Any homeowner knows: if you’re going to put the “sweat equity” into a project by doing it yourself, you’d better 1) get to enjoy that improvement for yourself, and 2) see a boost to your home’s overall market value.

A recent report shows that something as simple as a choice of deck material can make as much as a 10-percent difference in the return on investment for homeowners. What that report doesn’t show is the added value a redwood deck brings to a DIY home improvement project.

Real wood decks have consistently delivered a higher rate of return compared to composite deck materials. Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report for 2016 showed—again—that a new deck constructed from wood delivers a higher return on investment than composite: 75 percent for wood instead of 64.4 percent for composite lumber. For DIYers, though, there are added benefits to be found in using redwood decking.

Redwood is a wood like no other, and decks built of redwood are unique in their beauty and long-lasting service. One big reason redwood decks look better than decks made of other woods is because redwood is naturally stable. This means redwood deck boards go down flat and stay in place, resisting warping, cupping, splitting and checking. Minimal maintenance year-round (sweeping debris from between deck boards, visual inspections for any loose hardware) makes it easy to keep a redwood deck as beautiful and strong for many years to come.

Speaking of maintenance: When it does need restoration, a redwood deck can be restored repeatedly with minimal effort and cost. You can sand and reseal redwood deck boards a number of times. Even when your decking has lived out its usefulness as a deck, you can still recycle those deck boards for building planter boxes, patio furniture or benches. The only real limit is your imagination.

Redwood is also one of the top choices for the environment. While other decking materials literally bake under a scorching summer sun, redwood decking stays cool and comfortable underfoot. Redwood decking is harvested from forestlands that are held to the some of the strictest environmental standards in the world. Our growers carefully manage their lumber stock to ensure there will be an affordable and abundant supply of this beautiful American original lumber for generations. Just as redwood trees will trap and retain carbon, decking boards created from those trees will continue to store that carbon over the life of the deck.

Your deck can be as simple or complex as you wish to make it, but choosing the best materials for your deck is important when it comes to maximizing your enjoyment of and value added to your home. Because redwood is so easy to work with, it’s the lumber of choice among DIY enthusiasts. The California Redwood Association offers a collection of deck plans for free download to help start the planning process. Start planning today so you can enjoy the added value of your new redwood deck sooner.