12 Safe, Stylish and Sturdy Decks

What the deck! What's this about harmful health effects??

Here's the thing about most decks: They're made out of pressure-treated wood, which can contain chromated copper arsenate (CCA) with arsenic. CCA protects the wood from moisture, vermin, insects and fungus, promoting long life (about forty years) in decks, but it also promotes cancer. Arsenic is a known carcinogen, and especially toxic to any young children who exhibit normal hand-to-mouth behavior. It can lead to certain cancers, nerve damage, dizziness, numbness, nausea, immune and cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, just to name a few lovelies. Since 2003, when the Environmental Protection Agency banned CCA, new pressure-treated wood contains fewer toxins. (So avoid old wooden public playground sets and picnic tables in your area, and contact your local township or school board to ensure they were properly treated with sealants. )

No hands on deck, seriously

Wash hands after coming in contact with old wooden outdoor items including fences, particularly before eating, and don't eat at old picnic tables or store anything under an old deck. Pressure-treated wood items built before 2003 can still be sold – so buyer beware. Any wood that is old but not rotted, or not redwood or cedar, is most likely pressure-treated. You can protect yourself and your family from the dangers of older CCA-treated wood (and other chemicals in new pressure-treated wood) by applying a protective finish, like Bio-Wash Natural Deck Oil, $39.99 per gallon, a water-based, non-toxic finish that penetrates and seals decks. Or for a color finish, try Velvit Low-VOC Eco Deck Stain and Sealer, $66.88 per gallon.

Getting the deck out of here – how to do it

Before you go running off to dismantle your old deck or picnic table, remember, the sawdust is particularly toxic, so wear gloves, goggles, masks and work clothes to be washed separately. For more information on how to handle this toxic wood, go to www.bancca.org and click on "CCA Handling Guidelines."

If you build a deck, they will come….

There are tons of healthy deck materials out there; here are our best 12 picks:

1. TimberSIL Glass Wood

TimberSIL is non-toxic, fire-retardant, rot-proof and bug-proof. The secret is it's infused with sodium silicate, a melted mix of sand and soda ash (a commonly found ingredient in detergent), then encased in a flexible layer of clean glass, making it water insoluble and unattractive to mold, mildew and vermin. Fun fact: It's the newest option, since 2006, and we think the most exciting product available. It was developed by an immune-deficiency disorder expert, no less. Call 888-346-9200 for a dealer near you.

2. ProWood Micro Pressure-Treated Wood

Not all are evil: This pressure-treated wood has eco-cred, and was awarded the Green Cross, or Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) certification, meaning it has a reduced impact on human health and the environment. Click here for a dealer near you.

3. FSC-Certified Hardwood

If it's FSC-Certified, or Forest Stewardship Council-approved, that means the wood was responsibly harvested. FSC-certifed redwood, ipe, mahogany or cypress are good hardwood choices. Ask for construction heartwood grade, as heartwood is where rot-resistant compounds are the most concentrated, and also because it means it's from young-growth timber, not old-growth. One durable choice we like, located primarily in the Southeast, is Western Red Cedar; call 1-800-795-9114 for more info. If you're from anywhere else, for the lowest environmental impact, talk to your local lumber distributors, or ask at your nearby Home Depot or Lowes for FSC-certified hardwoods native to your area. All hardwood decks need to be treated with an oil finish at least once a year, which can cost anywhere from $40 to $200 per gallon; amount of coverage per gallon varies by brand.