(508) 580-9766

info@barneyandcarey.com

specialty lumberyard and custom millwork in avon, ma

491 West Main St.
Avon, MA 02322

Get a Free Quote!
How can we help?

Keeping Your Cool: The Best Natural Decking Material for Hot New England Summers

by | Jul 21, 2020 | Articles | 0 comments

best natural decking material

Coming off a 100º weekend and looking at a forecast filled with days in the high 80ºs and 90ºs, we’re reminded how important it is to consider the hot, humid New England weather when choosing the best specialty lumber for the exterior of your home. Specifically the best natural decking material, which you and your family need to be able to walk on without suffering third degree burns.

When customers come in to our lumberyard in search of the best natural decking material, they often have these requirements in mind:

1. Moisture-resistant

2. Durable & stable

3. Aesthetic—it has to look great!

To these customers, we often recommend the following decking materials, which will each stand up to the extreme heat and humidity of New England…and also look fantastic in your back yard.

Ipe

Pronounced “ee-pay,” this type of wood comes from the rainforests of South America and has become wildly popular for use as decking material. Ipe is resistant to rot, insects, and fire, stays cool by rapidly dispersing the heat absorbed from the sun, does not require treatment, making it a more eco-friendly decking option, and requires minimal care and maintenance—it can last for years and years without cracking or splintering. On top of all that, ipe is a unique and beautiful looking wood.

Western Red Cedar

Moisture-resistant? Check. Durable? Check. Aesthetic? Of course. But Western Red Cedar is also pleasantly aromatic and a natural insect repellant. As if that weren’t enough, Western Red Cedar is also lightweight, easy to work with, and incredibly versatile.

Redwood

On the West Coast, Redwood is the predominant decking material…and for the same reasons hey we recommend it to our customers. Redwood is resistant to warping and shrinking, more so than other softwoods. Why? Redwood actually absorbs the moisture from the air, allowing planks to stay safely in place for a long time. Bonus: a Redwood deck makes a real statement!

Southern Yellow Pine

The biggest benefit of Southern Yellow Pine is its price point. If the price tag of Cedar or Redwood decking doesn’t fit into your budget, then Southern Yellow Pine is a good alternative. It’s a strong wood that will last for many years, if treated properly. Southern Yellow Pine absorbs stains and pains beautifully, and stays nice and cool under those toes in the hot summer sun.

Barney & Carey has been the leading provider of specialty lumber and decking materials since 1922, delivering to Eastern MA and Cape Cod. Our team of expert craftsmen is always happy to help customers find the proper materials and tools for their project. Come in to our shop in Avon, MA and see why Barney & Carey has stood the test of time, supplying craftsmen, woodworkers, furniture makers and cabinetmakers with the high quality lumber they need to do what they do best.

Looking for a Specific Type of Lumber? Need a Specialty Bit or Blade? 

Ask us for what you’re looking for, and we might be able to help. Just submit the brief form below to inquire about our inventory, and a member of our team will get back to you with an answer.

Popular Articles

Furniture: Buy New or Restore?

Back in the 1990s, Barney & Carey accidentally got into the furniture repair and refinishing business. Cindy and I were regulars at the highly...

Subscribe to Our Blog

Get Social With Us

Order Custom Cabinet Parts

Get a Quote

Contact Barney & Carey Co.

Give Us a Call

(508) 580-9766

Shoot Us an Email

info@barneyandcarey.com

Our Location

491 West Main St
Avon, MA 02322

Business Hours

Monday: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
Tuesday: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
Wednesday: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
Thursday: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
Friday: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
Saturday: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Sunday: Closed

