We can't decide whether to choose cedar or pressure treated wood for our new deck. Maintenance is an issue. Must you seal a cedar deck with a water sealer to keep it from deteriorating or can you just leave it? How long will a cedar deck last if it is not sealed versus one that is sealed? If we choose pressure treated we will be staining it - how long should you wait before doing this? Are there any known health risks associated with pressure treated wood?
Answer:
To the best of my knowledge, there are no helath risks with PT wood and it lasts about as long as cedar. I wouldn't stain either one unless it was to obtain a specific colour. You'll get about 15 years out of each with no treatement what-so-ever but if you do paint, you have an annual chore.
