What a Cedar Deck Actually Costs in BC (2026): The Full Materials Math Versus Leading Retailer

Search "how much does a cedar deck cost" and you'll get contractor quotes of $40–80+ per square foot with no explanation of where that number comes from. Here's the part nobody breaks down: the wood itself is a fraction of that. As a Surrey lumber yard, we can show you the actual materials math, board by board, using our shelf prices as of July 2026 — and how those prices stack up against a major BC home improvement retailer. (Fencing your yard instead? We did the same exercise in How Much Does a Cedar Fence Cost in BC in 2026? — and our Materials Calculator runs both sets of numbers for your exact dimensions.)

A deck is two things: surface and structure

The surface is the decking you walk on. The structure is everything underneath — posts, beams, and joists. They get priced very differently, so we'll do them separately, then put it all together on a real example: a 12' x 12' (144 sq ft) ground-level deck.

Part 1: The decking surface

You have three good options at our yard, all priced per board:

Alaskan Yellow Cedar 5/4x6 decking — $15 per 12-foot board. This is the premium decking species in BC: dense, naturally rot-resistant, and it wears beautifully. With standard gapping, figure about 2.2 boards of coverage per square foot of width — a 12x12 deck takes roughly 26 twelve-footers. That's $390, or about $2.70 per square foot.

Japanese Cedar (Sugi) 5/4x6 — also $15 per 12-foot board right now, so the same $2.70/sq ft. Sugi is lighter and softer than yellow cedar; it's a great value pick for lower-traffic decks.

Western Red Cedar 2x6 — $21 per 12-foot board, about $3.80 per square foot. The thicker board feels more solid underfoot, spans joists spaced further apart, and gives you the classic red cedar look.

For perspective: a major BC home improvement retailer lists Western Red Cedar 5/4x6x12 decking at $28.48 per board. Our yellow cedar — a denser, more rot-resistant species — is $15. That's a premium species for nearly half the price of their standard board.

Part 2: The structure

For our 12x12 example, framed with joists at 16" on centre:

A note on the substructure: plenty of builders frame in pressure-treated to save money, and that's a legitimate choice — but if the deck is where your kids and pets spend the summer, there are reasons to keep it all natural wood. We covered that in Cedar vs. Pressure-Treated Wood: Understanding the Health Implications, and the structural choices in more depth in Building from the Ground Up.

The big-box comparison: what you save on this deck

Here's the same 12x12 materials list — decking, joists, and beams — priced against a major BC home improvement retailer's listed prices for comparable cedar lumber:

Nearly $900 saved on one modest deck — and where the species differ in that table, it's because our lower-priced option is yellow cedar, which is generally regarded as the more durable wood. On a bigger deck, the gap only widens: at these prices, a 300 sq ft deck saves roughly $1,800 in lumber.

Putting it together: the 12x12 deck

So a real cedar deck — not composite, not pressure-treated, actual cedar top to bottom — costs $7–9 per square foot in materials. Compare that to installed quotes and you can see exactly what you're paying for labour, and exactly how much a DIY build saves.

Sizing your own deck

The fastest route: enter your deck's width and length in our Fence & Deck Materials Calculator and get the full itemized list with GST. Or use the quick formula for any rectangular deck:

1. Decking: square footage × $2.70 (5/4x6 yellow cedar or Sugi) or × $3.80 (WRC 2x6)
2. Structure: roughly $3.25 per square foot for a ground-level build like the one above
3. Hardware and footings: budget $1.25–1.50 per square foot

Raised decks, stairs, and railings add to that — railings especially, which deserve their own post.

Shop the boards in this post

Every price above is our live, listed price — click through and check:

• Yellow Cedar 5/4x6 decking
• Japanese Cedar (Sugi) 5/4 decking
• Western Red Cedar 2-inch planks (2x6 decking and joists)
• Yellow Cedar 2-inch STK planks (joists and beams)
• Hemlock 4x4 and 6x6 posts

Volume discounts apply on larger orders — a full deck package usually qualifies. And if a fence is next on the list, start with our cedar fence cost breakdown or jump straight to the calculator.

*Comparison prices are the regular listed prices for comparable cedar dimensional lumber on the website of a major BC home improvement retailer, verified July 13, 2026. Where species differ, the table notes it; grades, finishes, and actual dimensions may vary between retailers, and competitor prices are subject to change. Our prices are current as of July 2026 and subject to change; GST not included. Visit us at 4748 152 St, Surrey, or shop online at williamscedar.ca.