What happens if I don’t finish my deck?

It is not unusual for wood decks to be left unfinished and the result will vary depending on the local climate. As redwood weathers, several natural color changes take place. In a damp or humid climate, redwood will go through two stages, the first being a darkening of the wood. As time goes on, this darkening may be rinsed away by rain and the redwood will weather-bleach to a driftwood gray. In drier climates the unfinished redwood may not darken and the wood will turn to silvery tan, becoming lighter as natural weathering continues.