Durability

• While certain types of wood are superior to others in terms of water shedding and insect repelling, such as cedar in comparison to pine or oak, wood is still subject to nature. While stone is also subject to the elements, it is far more durable in comparison: stone is not affected by water or insects, such as termites. While wood can be sealed to help protect it over the years, stone is a more durable material by nature.
  
  

Maintenance

• Maintenance costs between wood decks and stone patios are both necessary parts of having an outdoor area. However, wood decks generally cost more money to maintain over the years because the wood needs to be protected and cleaned more frequently than stone in order to preserve its integrity. While stone patios may require washing and an occasional coat of sealer, depending on personal preference, wood decks require regular cleaning, sealing and restaining or painting if you have opted for anything other than the natural color.
  
  

Weathering

• Stone is resistant to most types of weathering, and while it can change color over the years due to mineral buildup from rain or groundwater, for the most part stone is resistant to the sun and other types of weathering. The color of wood, on the other hand, will fade in the sun over time, even with protection via sealer, and the wood can crack, peel and split over the years as more and more weathering takes place.
  
  

Installation Price

• While certain types of woods are more expensive than flagstone, slate and other types of stones used on patios, it is the installation that drives the price of stone patios higher than wood decks. Simple carpentry tools are all that are required to build a wood deck, while specialty tools are required for stone patios, especially if you are working with large-scale flagstones that require heavy equipment or multiple people to move.
  
  

Special Costs

• While wood decks are almost always cheaper than stone patios because the cost of wood is generally cheaper than stone due to the inherent durability of the materials, there are exceptions to the rule, such as with imported woods that are more costly, such as African mahogany or Brazilian cherry. In addition, due to the rarity of specialty woods, installation methods require more care be taken to avoid damaging the wood, as well as protecting it, which adds to the overall cost when dealing with specialty woods.