Is a Floating Deck Cheaper? (2 Examples With Comparison)

Many people are asking the same question. They want to know if the cost of constructing  a floating deck in the backyard is cheaper than other decks.

Truly, is floating deck cheaper?

The answer is yes. Floating deck is cheaper. The average cost of a floating deck is $2,800 for a 400 square feet. Comparing this square feet and the cost of other types of decks, (which cost an average of $6,200) then you will discover that floating deck is cheaper. 

The cost of a floating deck is cheaper than other decks in the backyard.

In this article, we are going to look at different types of decks and compare the cost, then will you come to a conclusion if a floating deck is cheaper or not.

A floating deck at the backyard gives your family and friends the opportunity to enjoy the free gift of nature like a natural breeze.

A deck in the backyard is more than just a place to sit. It’s an outdoor space to host friends, chill with family, or have a quiet moment for yourself.

Below are the factors that determine the cost of a floating deck:

• The size of your  backyard is what determines the square feet of a floating deck   

• The size of your floating deck is what tells the cost of the materials you want to use in constructing the floating deck

• Labor cost is inclusive if you aren’t going to do it yourself

The knowledge of all these (e.g., the size of your backyard, a floating deck size, the cost of materials and the labor cost) is what enables you to find out if a floating deck is cheaper than any other deck in the backyard.

There are different types of decks in the backyard. The cost is subject to the size of the deck and the quality of materials used. 

Before we proceed, let us quickly take a study on some different types of wood materials used in making decks.

Here are some of the wood materials for making a deck.Though, there are other materials like nails and screws, which are not considered here. Let’s take a look.

Cedar Wood

Cedar wood is used for making a floating deck in the backyard. People like cedar wood because of its versatility, vibrant in color and the light weight.

Untreated cedar wood is resistant to pests and it has the capacity to  withstand any extreme weather conditions.

Cedar wood has a natural beauty on it’s own that other woods don’t have, which makes people use it often to make floating decks.

Cedar wood has an attractive color, which appeals to the viewer’s mind and adds value to outdoor space. 

Cedar wood doesn’t get twisted or bent no matter how old it is. Weather doesn’t change it color or shape nor get decay. Cedar wood produces natural oils that protect it from moisture, and rot.

Cedar wood makes work easy for those who want to make a quick deck in their backyard.

Cedar woods are mainly used to complete floating decks. (E.g., the surface of the deck like a walking surface, and any seating area of the deck.)

Not just beautiful when it’s used to build floating decks but is durable as well. 

According to Improvenet, Cedar wood is grown from cedar trees in the U.S. and processed locally and The cost of various quality of cedar wood is shows below:

Basic Cost of Cedar Wood

• The average cost of basic cedar decking per linear foot is $4.63 

• The minimum cost of basic cedar decking is $3.89 per linear foot

• The maximum cost of basic cedar decking is $5.39 per linear foot

Mid-Grade of Cedar Wood

• The average cost of mid-grade cedar decking is $5.62 per linear foot. This includes treated cedar decking.

• The minimum cost of mid-grade quality cedar decking is $4.51 per linear foot.

• The maximum cost of mid-grade cedar decking is $6.59 per linear foot.

High Quality Cost of Cedar Wood

• The average cost of the highest quality of cedar decking is $6.56 per linear foot.

• The minimum cost of the highest quality of cedar decking is $5.43 per linear foot.

• The maximum cost of the highest quality of cedar decking is $7.70 per linear foot.

Two types of Cedar wood, which include:

1. Untreated cedar decking: Most cedar decking woods aren’t treated because they’re natural resistance to moisture, weathering and pest infestation.

2. Treated cedar decking: Pressure treated cedar wood with chemicals increases the resistance to moisture and insects.

Pressure-Treated Wood

Pressure treated wood is popular because of its durability, and it’s very  strong for making floating decks.

Pressure treated wood is very good in a wet environment, and it has resistance to insects because it’s treated with chemicals.

Pressure treated wood materials are quite expensive, because this type of wood requires re-sealed every year. This contributes to the overall costs. Though pressure treated wood is quite affordable.

Floating decks made from pressure treated wood are durable,affordable compared to other types of wood.

The average cost of pressure-treated wood is between  $2.35/sf to 4.35/sf.

Pine Wood

Pine woods are very durable and easy to work with when constructing floating decks.

Pine wood is cheaper than any other decking woods. Temperature and weather has an effect on pine woods; it either contracts it or expands with the temperature; it gets soaked with the chemical use in treating it.

Pine wood is less labor intensive and very easy to work with. Since it’s less labor intensive it has a lower installation cost.

Floating decks made with pine wood can last up to 15 years with proper treatment. The average cost of pine wood decking is $5/sf.

Redwood

Redwood is naturally strong without any chemical treatment. 

Redwood is lightweight but very expensive compared to other wood use in making floating decks.

Redwood without being treated, it’s naturally resistant to rotting and moisture. On a sunlight day redwood has gray color while in the dark is damp.

Floating decks made with redwood can easily last for decades. Redwood has this warm glow and is very unique in appearance. Redwoods are environmentally friendly.

The redwood material used in making floating decks comes from  the U.S., the average cost of redwood decking is between $6.75/sf to $8.75/sf.

Now that you have an understanding of the cost of materials used in the production of floating decks, let us now study the cost of various decks in the backyard.

This will enable you to know which is costlier than the other one. 

Let’s compare the cost of a floating deck with other decks

Multi-Tier Deck 

Multi-tier deck is designed to add value to your outdoor space. It’s an added advantage to your backyard which allows you to view the atmosphere, while making use of your outer space.

Multi-tier decks connect many decks together in the backyard that make your outer space to be multi-purpose use. Multi-level deck bring out the outer beauty of your backyard

Multi-tier decks enable you to host different parties at the same time. Beauty that comes from the designs is attractive to the viewers.

However, multi-tier decks require every day maintenance, to keep it new and last long. 

The cost of multi-Tier decks is from $16.50 to $39.00 for about 400 square feet of decking with one stairway of 12-14 steps.

Rooftop Deck

A rooftop deck is also known as a deck on top of your garage. One of the benefits is that it offers you the best viewing than the ground-level decks.

Rooftop garage decks make your home unique and beautiful compared to other houses that don’t have such. 

It adds money value to your house, in case you want to sell it. Oftentimes, most buyers prefer a house with a rooftop deck.

The average cost of making a rooftop deck is between $20,000 to $80,000 with an  average of 400 square feet.

Below is the table of different types of deck, square feet and cost.

Deck Name	Square Feet	Average Cost
Multi-tier deck	400 sq	$6,200 – $15,200
Floating Deck	400 sq	$2,800 – $3,600
Rooftop Deck	400 sq	$20,000 – $80,000

The table above, shows that a floating deck is cheaper than another deck at the same square feet.

Conclusion 

From the table above, a floating deck is cheaper to construct than any other deck based on the decks reviewed in this article.

Floating deck is cost effective to build than any other deck. It’s also cheap to maintain compared to other decks in the backyard.

However, each deck in the backyard performs their individual function in outer space. In all, floating decks are cheaper than other decks.