Wood deck builder in Tampa Bay

Pressure-treated pine is still the lowest-cost way to get a deck in Tampa Bay, and it's the right call for some homes: rentals, homes you plan to sell soon, and decks where budget has to win. Built right and kept up, a wood deck can serve you well. Built carelessly, Florida will take it apart in a few years.

How we build wood decks to last in Florida

• Ground-contact rated lumber for posts and any framing near the ground, not lumber rated only for above-ground use.
• Concrete footings for every post, with posts held off the ground so they don't wick water.
• Coated or stainless connectors and screws, because standard fasteners corrode fast in treated lumber and salt air.
• Gaps between boards so water drains and the boards can dry.
• Sealer after the wood dries out: New treated lumber is wet. Sealing it too soon traps moisture. We tell you when it's ready.

What a wood deck needs from you

Plan on cleaning and sealing every one to two years, and replacing a few boards as they check or cup over time. That upkeep is the real cost difference between wood and composite. Our composite vs. wood guide lays out the full comparison.

Wood framing, composite boards

A common middle path: pressure-treated framing under composite boards. That's how almost every composite deck is built, and it gets you a low-maintenance surface while keeping the structure affordable.

Cedar accents

Some homeowners like the look of real wood on posts, beams or a pergola ceiling. Cedar takes stain well and adds warmth, and it pairs well with a composite deck surface.

Common questions