Cabinet Order Summary

${customerInfoHTML} ${cabinetDetailsHTML} ${printContent} `); printWindow.document.close(); // Wait for content to load before printing printWindow.onload = function () { printWindow.print(); }; } // Set up form field listeners function setupFormListeners() { // Prevent duplicate listeners by removing existing ones first if (window.cabinetVisListenersSetup) { return; // Already setup, don't duplicate } // Listen for changes on all form inputs in the repeater sections const form = document.querySelector("#form_cab-price-calc"); if (form) { // Mark that we've setup listeners to prevent duplicates window.cabinetVisListenersSetup = true; // Use event delegation to catch changes in current and future repeater sections form.addEventListener("change", function (e) { if (e.target.name && e.target.name.includes("item_meta[42]")) { updateVisualization(); } // Also listen for material changes (field 105) if (e.target.name && e.target.name.includes("item_meta[105]")) { updateVisualization(); } // Also listen for type changes (field 45) if (e.target.name && e.target.name.includes("item_meta[45]")) { updateVisualization(); } // Also listen for delivery option changes if (e.target.name && e.target.name.includes("item_meta[113]")) { updateVisualization(); } }); form.addEventListener("input", function (e) { if (e.target.name && e.target.name.includes("item_meta[42]")) { updateVisualization(); } }); // Watch for repeater add/remove buttons const observer = new MutationObserver(function (mutations) { mutations.forEach(function (mutation) { if ( mutation.addedNodes.length || mutation.removedNodes.length ) { // Check if repeater sections were added/removed const hasRepeaterChanges = Array.from( mutation.addedNodes, ) .concat(Array.from(mutation.removedNodes)) .some( (node) => node.nodeType === 1 && (node.classList?.contains( "frm_repeat_sec", ) || node.querySelector?.( ".frm_repeat_sec", )), ); if (hasRepeaterChanges) { setTimeout(updateVisualization, 100); // Small delay to ensure DOM is updated } } }); }); observer.observe(form, { childList: true, subtree: true, }); } } // Initialize function init() { const container = document.getElementById("sheetVis"); if (!container) { // If sheetVis doesn't exist yet, wait for it const observer = new MutationObserver(function (mutations) { mutations.forEach(function (mutation) { if (mutation.addedNodes.length) { Array.from(mutation.addedNodes).forEach( function (node) { if ( node.nodeType === 1 && (node.id === "sheetVis" || node.querySelector?.("#sheetVis")) ) { observer.disconnect(); // Stop observing updateVisualization(); setupFormListeners(); } }, ); } }); }); observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true, }); return; // Exit early if container not found } // Container exists, proceed normally updateVisualization(); setupFormListeners(); } // Handle Formidable Forms multi-step navigation function handleFormPageChange() { // Reset listener setup flag to allow re-initialization window.cabinetVisListenersSetup = false; // Small delay to ensure DOM is fully updated after page change setTimeout(function () { const container = document.getElementById("sheetVis"); if (container) { updateVisualization(); // Re-setup form listeners in case they were lost during navigation setupFormListeners(); } else { // If container doesn't exist, re-run full initialization init(); } }, 50); } // Additional fallback detection for form changes function setupGlobalFormWatcher() { // Watch for any significant DOM changes that might indicate form step changes const globalObserver = new MutationObserver(function (mutations) { let shouldReinit = false; mutations.forEach(function (mutation) { if (mutation.addedNodes.length > 0) { Array.from(mutation.addedNodes).forEach(function (node) { if (node.nodeType === 1) { // Check for form content changes or step navigation if ( node.classList?.contains("frm_form_content") || node.querySelector?.(".frm_form_content") || node.id === "form_cab-price-calc" || node.querySelector?.("#form_cab-price-calc") ) { shouldReinit = true; } } }); } }); if (shouldReinit) { handleFormPageChange(); } }); globalObserver.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true, }); } // Export global interface window.cabinetVis = { init: init, update: updateVisualization, getCabinets: extractCabinetData, handleFormPageChange: handleFormPageChange, debug: function () { console.log("Cabinet Visualization Debug Info:", { containerExists: !!document.getElementById("sheetVis"), formExists: !!document.querySelector("#form_cab-price-calc"), listenersSetup: !!window.cabinetVisListenersSetup, jQueryAvailable: typeof jQuery !== "undefined", cabinetCount: extractCabinetData().length, }); }, }; // Handle Formidable Forms multi-step navigation if (typeof jQuery !== "undefined") { jQuery(document).ready(function ($) { // Use both event delegation and direct binding for better compatibility $(document).on("frmPageChanged", function (event, form, response) { console.log( "Cabinet Vis: Formidable form page changed detected", ); handleFormPageChange(); }); // Also listen for form completion which might trigger on some step changes $(document).on("frmFormComplete", function (event, form, response) { setTimeout(function () { const container = document.getElementById("sheetVis"); if (container) { console.log( "Cabinet Vis: Form complete, updating visualization", ); updateVisualization(); } }, 100); }); }); } else { console.log( "Cabinet Vis: jQuery not available, relying on DOM observation for form changes", ); } // Setup global form watcher as fallback setupGlobalFormWatcher(); // Auto-initialize if (document.readyState === "loading") { document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", init); } else { init(); } })();