If your buying 2x8 or 2x6 you'll have a very hard time buying "not heartwood" , they cut 2x10 and 2x8 from the center , 2x6 and 2x4 from the sides, then resaw for 1x4, 1x3. It all comes out of the one log using an optimizer saw.
We don't cut coastal cedar anymore, its all interior BC wood which is less dense and hense cedar does not last like it did 30yrs ago. Oregon and Washington cedar is too valuable for decking, most goes to siding product.
Very few decking companies will surface a deck with 2x8 it cups too much and is prone to cracking, 2x6 also cups but as a percentage less, so its favoured. When you install boards look at the end grain, they cup in reverse of the grain rings so put the crown up and the water doesnt pool on the board.
The treated lumber like HD sienna is pretty nice and they are starting with #2btr SPF , (but its all spruce) and the treating process is much better. There are some lumberyards carrying Yellowwood , which is southern yellow pine decking. Im not a fan , its a fast growing weed tree and the quality contorl is pretty varied.
Trex is a great option , however its very expensive, But consider its there for the next 50? yrs , a treated or cedar deck would have been replaced 2 and maybe 3 times in that period. And its great for resale value. Trex is hard to get this summer, they underestimated the market this yr. if a distributor orders a truckload now he will see it in October. Decks in October..
The deck board business is seasonal, dealers get inventory in early spring and dont want to carry it over the winter so selection is never better in the fall.
Lastly dont pressure wash a deck! the black mold spores and mildew that grow on the surface get blown down into the cracks where the sun UV wont kill them and bloom even harder, your just making it worse. Get a stiff brush and some deck cleaner solution and work hard.
