Siberian Larch is a relatively new product to enter the North American deck market that is imported from Russia. It is dimensionally stable, relatively low cost, and it is naturally resistant to decay. Siberian Larch is light golden brown and will oxidize with age into a silvery gray color. It is harder than Cedar and Redwood and is structurally stronger than Pressure Treated Wood because of its tight grain and a large proportion of latewood in its growth rings. Latewood is denser, more mechanically stable, and durable than earlywood which is more likely to wear off a walking surface over time. This is the result of a very limited summer growing season in the extreme Siberian climate.
Siberian Larch contains a large proportion of heartwood because the trees are harvested from Old Growth forests that possess superior qualities to trees grown from Second Growth plantations. Arabinoglatan is the natural extract found in Siberian Larch heartwood that provides the wood with protection from decay. Having all heartwood also allows Siberian Larch to maintain a consistent color throughout an entire deck surface.
Siberian Larch is a very difficult wood to dry; the process must be done very slowly to prevent the wood from severely checking. These same properties make it difficult for moisture to penetrate the wood once it is dry. Be aware that the wood will likely experience some slight surface checking as it dries. Using a stain with a UV inhibitor can help protect the wood from checking excessively. Siberian Larch accepts stain well and can be nailed, screwed, or applied with a hidden fastener system.