Whether it’s wood floors, wood furniture or, of course, wood decks and roofs, I’ve always had tremendous appreciation not only for the durability of wood but for the warm, welcoming atmosphere that wood contributes to our living spaces.

As I see it, there’s no substitute for the way that wood enhances our sense of home. Wood offers a solid, authentic and earthy feel, with subtle warm tones and natural markings that make each piece as unique as each of our customers. Nothing manufactured or mass-produced can possibly compare with what nature has provided, and that’s why DeckTec relies exclusively on quality softwoods such as Redwood and Cedar and hardwoods like Mahogany and Ipe when creating our custom decks.

Over the years I’ve watched the trend toward increasing sophistication in outdoor living, with the outdoor “room” now rivaling the finest interiors in terms of design, furnishings, and material quality. Today’s homeowners want their outdoor environment to reflect their particular taste, values and lifestyle – it’s not just any deck, it’s “our” deck. And with the growing emphasis on environmental sustainability, we’re witnessing a welcome return to the rich beauty of natural materials such as wood and stone, as reflected in the design and construction of today’s quality homes.

Outdoor living spaces have become an extension of the indoors in terms of personal aesthetic expression, attention to detail, culinary and entertainment amenities, greater year-round and more varied use. In fact, you could say that today’s outdoor room is not just one room, but many: an outdoor kitchen, dining room, family room, recreation room – whatever your family wants it to be!

We hope you’ll stay tuned as we continue to tell the story of wood. With this issue we’re launching a series on quality deck materials. We’ll be sharing the back-story on our favorites as well as explaining why we stay away from synthetics.