Cedar or composite decking: which is right for an Ontario deck?
We build both and we get paid the same either way, so here is the comparison without a thumb on the scale.
Most articles on this question are written by somebody who sells one of the two. We install both, so the only thing we care about is that you are happy with the deck in year eight rather than week one.
The honest short version
Cedar looks and feels better, costs less to build, and asks you to maintain it. Composite costs more up front, looks very good rather than beautiful, and gives you most of those weekends back. If you enjoy looking after things, take cedar. If the thought of re-oiling a deck fills you with dread, take composite, because a neglected cedar deck ages badly and a neglected composite deck mostly just gets dirty.
How each one handles Ontario weather
Cedar
Western red cedar is naturally resistant to rot and insects, and it is stable through our freeze and thaw cycles. Left alone it silvers to a soft grey, which some people love and others read as neglect. Kept oiled every year or two, it holds a warm colour.
It stays cool underfoot in July, which matters more than people expect on a south-facing deck. It also takes a mitred border and a picture frame edge beautifully, which is where a cedar deck really separates itself from a builder-grade one.
Composite
Modern capped composite is a different product from the early generation that gave the category a bad name. It does not splinter, it does not need staining, and a wash once a season is genuinely most of the maintenance.
Two honest drawbacks. It gets hot in direct sun, noticeably hotter than cedar, which is worth thinking about if children will be running around barefoot. And it expands and contracts with temperature more than wood does, so the fastening and the gapping have to be done to the manufacturer's spec or you get buckling.
Cost, over time rather than at purchase
Cedar is cheaper to buy and install. Composite carries a higher material cost and a slightly higher labour cost, because hidden fastener systems and expansion gapping take longer to do properly.
Where it evens out is maintenance. A cedar deck wants cleaning and re-oiling roughly every one to two years, either as a weekend of your time or as money paid to somebody else. Over ten or fifteen years that adds up, and the comparison narrows considerably. We would rather you make that trade knowingly than be surprised by it in year three.
What we would pick, and when
- A cottage or a rural property where the deck should feel like it belongs to the landscape: cedar, every time.
- A family home with young children, a busy schedule, and a south-facing yard: composite, with a light colour to keep the surface temperature down.
- A screened porch or a covered section: cedar, because it is protected from the worst of the weather and the maintenance burden drops sharply.
- A rental or a property you plan to sell within a few years: composite, because it looks after itself in the meantime.
There is also a middle path people forget. Cedar on the deck surface with composite on the stairs, where wear and wet leaves do the most damage, is a perfectly reasonable combination.
Common questions
How long does a cedar deck last in Ontario?
With proper footings and reasonable maintenance, fifteen to twenty-five years for the surface boards is normal, and the frame often outlives them. Neglected and sitting in shade where it stays damp, it can be far less.
Does composite decking fade?
Capped composite from a reputable manufacturer holds colour well and carries a fade warranty. The uncapped products from years ago are where the fading reputation came from.
Can you replace just the boards on my existing deck?
Often yes, if the frame and footings are sound. We assess the structure first, because putting new boards on a failing frame is money spent on the wrong thing.
Is pressure treated lumber a reasonable third option?
For a budget build, yes. It is the cheapest option and it works. It is more prone to warping and checking than cedar, and it is the option people most often want to replace sooner.
Where we do it
