Spending time outdoors is a wonderful way to relax and fully enjoy what your home has to offer. Having a floored outdoor space with comfortable furniture offers the ideal environment to sit back and kick your feet up. Porches are an easy addition to make to a home and don't often require extensive renovations. Despite vinyl and composite decking becoming so popular, wood decks still have one of the highest cost versus value of any home remodel. This goes to show that the classic wood Porch is still one of the most appreciated additions to current homeowners and future homeowners alike. The Appeal of the Classic Wood Porch (The Point at Polzeath, by Laurence Associates, photo by BRANDTRAIN) Wood is a traditional choice for porches and decks for a number of reasons. Many homeowners find the classic wood porch to be more appealing than composite or vinyl primarily because of appearance. Being an organic material, real wood has a certain feel to it that vinyl and composite can never quite replicate. Many describe wood as being warm and natural. Planks also have their own individual patterns of grains and knots, which gives character to the porch. Wood flooring is also very versatile. It serves as the ideal backdrop for every outdoor decor scheme - from rustic farmhouse to sleek modern. Considering the advantages of real wood, why would homeowners balk at this material? More often than not it's due to concerns over care needs. Modified Wood as the Ultimate Porch Flooring (Minimalist residential garden, by Ronny Kyllingstad, photo by Kathrine Sørgård) Standard wood porch flooring is categorized as high-maintenance compared to non-organic materials, like vinyl. Not only will the wood need to be sealed to protect it from moisture, but you will need to reapply your stains, paints, and sealants every few years. Plus standard wood also requires a moderate amount of airflow beneath it, which not all porch applications allow. Without it, planks may experience cupping or wrapping overtime, significantly impacting the look and performance of your porch or deck. The solution to having the wood porch you've always wanted minus the issues is modified wood decking. Modified wood is a real wood product that has all the same advantages as standard wood flooring, but with far less detractions. You get the warm wood look you love without the hassles of staining, sealing, and dealing with reapplications. Kebony modified wood has a rich chocolate tone to it that will gracefully age to a silvery-gray patina over time, as shown above in the featured image. Modified wood is extremely hard, which means it won’t warp or cup overtime. Plus you won’t have to worry about splinters which makes it a lot more barefoot friendly. Additionally modified wood, like Kebony, is backed by a very impressive 30-year warranty, which is very uncommon for wood porch flooring. Designing Beautiful Wood Porches with Modified Wood (Summer home, by Trond Fossen) Modified wood is just as rewarding to work with as standard wood, perhaps even more so due to it not needing to be surface treated. Modified wood can also often be used for the entire porch structure if desired. The combination of durability and extreme moisture-resistance really allows homeowners to get creative with their porch, including certain designs that normally would be challenging. A great example is a waterfront porch. (Floating Home, by Timo Urala, photo by Jörgen Ulvgård) Located in Marinstaden, Sweden is the Floating Home, a 3-floor villa floating right on the water. Although this home is quite an extreme example of "waterfront", it shows how water-resistant modified wood is. Moisture is the archenemy of standard wood, making it a poor choice when high-moisture and even direct water contact to your porch is inevitable. When you're building a porch alongside water, whether a lake, pond, or swimming pool, modified wood is a clear winner when it comes to resilience and longevity. Another instance in which modified wood really shines as wood porch flooring is for porches built on ground level. (Showroom with new Kebony deck, by Studio 3001) Ground level porches are a popular design, especially in areas where basements aren’t as common and the entry of a house is at ground level instead of raised. While structurally a ground level porch is simpler to build than a raised deck, the material choice has a much more significant effect. Concrete and stone are common materials used for porches or patios that are placed on the ground as they are very stable and highly durable when in direct contact with earth. However, they aren't always as beautiful in appearance. You could instead use modified wood, whose moisture-resistance and density will offer far more protection than standard wood and offers a more attractive option than concrete. Enhance Your Home with Modified Wood Porch Flooring (Oslo apartment, by Homexo, photo by Studio Oslo) A well-designed wood porch for your home or apartment can serve as many functions. It may be point of welcoming that sets the style tone for the rest of your home, a post-work sanctuary for relaxation or a place for entertaining and recreation. Regardless of what you plan to use your porch for, the material you choose to build it with will impact your experience. When it comes to real wood, modified wood by Kebony really can't be beaten when you want a combination of beauty, durability, and low-care. For more information on using Kebony modified wood for your porch project, contact a representative to help you get started.