Wood Deck Building in Honolulu, HI

Wood deck building on Oahu is all about choosing the right lumber for each job inside the deck. Wood costs less than composite, stays cooler underfoot and has a look many owners prefer, especially on older plantation-style and post-war homes. It also has to stand up to Formosan termites, high UV and, near the water, salt. That comes down to treatment ratings, species and how the deck is detailed.

Treatment ratings, in plain terms

Pressure-treated lumber is sold by use category. Lumber rated for above-ground use is fine for decking boards and joists that stay off the soil and drain well. Posts, and anything close to the ground or hard to dry out, need a ground-contact rating. Borate-treated framing lumber, sold locally as HiBor, protects against termites and rot inside a house, but the supplier's own guide says its warranty excludes decking, deck framing and lumber left exposed to the weather. We list the treatment and use category for each part of the frame on your quote.

Species and what they cost

• Pressure-treated pine or fir: the lowest cost; takes stain well but checks and grays fast without upkeep
• Cedar and redwood: naturally more resistant to decay and pleasant to look at, at a higher price
• Tropical hardwoods such as ipe: very dense, hard and long-lived, but heavy, slow to cut and expensive

Fixr lists installed prices from about $15 to $25 per square foot for pressure-treated decks up to $30 to $55 for ipe. Imported softwoods and hardwoods all ship to Oahu, so availability and price can change from one order to the next.

Details that keep termites out

The University of Hawaii's termite guidance says to remove wood that touches soil and keep water from sitting on wood. We set posts on concrete footings with standoff bases, keep the lowest framing well above grade, leave the area under the deck open enough to look for mud tubes, and haul away every offcut instead of leaving it under the deck. Field cuts on treated lumber get an end-cut preservative.

Sun and finish

With about 278 sunny days a year in Honolulu, bare wood loses its color within months. A penetrating oil or semi-transparent stain with UV protection slows that down, and it has to be renewed. We talk through the finish and how often it will need to be redone before you pick a species, because upkeep is the real long-term cost of a wood deck.

Hardware and treated lumber

Modern copper-based treatments are more corrosive to steel than old lumber was, and salt air adds to it. Simpson Strong-Tie recommends stainless steel for treated wood in its harshest exposures and notes that hot-dip galvanized hardware may suit drier service. We match the connectors and screws to the lumber treatment and how close you are to the ocean.

Good fits for wood

Wood works well for small ground-level decks, shaded decks where heat is not a concern, decks that should match an older home, and projects where budget leads. If you would rather never refinish, we will also price composite boards on the same frame.