In Hawaii, we love alfresco living, and the right outdoor surface helps set the scene. Thanks to the latest trends and technologies, deck and lanai materials have never been more beautiful or more functional.

Digital Porcelain

Photo: Courtesy of Tile Warehouse

Photo: Courtesy of Tile Warehouse

“Our newest trend in the tile industry is the digital reproduction of natural stone in porcelain,” says Allen Giles of Tile Warehouse. “The factories are literally scanning and printing the image of real material on a porcelain tile. The result is a wide and natural color range with ease of maintenance, resistance to fading, staining, scratching, flaking and chipping.” Pricing for digital porcelain tile is in line with natural-stone equivalents such as quartzite and slate, according to Giles.

Wood

Photo: Courtesy of Accys Technologies

Durable hardwood varieties, such as red cumaru, tigerwood and ipe, are natural and beautiful choices when harvested sustainably and treated properly, according to Rachael Mendes of Pacific American Lumber.

Tigerwood features warm color variations and striking dark, irregular patterns (hence the name). Ipe wood rates extremely high on the Janka hardness scale (a scale industry pros use to rate and compare hardness among wood types), which makes it great for outdoor use. It is also a traditional island favorite among homeowners for its silvery-gray patina. “Ipe is incredibly dense and resists dings and other signs of wear,” says Mendes. Red cumaru, also known as Brazilian teak, has hardness and durability properties similar to ipe. Red cumaru is known for its reddish/brown cast and maintains its color over time (though the color tends to flatten out or dull naturally).

Properly treated softer woods such as pine and cedar are popular among home-owners as well. Cedar is valued for its stability and its ability to hold its shape over time, while maintaining a great base for stains, paints and treatments.

This season, Pacific American Lumber introduces Accoya (shown at left) to Hawaii. Made of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified pine, the Accoya wood is treated with acetic acid (the main ingredient in vinegar). “The treatment changes the cellular structure of the lumber so that it no longer absorbs moisture and decays the same way,” says Mendes. “The wood becomes resistant to moisture absorption, cellular decay, digestion by pests, warping and more. Any material that resists termites could be a benefit [in Hawaii],” she adds.

Composite Decking

Photo: Alex Viarnes of Poi Boy Productions

Composite decking is made of wood particles mixed with plastic. Decking company Fiberon supplied the materials used to create the deck shown here. “Fiberon’s Horizon [brand] is a composite decking material that offers stain, fade, scratch and mold resistance,” says Phillip Barker of Barker Kappelle Construction.  In addition, Fiberon and other popular brands such as Trex and TimberTech (available locally through retailers such as RSI Roofing and Building Supply, Honsador Lumber and Hardware Hawaii) construct their composite decking using recycled materials.

Concrete Products

Photo: Courtesy of Abbotsford Concrete Products

Concrete has grown into a popular decking material thanks to its adaptability. Indeed, concrete can be formed, molded and surfaced to create any shape and texture imaginable.

If you like a manicured or tailored look that’s also nonslip, consider Hydrapressed paving slabs from Abbotsford Concrete Products, available at Futura Stone. “The Hydrapressed slabs (above) are pressed using an advanced method that requires 400 tons of hydraulic pressure, resulting in a cured slab with incredible strength and durability,” says company president Pat Cozzo. “The slabs are cut to precise sizes with true square edges that fit together perfectly,” she adds.

Concrete can also be formed to resemble flagstone pavers. Shown at right: Abbotsford concrete flagstone paving stones, available in six shapes, each with its own color blend.

Photo: Courtesy of Abbotsford Concrete Products

To add dimension, consider Abbotsford’s Garden Wallscapes (above) and Roman Stack Wall lines. “Both concrete wall systems are decorative and mortarless garden wall systems that are easy to handle. You can create beautiful raised garden beds, stairs and low retaining walls to complete your outdoor living space,” says Cozzo.

Photo: Alex Viarnes of Poi Boy Productions

If you want a custom look from start to finish, consider a concrete overlay. This pool deck surface (above), created by Granicrete Hawaii, was designed to cover, rather than replace, the pool deck’s existing ceramic tile. Granicrete is a polymer-modified concrete surface that is hand-troweled, while wet, onto an existing surface. The handcrafted process ensures Granicrete’s adaptability to uneven areas. After the mixture is poured and texturized, it’s custom-colored with hand-mixed stains and treated for wear.

Ceramic Tile

Photo: Alex Viarnes of Poi Boy Productions

“Ceramic tile makes a good surface for lanai because it’s easy to clean, durable and economical,” says Kenda Mohica of Fire Rock Fabrication. “There’s also a variety of colors and textures to choose from.” This lanai was tiled to create a continuous look, covering every inch of space on the lanai, the side of the steps and the walkway under it.

Natural Stone

Photo: Courtesy of Selective Stone

Natural stone products, such as quartzite and slate, are classic choices for lanai surfaces due to their beautiful color variations and timeless appeal. Many stone surfaces also carry natural nonslip properties, which make them great for pool decks. 

Innovations in installation have made natural-stone products available to a wider range of homeowners. Because natural stone thickness and shape varies from piece to piece, installation on irregular surfaces used to be difficult. However, new mesh-mount products, such as those available at Selective Stone, now allow types of natural stone to go over surfaces with varying elevations. Here’s how it works: Stone pieces in uniform thickness are glued to a mesh mount (below) that is able to move and bend slightly, allowing the stone to lay over small hills, slopes and valleys on the ground. Selective Stone carries mesh-mount quartzite in a variety of colors, including Golden Ray, Ma Green and Asia Blue. 

Photo: David Croxford