Like many homeowners, I was initially drawn to pressure-treated southern yellow pine. Far and away the best-selling decking ...

Should you nail or screw deck boards? You can use either. Screws are recommended because of their superior holding power, especially in soft woods such as pine. Should deck boards be spaced or tight?

Composite decking—an amalgam of ground-up wood and plastic formed into planks ... more expensive and heavier than traditional natural pine. (We also test western red cedar, ipe, and redwood.) ...