Pergola Materials
Pressure Treated Wood Pergolas
What is Pressure Treated Wood?
Pressure treated wood is typically southern yellow pine. It has been treated with chemicals to make it more rot resistant and prevent damage from insects.
Pressure treated pine is used in a variety of construction projects all over the low country, including decks, sheds and any outdoor structure that will come in contact with moisture and insects, such as termites.
Pro's of Pressure Treated Wood
The biggest pro of using pressure treated wood is the price. It's generally the most cost effective option to build your pergola the print the pressure treated chemicals make it both rot the insect resistant while providing you with the strength of a solid wood.
Con's of Pressure Treated Wood
One con of pressure treated wood are the chemicals applied to make the lumber rot and insect resistant. The chemicals can be harmful to the environment.
As wood is the natural product, of course it's going to be subject to some discoloration when exposed to the sun. This photo-oxidation can cause the wood to turn gray over time. But the process can be significantly slowed down with stain paint or sealer.
The biggest downside to pressure treated wood is that it requires regular maintenance. It can last for over 30 years but must be maintained on a regular basis to achieve this longevity. This may include applying water sealant yearly, staining every couple of years, cleaning or pressure washing a couple of times a year, and generally keeping the pergola clean and free of dirt and debris.
Conclusion
In general, pressure treated wood is a great choice for creating a more economical pergola that will last many years and be a great addition to your backyard. It's a common material that can be trusted to give you the look and utility you desire your next pergola project
Redwood & Cedar Pergolas
Redwood or Western Red Cedar comes from forests near the coast of the Pacific Northwest. It's naturally tolerant to being outside, lightweight and reddish in color.
Redwood and Cedar can be used both for inside and outside products. It's a very versatile wood and can be used for things like lining closet walls or on ceilings or even an accent wall. But since it's a very durable wood and can withstand the weather outside, it can be used for projects like decks, siding, roofing and pergolas.
The pros of using Redwood and Cedar are that it's naturally very beautiful, it has a very straight grain with random streaks and it has a very pleasant smell, making it aromatic.
In terms of durability it's known for its ability to resist decay and is known in general to be a very resilient wood. The tree actually secretes oils adding in its durability. It's rated as durable between 15 to 25 years to 25 plus years. The wood is virtually guaranteed to last at least 15 years.
Since the wood is not pressure treated it's also very environmentally friendly. It's generally considered a green product and it's not harmful to the environment.
One of the main cons of Redwood and Cedar is its cost. It's generally twice the price of pressure treated would is also about half the cost of a composite material. As far as maintenance is concerned, it can be one of the most needy materials. Every year it's recommended to power wash the wood, stain, and seal it.
Redwood and Cedar can also be easily dented scraped or dinged when compared to other materials. Cedar is generally considered a softwood, so take that into consideration when using for your pergola.
in general, Redwood and Cedar is a great choice for building a new pergola and can create a beautiful, strong structure that will last for many years. It’s very environmentally friendly and it will create a stunning pergola in your backyard.
Tropical Hardwood Pergolas
Tropical hardwood is any hardwood that grows in the tropical rainforest and subtropical and tropical broadleaf forests.
The main pro of tropical hardwood is that it can last 25 to 50 years depending on the type of hardware you choose. It is known to be extremely durable even in very harsh weather conditions.
It generally doesn't need any water sealant. If it's left to weather to its natural Gray color then no maintenance is required. If you would like to keep the original color of the wood maintenance is required which includes oiling and adding a UV protection yearly.
there's quite a large variety of tropical hardwoods to choose from and we're very in durability look and price.
Some of the cons of a tropical hardwood are the price it can generally be the most expensive material to use. It's a very dense wood which makes it very heavy and hard to work with. As a result labor costs will generally be higher for a similar project using treated pine , for instance. As an example tropical hardwoods will require all holes to be pre drilled taking more time for the builder.
Some typical types of tropical hardwood include Mahogany, Rosewood, Teak, Iron wood, Ipe and Wenge.