The Deck Journal / Materials
Cedar, ipe, or composite: how each looks after five winters
May 12, 2026 · 8 min read
Every material looks great on install day. The real test is what five Western New York winters do to it: freeze–thaw cycling, road salt spray, lake-effect snow load. Here’s what we’ve seen on our own maintained projects.
Cedar ages gracefully if it’s re-stained on schedule (every 2–3 years). Skip a cycle in our climate and it grays and checks noticeably faster than in milder regions, since the freeze–thaw cycle opens up any unprotected grain fast.
Ipe is the densest, most weather-resistant real wood option and holds its color and structure longest of the three woods we install, but it’s also the most expensive and the least forgiving to work with, which shows up in the install cost.
Composite is the most consistent performer over five winters. Caps don’t crack, color doesn’t fade dramatically, and there’s no re-staining schedule to fall behind on. The tradeoff is entirely up front: 30–40% more than PT lumber on day one.
None of the three is the wrong answer. It’s a question of whether you’d rather pay in dollars now or maintenance hours later. We’ll talk you through samples of all three on the design visit.
