Glad I checked Trex on internet before having my Taos, NM, south-facing deck replaced with it. But I'm totally confused about which way to go, not only for it but also for a full-sun-exposure observation deck on top of a carport that will be built next spring. I hate the feel of Pergo underfoot, so I'm thinking I might not like synthetic. Anyone have anything to say about TimberTech or Moisture Shield, which one blogger elsewhere recommends? Would ipe or ironwood really be better than cedar or redwood in a sometimes-snowy, sometimes-rainy low-humidity environment? We're kind of lackadaisical about maintenance, so what's a decent level that we can get away with and have the deck last 8-10 years?

Cedar Wood Vs.Pressure Treated Pine Aromatic Red Cedar: Cedar is a very stable wood. It does not warp, or shrink, or check (as pressure treated pine most likely will do eventually). A product using cedar boards will have a much nicer appearance, after 10 years compared to a pressure treated pine. Our cedar usually comes from Missouri, Oklahoma, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. It can be 50-80 years old. Cedar lumber costs a little more than the fast grown southern yellow pine, but it is well worth the extra expense. Cedar could last 30 years or more and will stay straight! Pressure Treated Pine: This type of lumber usually originates from the southeastern U.S., and can be a southern yellow pine species or a mixed pine species. It is a fast growing tree; being one of the few types that can be pressure treated. Other types of wood have a different cell structure and will not accept the treatment process. This pine, after it has been cut to size, is kiln dried to remove most of the moisture. Then it is bundled up and put into huge cylindrical tanks. Next, a water based solution of micronized copper azole is forced into the wood fibers under pressure. This process makes the wood very heavy and gives it a dark green appearance. This pressure treated pine (PT pine) is guaranteed by the manufacturer not to decay or have insect damage for 10 years or more. It is not guaranteed against shrinkage, warping, checking (splitting). We do not guarantee that this will not happen because it often does. When PT pine starts drying out it can develop "checks" which look like splits or cracks in the posts or boards. This is not an uncommon complaint from new owners of wood products. Actually, the wood is slightly shrinking, a natural seasoning (drying out) of any piece of lumber. When a fence post dries, the outer surface (sapwood) shrinks faster than the inner heart of the piece, and something has to give. For this reason, posts have a natural tendency to develop a V-shaped check towards the center. The result is the familiar "check" which is technically neither a split nor a crack. Depending on the weather and season your wood fence is installed, checking may occur right away, or might wait for warmer weather. We usually never use PT pine for the posts because they will decay in the ground must faster than a cedar post would. Because of this we only use cedar posts for fencing. Here is a link that might be useful: cedar

Ventilation is a serious problem. IPE will rot and warp if moisture trapped underneath. Requires adequate airflow to prevent condensation build up. While IPE is otherwise as close to indestructible as any wood can be, it is vulnerable to moisture and is specifically not rated for ground contact for this reason. If you use it on a rooftop deck, you should make sure there is airflow underneath. This may require vents on the house side and opening on the outside end of the deck with support rafters running outward (so air can flow under the boards.) I would also use as wide a board spacing as practical. Use of 5/4 board thickness would would slightly decrease the odds of warp/cupping and allow wider rafter spacing for better airflow. Most important issue is whether you can raise the deck sufficiently to allow adequate airflow underneath. If not, IPE not a good idea. (I do not know about Massaranduba)

Any wood has cupping issues, 2x6 and 5/4 as well... never seen 2x8 being used as decking boards. Heavy to carry, if you have a 16' I assume you would use 2x8-16' to eliminate joints each board weighs 70LB and even if you use 12' and stagger them each 2x8-12' is 50LB vs. 5/4x6- 12' weighs approximately 10-18LB depending on how wet it is... As decking goes, I never seen or heard anyone using 2x8 as decking material. Heavy to carry, if you have a 16' deck, I assume you plan using 2x8-16' to eliminate joints, each board weighs 70LB and even if you use 12' and stagger them each 2x8-12' is 50LB vs. 5/4x6- 12' weighs approximately 10-18LB depending on how wet the board is...