Decking · 25 cities

How a cedar deck ages across the US

Same boards, different weather. In our model, a cedar deck lasts 9–12 years in Mobile, AL and 19–25 years in Las Vegas, NV; the national typical range is 15–20 yrs.

Simulated cedar deck in Seattle, WA after 10 years

Year 10Heavy mildew, surface checks

MODEL SIMULATION

Seattle, WA · south-facing deck, full sun, no sealant

Drag through time 0 — 20 years

Color lossSevere

Surface checkingHigh

Mildew / rotHigh

Fails first hereBoard ends, joists and shaded boards

Every city

Expected life by city

Sorted shortest-lived first. Untreated, south-facing, full sun.

City	Expected life	Main threat	Climate profile	Decay index
Mobile, AL	9–12 yrs	Moisture & decay	Hot & humid	110.2
Miami, FL	9–12 yrs	Moisture & decay	Hot & humid	155.8
New Orleans, LA	10–13 yrs	Moisture & decay	Hot & humid	100.9
Tampa, FL	10–13 yrs	Moisture & decay	Hot & humid	103.6
Houston, TX	12–15 yrs	Moisture & decay	Hot & humid	84.5
Atlanta, GA	12–15 yrs	Moisture & decay	Mixed	79.5
Nashville, TN	12–16 yrs	Moisture & decay	Mixed	70.7
Charleston, SC	13–16 yrs	Moisture & decay	Hot & humid	73.7
Chicago, IL	14–18 yrs	Moisture & decay	Mixed	55.3
Buffalo, NY	14–18 yrs	Freeze–thaw	Mixed	52.8
New York, NY	14–18 yrs	Moisture & decay	Cool & damp	59.5
Denver, CO	14–19 yrs	Freeze–thaw	Cold, hard freeze–thaw	34.2
Austin, TX	14–19 yrs	Sun & UV	Mixed	53.9
Seattle, WA	15–19 yrs	Moisture & decay	Cool & damp	52.6
Portland, OR	15–19 yrs	Moisture & decay	Cool & damp	56.6
Dallas, TX	15–19 yrs	Sun & UV	Mixed	47.4
Minneapolis, MN	15–19 yrs	Freeze–thaw	Mixed	47.2
Boston, MA	15–19 yrs	Freeze–thaw	Mixed	48.3
Albuquerque, NM	16–20 yrs	Sun & UV	Dry & sunny	22.2
Salt Lake City, UT	16–21 yrs	Freeze–thaw	Cold, hard freeze–thaw	23.3
San Francisco, CA	17–22 yrs	Sun & UV	Cool & damp	26.7
Los Angeles, CA	18–24 yrs	Sun & UV	Hot & dry	8.5
San Diego, CA	18–24 yrs	Sun & UV	Hot & dry	12
Phoenix, AZ	18–24 yrs	Sun & UV	Hot & dry	7.2
Las Vegas, NV	19–25 yrs	Sun & UV	Hot & dry	0.4

Model estimates from 1991–2020 climate normals. Methodology.

Other materials

Composite deck →Wood fence →