# Wood Deck Fort Collins | Fort Collins Deck Contractors > Pressure-treated and cedar wood decks for Fort Collins homes. A typical new pressure-treated deck runs $10,000 to $20,000; cedar costs more. URL: https://fortcollinsdeckcontractors.com/wood-and-cedar-decks/ - Free estimates - Wood or composite - Fort Collins and nearby towns # We build your wood deck in Fort Collins in pressure-treated lumber or cedar Fort Collins Deck Contractors [/ →](/) builds wood decks in pressure-treated lumber and in cedar for homes in Fort Collins and nearby towns, with wood stairs and railing to match. Get Your FREE Estimate [#estimate →](#estimate) See prices [#pricing →](#pricing) ![Cedar deck with wood railing behind an older brick Fort Collins bungalow](/images/misc/honey-toned-cedar-deck-with-wood-railing-and-steps.webp) ## Pressure-treated or cedar? Picking between wood and cedar decks is the first call most Fort Collins homeowners make. It’s a good one to settle early. We build in two woods: pressure-treated lumber and cedar. Both go on the same kind of frame. Pressure-treated lumber is wood that has been treated at the mill. It’s what most deck frames are built from, and it makes a solid deck surface too. Cedar is a different wood, with a reddish color and a straighter grain. Cedar costs more. Industry price guides commonly put it anywhere from about 50% more to double the price of pressure-treated boards. | | Pressure-treated | Cedar | | --- | --- | --- | | Look | Greenish-tan at first, takes stain well | Reddish tone, straighter grain | | Cost | Lower | Higher | | Best used for | Frame and deck surface | Boards, stairs and railing | A lot of cedar decks sit on a pressure-treated frame, with cedar boards, stairs and railing on top. You get the look where you see it and save where you don’t. We go through both options at the estimate, with a price for each. ## What a wood deck is made of A wood deck starts with concrete footings, then posts, beams and joists. Deck boards run across the joists. Wood stairs come down to the yard on stringers. A wood railing runs around the edge on posts fastened into the frame. Footings matter most here. The City of Fort Collins residential deck guide lists a 30-inch minimum frost depth, so footings for an attached deck go down at least that far. That’s the same build as any new deck. The deck building [/deck-building/ →](/deck-building/) page goes through it step by step. ## Wood decks need stain every few years A wood deck takes a penetrating stain. A gray deck has lost its color to the weather at the surface, and stain brings the color back. A penetrating finish needs a fresh coat every few years. Semi-transparent stains typically last about two to three years, and clear sealers often need a refresh sooner. Colorado sun is hard on bare wood, so don’t push it. Paint and solid stains tend to peel on a surface you walk on. That’s why we use a penetrating stain on decks. If your wood deck is already built and has gone gray, that’s deck staining and sealing [/deck-staining-and-sealing/ →](/deck-staining-and-sealing/) . ## Checking and splitting Wood decks here are replaced more often because the boards check and split than because of rot. Checking is the small cracks that open along the grain of a board. The cause is moisture cycling. Wood soaks up water and dries out again, over and over, and the surface cracks as it moves. A fresh coat of stain slows that down by keeping water from soaking in so fast. Here’s how we sort out what to do: - **A few split boards:** a repair can take care of them. - **Most boards split:** it’s time to look at a replacement. - **Not sure which you have:** we’ll walk the deck with you and tell you straight. ## Wood or composite? Composite costs more than wood. We can price both at the estimate, so you see real numbers side by side. If you’d like to read about the other option, see composite decks [/composite-decks/ →](/composite-decks/) . When you’re ready, ask us for an estimate, and we’ll price your wood and cedar deck both ways. ## What a typical wood deck costs around Fort Collins A typical deck here is about 16 by 20 feet off the back of the house, a few steps down to the yard, with railing around it. ### New wood deck (pressure-treated) $10,000 to $20,000 A typical new deck in pressure-treated wood, stairs and railing included. Cedar costs more than pressure-treated. Bigger, higher, covered or hot-tub decks run above this range. Get Your FREE Estimate [#estimate →](#estimate) ![](/images/misc/wood-deck-in-bright-high-altitude-sun-with-long-sh.webp) ## Wood decks and Fort Collins weather Fort Collins sits nearly a mile up, and the sun is stronger here than at sea level. It freezes at night and thaws by afternoon for a good part of the year. A deck lies flat under the sun, snow and rain, and flat wood like a deck is often the hardest hit. Wood decks are replaced more often because the boards check and split than because of rot. A gray deck has lost its color to the weather at the surface, and stain brings color back. A penetrating stain suits a deck, and it needs refreshing every few years. Wood deck in bright sun with railing shadows across the boards ## How a wood deck gets built Every wood deck follows the same order, from the footings to the railing. 1. 1 ### Send the estimate form Tell us about the deck and whether you're thinking pressure-treated or cedar. 2. 2 ### We look at the yard We look at the spot, the house and the ground, and talk through size, stairs and railing. 3. 3 ### You get a written estimate The estimate covers the frame, the boards, stairs and railing, in writing. 4. 4 ### We build the deck Footings, frame, wood boards, stairs and railing, ready for a penetrating stain. ![New cedar deck boards going down across the joists](/images/misc/new-cedar-deck-boards-being-fastened-across-joists.webp) ## Related services ### Deck Building New decks from bare ground: the footings, the frame, the boards, stairs and railings, in wood or composite. New deck installation→ [Deck Building →](/deck-building/) ### Deck Staining and Sealing Cleaning, staining and sealing wood decks. Deck staining and sealing→ [Deck Staining and Sealing →](/deck-staining-and-sealing/) ### Composite Decks Composite boards on a new or replaced deck. Composite decks→ [Composite Decks →](/composite-decks/) ![Finished stained wood deck behind a two-story Fort Collins home](/images/misc/finished-pressure-treated-wood-deck-with-penetrati.webp) ## Want a wood deck? Send the form and tell us about the deck you have in mind. We'll look at the yard and price it in pressure-treated or cedar. - Free estimates - Wood or composite - Fort Collins and nearby towns ## Get Your FREE Estimate Tell us about your deck and where it is, and we will put together your estimate. Thanks, we got your request. We'll be in touch about your estimate.