Making the right selection for your decking material is a decision you will live with for years to come. Learn more about decking material options and make the decision that is just right for you. Whether your project is a backyard deck, walkway, bridge, pergola, gazebo, dock, rooftop recreation area or a world famous boardwalk, learn how Mataverde® Premium Hardwood Decking compares to other decking material options. Mataverde high density hardwood decking is the reliable and sustainable decking material option that will last, beautifully, for many years to come. Choose Mataverde® premium Ipe, Cumaru, Machiche or Garapa high density hardwood decking materials for the deck of your dreams…why accept anything less?

If the amazing hardness, durability, insect and decay resistance of Mataverde® Premium Hardwood Decking products such as Mataverde® Ipe decking, Cumaru decking or Garapa decking are not enough to win you over to all natural, responsibly harvested high density hardwood decking, why not look at some of the stunning variations and natural attributes of the woods themselves.

MATAVERDE® PREMIUM IPE DECKING
Mataverde® Premium Ipe decking is the ultimate decking solution for the discriminating user who wants a real natural wood deck that lasts longer than any products available and is absolutely beautiful. A deck built with Mataverde® Ipe Decking will provide you with many years of comfort, satisfaction and relaxation.

The character marks and naturally distinguishing coloration and graining variegation are inherent in all wood species. Some species exhibit more character than others. Mataverde® Premium Ipe Decking is one such spectacular species.

Mataverde® Premium Ipe Hardwood decking displays a wide range of colors, fine graining and all-natural splendor. Very similar to the hardwood flooring inside your home, the inherent "figuring" and variegated appearance seen in many pieces of Ipe decking helps create a unique work of art on your deck.

With Ipe decking there will be a full spectrum of color ranges from tan to olive brown to reddish to dark browns. The exotic graining and "striping" will differentiate every piece of Ipe decking. Like a hardwood floor, no two pieces of Ipe hardwood are exactly alike.

For more information about Ipe Decking click here.

MATAVERDE® PREMIUM CUMARU DECKING
Mataverde® Premium Cumaru Hardwood Decking is all heartwood and ranges in coloration from a yellowy brown to reddish browns to a nearly purplish cordovan color. Although the coarser graining of Cumaru Decking appears somewhat like oak, the exotic color range and natural character are both dramatic and beautiful. Like a hardwood floor inside your home, no two pieces of Cumaru Decking are alike. This rich variegation of Cumaru reflects the untamed beauty of this spectacular, all natural species.

For more information about Cumaru Decking click here.

MATAVERDE® PREMIUM GARAPA DECKING
Mataverde® Premium Garapa decking is all heartwood and ranges in color from a sun kissed yellow to golden brown which will darken slightly with age. While the soft ribbon-like graining is reminiscent of maple or mahogany, Garapa decking has a beauty all its own. If left natural Garapa decking turns soft silver platinum hue very similar to Ipe. While this species shows less color and grain variations than Ipe decking or Cumaru decking, there is still a beautiful assortment of exotic boards. Like a hardwood floor inside your home, no two pieces are alike. This rich variation reflects the inherent beauty of this all natural species.

Mataverde® Garapa high density hardwood decking exhibits lots of character striping and color variation and will turn a soft silvery color if left to age naturally. Like Mataverde® Ipe decking and Cumaru decking, Garapa decking is extremely resistant to shrinking, splintering, twisting, cupping and checking. From a durability standpoint, Garapa decking is extremely hard and tough and will resist most types of punishment.

For more information about Garapa Decking click here.

"PRESSURE TREATED" SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE DECKING
In the 1970's, the "next big thing" to hit the market was "pressure" treated lumber. In this process, heavy metals and other toxins are injected into the grains of the wood under high pressure. This chemically enhanced product rapidly gained acceptance during the 1980's. It was readily available, fairly inexpensive to buy, easy to work with and with all the chemical additives many manufacturers initially boasted a "lifetime warranty". It became immediately apparent that despite its excellent fiber strength, southern yellow pine had a number of bad habits. The species has a tendency to cup, warp, split, twist, crack and check. Especially on pieces that were milled poorly, splinters were also a common concern.

Over the next few years it became evident that in addition to containing toxins and carcinogens, the pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine didn't actually "last a lifetime" as initially claimed. Many "treaters" went out of business. Most of the remaining manufacturers reduced their warranties and included scores of disclaimers in their revised "limited" warranties.

The Federal Government became involved and outlawed the usage of the carcinogens and other poisons being injected into the wood. The "treaters" experimented with many other different chemicals hoping to find a new treatment. When they were unable to find any suitable alternative, several adjusted (reduced) their warranty claims again. Despite its bad behavior and poor performance, pressure treated yellow pine decking is still available and is a low (initial) price decking alternative.

   

"COMPOSITE DECKING"
The poor performance of pressure treated lumber decking and the high cost of the alternative wood decking products left a void for consumers. Enter "composite decking material" in the 1990's. "Composite" decking material is typically a mixture of finely ground sawdust and plastic designed to appear like real wood decking. The first generation of "composite decking" was expensive and performed poorly; problems with the weakness, appearance, softness and rotting were abundant. The complaints led to multiple lawsuits and at least one class action suit was settled out of court with one manufacturer so the results were not revealed to the public.

Originally hailed as "maintenance free", and "lifetime warranty", composite decking manufacturers quickly removed these false claims from their advertising. Since the early days, scores of manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon to attempt to find a synthetic decking material that looks like real wood and behaves appropriately. That elusive search is still on with the synthetic product manufacturers.

To learn the depth of the multitude of problems associated with composite decking products, try an internet search of topics such as; "composite decking complaints", "composite decking recalls", "composite decking injuries", "composite decking failure", "composite decking problems" and "composite decking lawsuits". No doubt you will be astonished by what you learn. The results speak for themselves.

CALIFORNIA REDWOOD DECKING
For years California redwood was hailed as the best decking material available. In addition to being fairly long lasting (for a softwood species), stable and easy to work with, it was plentiful and readily available yet a little pricey. With a coat of sealer or preservative applied yearly it lasted a fairly long time and still looked attractive. Without maintenance it is apt to turn black. As supply sources dwindled, the high quality heartwood became less available and the prices rose dramatically. Yes the quality went down yet the prices still escalated rapidly.

WESTERN RED CEDAR DECKING
These market conditions increased the appeal of Western Red Cedar. For a softwood species, red cedar also holds up fairly well and it too is somewhat stable and easy to work with. With an annual maintenance coat of a preservative or staining a consumer can normally expect at least a decade of usage. Once considered the "poor man's redwood", red cedar continued to grow in popularity. Like the redwood scarcity before it, as availability and quality concerns increased the prices significantly. Many consumers who sought an affordable decking surface were forced to use lower grades of red cedar to meet their decking budgets.

PHILLIPINE "MAHOGANY" DECKING
The so-called "mahogany" decking that has permeated the US market in the last decade or so is actually not a true mahogany at all. They are actually many different subspecies of the Shorea spp. species. These subspecies range wildly in color, graining, workability, stability and marginal durability. The soft surface scratches and dents easily. The open grain is susceptible to mold and mildew. Worm holes are a common defect and the species show little resistance to decay and termite resistance.

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