Is my deck cedar? (Newbie question)

Bought this house last summer and want to freshen up the deck this spring before furnishing it with tables, chair and bbq. Just wondering if a definitive answer on the type of wood used on my deck is possible based on the attached photos.

Thanks,
Jack

 

Just looks like weathered pressure treated decking to me.

 

It sure looks like cedar to me. The UV light eventually turns it grey.

 

Go underneath or find an area that has not been exposed to the weather. White cedar heartwood is a light reddish brown. Narrow sapwood is pale yellow-brown to almost white and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Red cedar will have reddish color and may have some darker red stripes. It turns gray quickly in the weather. Rough up the wood in a hidden area and check if it has a cedar smell.

Clean with 2 cups of Oyx-Clean in 5 gallons of water. Don't use chlorine bleach. That will eventually destroy the wood fibers.

 

Chlorine bleach is fine provided you don't let it dry on the wood and rinse it well. It's my go to cleaner for decks/siding.

The odds are if you scrub a portion with bleach water and get it clean - we'd then be better able to identify the wood.

 

In a protected, unweathered area, look for markings and tell us what they are. An example is SYP, which is Southern Yellow Pine.

Your profile does not give your location. Your general location would be a clue to the most likely species used.

 

Around here, some people use Eastern White Cedar for decking; but when installed, spacing is critical to allow for expansion and contraction. If an adequate space isn't provided, there'll be buckling.

You may be able to watch your decking when it rains and see how much of the gap between slats is swelled shut, and make a determination from that observation.

Also, Cedar is soft and doesn't wear well under foot traffic, and a wear pattern would be present if it were Cedar.

I think I agree with the others who suggested that it is aged pressure treated Spruce or Pine.