I'm building a small deck about 12x12 feet. Not sure what kind of wood to use. Cedar is out because it is too expensive! Pressure treated would be fine but I'm not too crazy about the greenish color and we're looking for a pale finish. Would pine be ok for decking or is it too soft? The deck will most likely sit on a gravel base (no footings) so I'm also afraid of water damage.
Answer:
If you were to treat the wood with a good preservative before setting it in, you might get away with it for a few years but without treatment, I'm afraid you'll be re-doing the job in a couple of years - at best. If you find cedar too expensive, you might check again on the price of pine.
