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Cedar and Wood Decks in Meridian

Western red cedar and pressure treated builds, the lower entry price and the warmer surface underfoot.

Wood is still the least expensive way to get a deck on the back of a Meridian house, and cedar is still the nicest thing to stand on barefoot in August. Pressure treated southern yellow pine is the budget structural choice and the standard framing material under every deck regardless of what the surface is. Western red cedar is the step up: lighter, more dimensionally stable, naturally resistant to rot, and it takes a semi-transparent stain beautifully. The catch in a high desert climate is maintenance. Meridian sits at roughly 2,600 feet with a long, bright, dry summer, and ultraviolet light is what turns an un-maintained wood deck silver-gray and opens the checking on the board faces. Wood decks here want a clean and re-coat cycle every two to four years.

What the scope covers

  • Western red cedar, pressure treated pine, and thermally modified options priced side by side
  • Kiln dried after treatment lumber where it is available, for less movement in the first season
  • Boards laid bark side considered, spaced approximately an eighth of an inch, fastened twice per joist
  • Hot dipped galvanized or stainless fasteners, since aluminum should not sit against copper based treated lumber
  • Hidden fastener or trim head screw options for the field
  • First coat of penetrating stain or sealer timed to the moisture content, not to the calendar
  • Cedar fascia, skirt, and stair risers to finish the edges

Reading further

The Meridian deck guide covers the whole process end to end. For numbers, work through the cost estimator or the Treasure Valley cost guide. Terms you have not run into before are in the deck glossary.

Questions about wood decks

Cedar or pressure treated for a Meridian deck?

Pressure treated is cheaper and perfectly sound, and it is what the frame is built from either way. Cedar costs more per board and buys three things: it stays flatter, it is far more pleasant underfoot on a hot afternoon, and it takes stain evenly instead of blotching. If the deck is a walking surface between the door and the yard, treated lumber does the job. If it is where the household sits on summer evenings, cedar earns the difference. A builder quoting both side by side is the fastest way to see what the upgrade costs on your specific footprint.

How often does a wood deck need to be re-stained in Idaho?

Every two to four years for most Treasure Valley decks. South and west facing surfaces with no shade sit at the short end of that range, because ultraviolet exposure is the thing that breaks down the finish, and a long dry high desert summer delivers plenty of it. North facing and covered decks stretch to four or five years. The test is simple and does not require a professional: sprinkle water on the boards, and if it soaks in rather than beading, the finish has stopped working.

Should a new pressure treated deck be stained right away?

Not usually. Freshly treated lumber often arrives wet from the treatment process and will not accept a penetrating finish until it dries down. The common guidance is to wait until the boards shed water slowly rather than beading, which in a Meridian summer can be a few weeks and in a wet spring can be a few months. Kiln dried after treatment lumber is the exception and can generally be finished sooner. Staining too early is one of the more common reasons a first coat fails in a single season.

Why do wood decks here turn gray so fast?

Ultraviolet light breaks down lignin, the compound that binds wood fibers together, and the surface layer goes silver-gray as it degrades. At 2,600 feet of elevation with a long clear summer, Treasure Valley decks get a heavy annual dose of it. The gray itself is cosmetic, but it comes with surface checking that lets water in, and water is what leads to rot. A pigmented finish blocks more ultraviolet light than a clear one, which is why semi-transparent stains outlast clear sealers here by a wide margin.

Is cedar available locally or does it get special ordered?

Western red cedar decking is a stocked item across the Boise metro building supply trade, which is one advantage of building in a valley this close to the Pacific Northwest supply chain. Standard sizes are usually available within days. Wide boards, long lengths, and clear grades are more often special order and can add a week or two. A quote should say which grade it is priced on, because the price gap between knotty and clear cedar is large.

From the Field Notes

More on wood decks in the valley

Elevated Decks on Boise and Eagle Foothills Lots

Meridian is flat. Ten miles east the ground climbs, and a sloped lot turns a simple deck into a different structure at a different price. Here is what changes.

Why Treasure Valley Decks Go Gray So Fast

Wood decks here lose color faster than people expect. The cause is ultraviolet light rather than weather, and the mechanism changes what you put on the boards.

Related Scopes

Things that get priced at the same time

Deck scopes overlap. Rail and stairs are part of nearly every build, cover is the most common addition, and framing for a future cover while the deck is open costs a fraction of retrofitting it later.

New Deck Construction

Ground-up deck builds off the back of the house, footings through rail, typical 1 to 3 weeks on site

Composite Deck Installation

Capped composite and PVC decking, the material most Meridian homeowners pick for a west-facing yard

Covered Decks and Pergolas

Roofed deck extensions, pergolas, and shade structures for a west-facing Treasure Valley back yard

Deck Repair and Refinishing

Board replacement, ledger and flashing repair, structural fixes, and full strip and re-coat

Thinking about a deck this season?

Call (208) 314-4914 or use the quote form for a free written price on any deck project in the Treasure Valley.

Call (208) 314-4914 Get a free quote