Custom cedar decks in Leawood, KS give you something composite still can’t fully copy: real wood grain, that warm red tone, and boards that stay cooler under bare feet in July. We design and build cedar decks around the way you actually use your backyard, then set them on a frame built for Johnson County frost and clay. If you love the look of wood and you’re fine with a little upkeep, cedar is a great fit.
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We build in cedar, composite, PVC, and tropical hardwood, so we have no reason to push you toward one. Here’s the honest version.
Cedar is a strong fit if you:
You may be happier with something else if you:
Leawood’s own building code rates the local climate “severe” for weathering and “moderate to heavy” for termites. Cedar handles that well when it’s built and finished right. Here’s what we plan around on your lot.
Not all cedar is the same. Two decks can both be “cedar” and look and perform very differently. These are the choices that matter most.
You can see and feel both at our Olathe showroom before you decide.
Cedar decking usually comes as 5/4 boards or thicker 2x stock. Thicker boards feel more solid and resist cupping better. Board width changes the look too, so we’ll lay out options against the size of your deck.
Cedar contains natural oils that react with plain steel and copper, leaving black streaks around every screw. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association recommends stainless steel as the best choice, so that’s what we plan for on cedar decks.
You can keep everything in cedar or mix it up. Black or bronze Westbury aluminum railing cuts down on what you need to stain each year, and our custom deck railings in the Leawood page show cable and glass options.
Cedar usually costs more than pressure-treated pine and less than most composite. Where your project lands depends on a few things:
For real numbers from our recent builds, see our deck pricing guide. For an exact quote, we measure your space and give you an itemized bid.
| Cedar | Composite / PVC | Tropical hardwood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Natural wood grain | Wood-look, very consistent | Dense, exotic grain |
| Upfront cost | Middle | Higher | Highest |
| Yearly upkeep | Clean yearly, refinish every 2 to 3 years | Wash with soap and water | Clean and oil yearly to keep color |
| Heat underfoot | Stays cooler | Darker colors run hot | Darker species run warm |
A cedar deck is only as good as the frame under it and the person signing off on it. Here’s what you get with our cedar deck builders.
Tell us how you’ll use the deck. We walk your yard for sun, shade, and slope, and you can compare cedar grades at our Olathe showroom.
We design a cedar deck that fits your budget and home, then handle the drawings, permit, and any HOA review. See our tropical hardwood page for Leawood setback details.
Our crew builds the frame to code and lays your cedar with room to move. We walk the finished deck with you and plan its first finish.
Many homes here were built in the late 1980s and 1990s, which means plenty of original decks are now 30 years old or more. If yours has soft boards, wobbly rails, or a ledger that was never flashed, it may be time for a rebuild rather than another coat of stain.
We’ll tell you which one your deck actually needs. Swapping boards only, with no structural changes, typically doesn’t require a permit.
Cedar rewards a little attention. Most problems we see on older cedar decks trace back to one thing: the first finish went on too late, or over a dirty, mildewed surface.
Our seasonal deck maintenance checklist breaks the year down month by month.
Cedar usually costs more than pressure-treated pine and less than most composite. Size, height, cedar grade, and railing are the biggest price drivers. We give you an itemized bid after measuring your space.
Yes. A new deck, a bigger deck, or a full replacement needs a permit from Leawood Codes Administration. Swapping deck boards with no structural changes usually doesn’t.
A well-built, well-maintained cedar deck commonly lasts around 15 to 25 years. Decks built low to the ground or left unfinished tend to wear out sooner.
Cedar wins on natural look, cooler surface temperature, and upfront cost. Composite wins on maintenance, since it never needs stain. The right choice depends on how much upkeep you want.
Plan on refinishing every 2 to 3 years, and clean it every spring. Decks in full sun or heavy shade may need attention sooner.
Yes, unfinished cedar weathers to a silver gray within a season or two of sun. A UV-protective stain holds the original color longer.
That’s usually a reaction between cedar’s natural oils and non-stainless fasteners. Stainless steel screws prevent it on new decks.
They can. Carpenter bees prefer bare, weathered softwood like cedar, and they tend to return to the same spots. Keeping the deck finished makes it much less attractive to them.
If you’ve been searching for cedar decking near you, start with a visit to our Olathe showroom, browse recent projects, or see everything else we build on our Leawood deck builder page. Working nearby too? We also build across Overland Park, Olathe, and south Kansas City.
When you’re ready for a real number, we’ll walk your yard, talk through grades and layout, and put together a detailed bid with no pressure attached.
Request your free bid today and let’s start planning custom cedar decks in Leawood, KS.
Granted a Class A building license for operation in Johnson County, Kansas. This is the top license type for any contractor.
Deckorators chose DW Elite Decks as its First Certified Pro Spotlight Feature.
Awarded the coveted Angie's List Super Service Award (many times), which is only given to the top 5% of all Kansas City deck builders.
Nationally recognized by Rich Noonan, the Eight Time Emmy Award-Winning Reporter for Fox News!
Westbury Certified Master Pro. Beacon of distinction as the bar is set high to earn this coveted status.
At DW Elite Decks, we pride ourselves on delivering craftsmanship that meets and exceeds industry standards. As Kansas City’s premier custom deck builder since 1997, we ensure every project is executed with proper permits and passes final inspections, guaranteeing code compliance and long-term safety.
