I have a deck 3/4 the way around my house.


Half is cedar, the other half is built up then exposed aggregate.    Brother in law, his hired man,and me formed and poured the cement.   The cedar I did myself with father occasionally helping.


Exposed aggegate with labor included (bit of a relative discount), was half the cost of just the cedar (which at the time was close to the plastic composite that so far after 7 years, my bro in law quite doing composite).    He said maybe in another 7 years he will look at it again, but the junk they were putting out back then did not stay straight in our climate.


Cement is worth a look.   stamping and coloring takes some professionalism or experience,  exposed aggrigate any farmer can do.  

Good luck