A new porch or deck can add beauty, functionality and value to your home. Beginning with decks, still the most popular choice for decking material is pressure treated Southern yellow pine. Pressure treated wood often comes with a warranty against decay and termite damage, for the lifetime of the original purchaser. Other wood species used for decking include Western Red Cedar, Redwood and Mahogany. Another popular choice for decking material is composite. If you decide on composite, you should consider buying a product that contains preservatives. Composite decking is attractive, but the quality and pricing of composite decking materials vary greatly. Again, make sure that the manufacturer includes in the composite decking, preservatives to prevent wood rot.