in : News and Events
It started, as many summer dreams do, with a swimming pool. A family in Langley had just finished building theirs and imagined a deck wrapping around it - a place where kids could sprawl with dripping towels, where friends could gather for late dinners, and where quiet mornings could be spent with coffee in hand.
At first, their choice seemed obvious: composite decking. It's sleek, durable, and famously low-maintenance. But as the project unfolded, something else weighed on their minds. News of the challenges facing BC's lumber industry - tariffs, economic pressures, mills struggling - reminded them that every choice, even one about backyard boards, carries weight.
Instead of following the easy path, they made a deliberate one. They chose cedar, milled right here in British Columbia. It wasn't just about building a deck anymore. It was about standing with their community, their province, and the people whose livelihoods are tied to Canadian wood.
For us at Wesbrook, decks are part of what we do - we've built countless across the Lower Mainland. But this one felt different. Watching homeowners put values into action was a quiet reminder that patriotism doesn't always wave a flag. Sometimes, it's in the choices made for your own backyard.
The deck itself became a celebration of cedar's character. We framed it with sturdy pressure-treated Canadian lumber, supported by triple 2x12 drop beams. The heart of the design opened wide to the sun, while two sheltered sections offered shade and cover. Finally, we laid down warm 1x6 yellow cedar boards, fascia, and stairs - each plank carrying the grain and scent of BC's forests.
Yes, composite would have won in the maintenance category. But cedar offered something it couldn't: natural beauty, sustainability, and the honest texture of wood beneath your feet. With a quick stain every other year, this family will enjoy that timeless feeling for decades.
And so, what began as a poolside project became a story about more than a deck. It became a statement - about choosing Canadian, about investing in what matters, and about finding beauty not just in the wood itself, but in the values it represents.
At first, their choice seemed obvious: composite decking. It's sleek, durable, and famously low-maintenance. But as the project unfolded, something else weighed on their minds. News of the challenges facing BC's lumber industry - tariffs, economic pressures, mills struggling - reminded them that every choice, even one about backyard boards, carries weight.