Chatham Deck Build - Cumaru Decking and Stair Progress

This Chatham deck build is moving right along. We're deep into the stair and decking phase now, and the Cumaru is really starting to show off what makes it such a standout material choice. The rich, warm tones running across each board are hard to ignore - this is a wood that earns every bit of its reputation.

For anyone not familiar, Cumaru is a South American hardwood that is incredibly dense and naturally resistant to rot, insects, and heavy wear. It's a serious upgrade over pressure-treated lumber, and the difference in look and feel is night and day. When a homeowner wants something that holds up and looks great doing it, Cumaru is a material we're always confident getting behind.

Here's what we were working with on the stairs - a solid pressure-treated framing structure with white PVC risers, and then Cumaru treads laid right over the top. That combination is no accident. The PVC keeps the riser faces clean and low-maintenance, while the hardwood treads bring the warmth and character. Each tread lands flush and tight. No gaps, no wobble.

The decking surface itself is coming together just as cleanly. The boards are running straight, the spacing is consistent, and the fastening is countersunk and neat. There's a real rhythm to good decking work when it's done right, and this one is hitting that mark. The structural framing underneath was built to last, and now the finish material is doing it justice.

This is the kind of build where you want to slow down and get every detail right before moving on. The stair framing, the board layout, the transitions between levels - it all matters. We're not rushing it, and the results so far show exactly why patience on a project like this pays off.