Every homeowner sizing up a new deck lands on the same question sooner or later: wood or composite? The honest answer depends on your budget, how much upkeep you're willing to do, and how long you plan to stay in the house.
Upfront Cost
Pressure-treated wood is the more affordable starting point at $35 to $52 per square foot installed. Composite decking runs $60 to $115 per square foot depending on the tier — Trex, TimberTech, and Fiberon each have entry through premium lines. Cedar and hardwood species like ipe and cumaru sit in between, closer to composite pricing but with a different maintenance profile.
How Each Handles Georgia's Climate
Wood needs cleaning and resealing roughly every 12 to 18 months in this climate — humidity, pollen, and intense UV break finishes down faster than in a milder region. Capped composite resists that moisture absorption almost entirely, so it doesn't swell, cup, or mildew-stain the way untreated lumber does. Pollen still coats every outdoor surface here in spring, but it rinses off composite with a hose instead of soaking into the grain.
Long-Term Maintenance and Warranty
Manufacturer warranties on capped composite boards typically run 25 to 50 years against fading and staining — coverage that doesn't exist for a wood deck. A well-built composite deck can outlast several generations of stain jobs on a comparable wood deck, though the framing underneath still needs to be built right regardless of which decking material sits on top.
Which One Actually Wins?
If you're staying long-term and want to skip the maintenance cycle, composite usually pays for itself in saved weekends. If budget is the primary driver or you like the option to change the finish over time, pressure-treated or cedar wood remains a completely reasonable choice — plenty of well-maintained wood decks in Metro Atlanta last decades.
Not Sure Which Fits Your Project?
We'll bring samples of both and walk you through the real tradeoffs — free.
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