When homeowners build a backyard deck, they tend to focus on two things - the visual design and the cost, but there’s something missing there. The perfect formula for your backyard oasis also includes the deck materials you use, and your choice of materials should be led by the life you want to live outdoors.
That vision is how you find the right balance of comfort and maintenance in the design, and it’s important! A backyard deck is so much more than a place to put your outdoor furniture. It’s your morning coffee spot, a comfortable place to stretch or practice yoga, or a gathering space for family and friends.
Whatever experience you want to have on your deck, the right material makes all the difference. Some backyard deck materials stay relatively comfortable under bare feet. Others can become surprisingly hot in direct sunlight. Some require regular staining and sealing, while others need little more than occasional cleaning. And when a deck sits next to a pool or outdoor kitchen, moisture, spills, traffic, and maintenance become even more important considerations.
So, let’s help you find the right materials for your lifestyle! The guide below will give you a primer on decking materials, so you can really dig in with your luxury landscape designer to make the best choice for your home.
Before comparing specific deck materials, think about lifestyle questions like these.
These questions quickly narrow down your options.
For a poolside deck, barefoot comfort and heat management may be the highest priorities. For a secluded backyard retreat, the natural character of cedar may matter more. And for a busy entertaining space, low maintenance and durability may win out.
There is no single "best" decking material. There's the best material for your property and the life you want to live.
Few materials have the natural warmth and character of real wood.
Wood decking remains popular because it feels authentic and looks beautiful against landscaping, stone, and other natural materials.
Cedar decking is particularly popular for outdoor living spaces because of its natural color, texture, and resistance to certain outdoor conditions.
Maybe you never thought of wood as something comfortable, but one of the biggest advantages of wood decking is how it feels underfoot. Wood feels good for barefoot use, making it especially appealing around pools, hot tubs, and outdoor lounging areas.
Wood also has a natural appearance that tends to blend beautifully with gardens and mature landscaping.
The biggest consideration with wood is maintenance. Depending on the type of wood and the desired appearance, homeowners may need to clean, stain, and seal the decking periodically.
Over time, wood can also weather and change color, and some homeowners love this natural aging process. Others prefer their deck to maintain a consistent appearance year after year.
Cedar deserves a closer look because it's one of the most popular choices for a traditional wood deck. Its warm color and natural grain give it an inviting appearance, and it blends beautifully with landscaping.
Cedar is also relatively lightweight and easy to work with, which provides flexibility during deck construction. However, like other natural wood products, cedar requires ongoing care if you want to preserve its original appearance. Without regular maintenance, the wood will weather and turn gray.
For some homeowners, that's part of the appeal. For others, maintaining the original warmth of the wood’s color is worth the additional upkeep.
Composite decking has become one of the most popular alternatives to traditional wood.
Composite decking boards are manufactured from a combination of materials designed to provide the look of wood while needing far less maintenance. If a deck just doesn’t feel like a deck to you unless it’s wood, you should give it a second thought.
Composite decking generally doesn't require the same regular staining and sealing as wood.
It also won't splinter or rot in the same way traditional wood can, making it a practical choice for families who use their outdoor spaces frequently.
In the past, homeowners thought composite materials looked manufactured or unnatural, but the appearance of modern composite decking has come a long way. Today's products are available in a wide range of colors, textures, and patterns designed to create a more natural appearance than earlier generations of synthetic decking.
With this question, location is everything. Composite decking is comfortable underfoot, but its temperature in direct sunlight depends heavily on the product, color, orientation, and amount of shade that covers the space throughout the day. Darker boards tend to absorb more heat, making them uncomfortable during the hottest parts of the day.
If you're considering composite for a pool deck or another space where people will frequently go barefoot, you’ll need to think about more than the color. It's worth discussing heat performance and the amount of shade the area receives. The last thing you want to do is see people tip-toeing and hopping up and down on your deck as they step out to take a dip!
Plastic decking is another low-maintenance option. Unlike composite decking, which is a combination of wood fibers and polymers, plastic decking is typically made entirely from synthetic materials.
Its biggest advantage is resistance to moisture and rot. For homeowners who want an easy maintenance situation, plastic decking is appealing. There’s no sealing or staining to do, and cleaning it is easy.
But like it is with all of these choices, there are trade offs. Some plastic products have a more manufactured appearance, and certain colors become hot in direct sunlight.
Metal decking is less common in residential applications, but it’s an interesting option for modern outdoor spaces. It's exceptionally durable and provides a clean, contemporary aesthetic that works well with modern architecture.
However, it has one major consideration, and by now you might be a step ahead of us. In direct sunlight, metal surfaces get hot!
That makes placement a key part of your decision, especially if the deck will be used barefoot or located near a pool.
Let’s make this easier and put all these options in one place!
| Material | Barefoot Comfort | Heat Management | Maintenance | Longevity |
| Cedar / Wood | Excellent | Generally good | Higher | Good with proper care |
| Composite | Good | Varies by product and color | Low | Excellent |
| Plastic | Good to moderate | Varies | Very low | Excellent |
| Metal | Lower in direct sun | Can become hot | Low | Excellent |
Keep in mind, this is all high-level stuff. The specific product, color, site conditions, exposure to sunlight, and quality of installation also affect how a deck performs.
When a backyard deck sits beside a pool, the way the material feels becomes particularly important.
People will likely be walking barefoot, sitting on the surface with wet feet, and moving frequently between the pool and other parts of the backyard. This makes texture, temperature, drainage, and maintenance important parts of the decision.
You'll also want to think about the visual transition from the deck to the pool. Pool coping, decking, steps, landscaping, and surrounding patios should feel like parts of one design rather than separate materials competing for attention. This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how often it doesn’t happen: pool deck design should be considered alongside the pool from the beginning.
Outdoor kitchens introduce a different set of considerations. Food, grease, drinks, and frequent foot traffic put more demands on the surrounding decking.
If your deck connects directly to an outdoor kitchen, consider how easy the surface will be to clean, and how well it will handle everyday use.
A deck can also play an important role in how you use your backyard for wellness. Because it's just steps from the house, it's easy to incorporate movement and relaxation into your daily routine without turning it into a major production.
A spacious deck quickly becomes a yoga or stretching area in the morning. A shaded corner provides a comfortable place to read or meditate. A poolside deck helps make swimming and recovery part of your everyday routine.
Even the best decking material performs poorly if the underlying construction isn't done correctly.
A successful deck construction project needs to account for things such as:
These details aren't visible once the deck is complete, but they're essential to its long-term performance. Be sure your landscape designer discusses these issues with you alongside the design.
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners can make is designing the deck as a standalone feature. A backyard deck should work with everything around it, including . . .
This is especially important for large backyard deck designs which become a visual focus for the backyard. Thoughtful design considers things like where people enter the space, where they naturally gather, where the sun falls throughout the day, and how different areas transition into one another.
A well-designed backyard deck makes life better. That’s it. That’s the goal.
And your deck rarely lives in a vacuum. It’s part of a larger design.
At LiveWell Outdoors, we look at decking as part of the larger outdoor living environment. From material selection and deck construction to pools, kitchens, landscaping, and gathering spaces, we consider how every element works together.
Ready to start planning your outdoor oasis? Schedule a consultation with our team or call us at (301) 720-1000. We want to hear more about the life you want to live outdoors!
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