You can buy Accoya and Accoya products from our selection of distributors or manufacturers in your region. Use our map search tool to find your nearest Accoya supplier.

5 Ideas to Steal From These Gorgeous, On-Trend Exteriors, by HOUZZ
Boost your home’s curb appeal with eye-catching materials, finishes and more
03.16.2021

1. Look to Nature
Embrace the biophilic trend and celebrate your natural surroundings with an unpainted wood exterior. Add a clear coating to preserve the wood’s original hue or let it weather to a beautiful soft grey, as seen on this home in St. Joseph, Michigan. Its acetylated wood siding pops against the black window frames and is low-maintenance, durable and resistant to rot, insects and fungi.
Acetylation is the process of modifying wood with a concentrated vinegar, “which makes it so that the wood doesn’t stay wet,” says Tim Svarczkopf, a technical manager at Accoya, a company that creates acetylated wood. It reduces the shrink and swell by 75% and allows Accoya to offer a 50-year warranty. “If the wood hardly swells and doesn’t rot for 50 years, the applications are virtually limitless,” Svarczkopf says.

2. Go Monochromatic
Exude modern sophistication with a dramatic exterior in a single color. Ideal for transitional-style homes, like the one seen here one in Bethesda, Maryland, it can work well for a multitude of aesthetics. The key is to vary the tones and textures to bring much-needed depth. The siding seen here was charred using the ancient Japanese technique of shou sugi ban.
If painted wood is more your style, be sure to choose lumber that won’t swell or shrink too much — movement causes cracks. “The coating is going to last significantly longer that way,” says Ty McBride, a renovator in Oklahoma City. He uses acetylated wood — which is resistant to bowing, twisting and warping — for his projects, keeping maintenance and future repair costs to a minimum. Svarczkopf adds, “It can be used without maintenance of any kind and still not decay. If the owner wants the wood to look nice, they’ll likely want to clean it annually.”

3. Embrace Bold Minimalism
Modern minimalist architecture, with its clean lines and simple color palettes, continues to pop up in Houzz’s most-saved photos. Impressive use of volume, shape and contrasting materials — such as sleek metal and textural stone — adds visual interest and turns heads.
Acetylated wood decking brings visual warmth to the modern home in West Vancouver seen here, acting as a counterpoint to the expansive glass and rough concrete. While salt crystals may form on the planks, the coastal environment won’t have any effect on the wood itself, Svarczkopf says. The deck won’t splinter and can be enjoyed all year round with minimal upkeep. “Friends who use acetylated wood in coastal regions rave about it,” McBride says.

4. Opt for Expansive Glass
Let in the light with large glass doors and walls of floor-to-ceiling windows to create an airy, welcoming look both inside and out. This popular design trick will visually expand your home and connect you to nature and all of its soothing effects. Use glass or thin cable railings on decks to maintain clear views.
The house in Auckland, New Zealand, seen here fully embraces the trend with plenty of indoor-outdoor spaces. Its acetylated wood windows and doors help with insulation and keep energy bills down. The low-density material traps heat in air pockets, Svarczkopf says, stopping it from traveling quickly from the inside to the outside and vice versa. “The density is really great for thermal insulation,” McBride says. “It doesn’t conduct heat the same way as aluminum and vinyl.”

5. Combine Styles
Mix contemporary and traditional styles for a new exterior look that’s all your own. “Sleek” and “simple” are the watchwords of this approach to help you avoid anything too mismatched. Think neutral hues, clean lines and minimal detailing. For example, consider one large picture window instead of multiple mullioned designs.
A modern addition imbues this shingled home in Bellport, New York, with fresh style while preserving its historic character. The new space features simple windows and charred acetylated-wood siding, chosen for its durability and sustainability. Certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, among others, the siding is fully biodegradable. “The waste isn’t going to impact the environment, as opposed to cement board, vinyl or aluminum,” McBride says. Svarczkopf notes, “It’s also a very fast-growing renewable resource and a carbon-sequestering product. The fact that it lasts for so long and needs less maintenance enhances the life cycle benefits.”
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
To see the article on HOUZZ, please click here.
Where to Buy
You can buy Accoya and Accoya products from our selection of distributors or manufacturers in your region. Use our map search tool to find your nearest Accoya supplier.
You are currently on the Accoya site
Would you like to visit the Accoya Site to view all relevant content for your location?