Cedar is the most misquoted decking material in the GTA. Quotes for “a cedar deck” can vary by 35% on the same build because the lumber itself comes in two very different grades (clear vs knotty), three milling profiles, and two regions of origin — and Toronto contractors don’t always volunteer which one they’re quoting.
Below is what a cedar deck actually costs installed in Toronto and the GTA in 2026, in CAD before HST, with the grade question sorted out up front.
The 2026 baseline number
For a Western red cedar deck on a level lot in the GTA in 2026, expect installed pricing of $45–$65 per square foot. That’s the all-in rate the calculatoruses for cedar — roughly 40–50% above pressure-treated and 15–25% below mid-tier composite per square foot.
For the four canonical sizes:
- 10 × 10 (100 sq ft): $7,500–$11,000 installed.
- 12 × 12 (144 sq ft): $9,500–$13,500 installed.
- 12 × 16 (192 sq ft): $11,500–$16,500 installed.
- 16 × 20 (320 sq ft): $18,500–$26,500 installed.
Those ranges assume knottygrade cedar (the GTA default). Clear grade pushes the upper end up by 25–35% — $24,000–$33,500 on a 16 × 20 build. The math below explains why.
Clear vs knotty: the single biggest cost lever
Western red cedar is graded by the number and size of knots in the boards. The two grades you’ll see quoted in Toronto:
Knotty / select knotty (the GTA default)
Visible knots, generally tight, 4″–6″ surface boards. Material cost at GTA lumberyards in 2026: $4–$7 per linear footfor 5/4 × 6 decking. This is what 80% of GTA cedar decks get built in. Looks warm and rustic, hides minor weathering well, takes oil stain evenly.
Clear / appearance grade
No visible knots, tight grain, premium-mill lumber. $8–$13 per linear footfor the same profile — roughly 75–90% more than knotty. Worth it on a small front-facing deck where every board is visible from the street, on a high-end heritage home where appearance matters more than budget, or anywhere you plan to leave the cedar to weather grey naturally (knots in cedar take much longer to weather to the same shade as the surrounding wood, leaving a spotted look).
On a 14 × 16 deck (224 sq ft), the lumber-only difference between clear and knotty cedar is roughly $1,400–$2,400. Add installer markup and the installed-cost difference is closer to $2,800–$4,500. Always ask which grade your quote assumes — this is the single most common source of quote-to-quote variance in cedar builds.
Where the rest of the spread comes from
1. Board profile and width
Standard 5/4 × 6 decking is the cheapest cedar profile. Wider boards (5/4 × 8) cost roughly 15–25% more in material because the mill yields fewer wide boards per log. Thicker boards (2× nominal) cost 30–45% more and are usually overkill for residential decks — if the contractor is recommending 2× cedar, ask why.
2. Tight-knot vs select-tight-knot grading
Within knotty cedar there’s a sub-grade called “select tight knot” (STK) that costs 15–25% more than standard knotty — tighter, smaller knots, less variation. Some Toronto contractors quote STK as their default without saying so, which is why two contractors quoting “knotty cedar” can be $1,000+ apart on the same deck. Ask: standard knotty or select tight knot?
3. Hidden vs face fastening
Hidden fastener systems (Camo, Cortex plugs, deck clips) work on cedar but add $2–$4 per sq ft in labour and require slightly more careful installation because cedar is softer than composite. Most GTA cedar decks get face-screwed with stainless-steel trim-head screws — cheaper, more forgiving, and the screw heads look fine on cedar in a way they don’t on composite.
4. The builder pool
Cedar is genuinely harder to install well than either PT or composite. Boards are inconsistent (length, width, straightness all vary), every board needs to be inspected before installation, and the finish work (sealing end grain, pre-drilling for screws to prevent splitting) takes longer. Specialist cedar builders charge a premium of 10–20% over generalists. They’re usually worth it, especially on clear-grade builds where every defect is visible.
Toronto-specific factors
Cedar in Toronto specifically — as opposed to other GTA municipalities — has three quirks worth knowing about:
- Heritage districts.If you’re in Cabbagetown, the Annex, Riverdale, Leslieville, or any other designated heritage area, cedar is often the required material for visible-from-street deck work, and clear-grade is sometimes specified. Budget for the premium and the slightly slower permit cycle.
- Mature tree canopy.Most central Toronto neighbourhoods have heavy tree cover — cedar holds up to falling sap and debris reasonably well but stains. Plan to clean and re-oil annually, not every two years like the standard schedule.
- Narrow access.Old Toronto lots often have narrow side passages or no side access at all. Cedar lumber delivery on these properties usually means carrying boards through the house — a real labour line that contractors will price into the quote, often $400–$1,000 above their standard rate.
The Toronto city page has the local permit rules and a calculator pre-loaded with composite as the default; toggle to cedar to see what your specific build runs.
The maintenance math (briefly)
A cedar deck in Toronto needs cleaning every spring and re-oiling every 2 years to keep the warm tone. The full cost-of-ownership comparison versus composite is in our five-year breakdown — short version: DIY-maintained cedar is the cheapest five-year option for a 200–250 sq ft deck, but only if you actually do the maintenance. Contracted cedar maintenance closes the gap to mid-tier composite within four years.
When cedar is the right pick
- You want a natural-wood deck and you’ll maintain it. Composite never quite looks like wood. Cedar always will.
- Heritage-district propertieswhere cedar is spec’d or strongly preferred.
- Architectural fit on mid-century or Victorian homes where composite reads as visually wrong against the rest of the materials.
- Repairability matters to you. A damaged cedar board is a 20-minute fix with a $40 replacement. A damaged composite board often has to come from a different batch with a slight colour mismatch.
What to ask for in a cedar quote
On a cedar quote, get these specifics in writing:
- Grade (knotty, select tight knot, or clear) and milling profile
- Region of origin (BC coastal is the gold standard; interior BC is fine; lower-tier eastern cedar is sometimes substituted for cost)
- Fastener type (stainless-steel for cedar — never galvanized, which leaches black stains into the wood)
- End-grain sealing on cut boards (small line item but it dramatically affects how the deck weathers)
- Whether the first coat of oil is included
Plug your dimensions into the calculator, toggle to cedar, and you’ll see the per-line breakdown for your specific build. Pressure-treated, composite, and PVC are right next to it for side-by-side comparison.