Rain Splashing On Wood

Capture the essence of a lazy, rainy Sunday sitting by the deck, watching the trees wave in the breeze of an afternoon rain shower. Historically, the softwoods used for decking were logged from old growth forests. Atlantic City built the first coastal boardwalk in the United States from Atlantic white cedar. However, the clearing of cedar swamps in New Jersey soon caused a decline in the availability of decking. Expensive Western red cedar was available from Canada but by then pressure treated pine had become available. However, even with chemical treatments, pine decking is not as durable as cedars in an outdoor environment. Thus, many municipalities and homeowners are turning to hardwoods.