jtees4 writes:

What do you all think I should use? What is best? Real wood (what
type?) or one of the new fake woods? ...and of course why?? Thanks for
any advice. If it matters, I am in the Northeast..Long island.

Unless you are a sucker for "authentic", you can't beat the composites
(fake woods). They last forever, no splinters, uniform appearance.

I have some and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

After you've had it for a year, get yourself one of those electric
pressure washers. Each spring I pressure wash mine and it looks as
good as it did the day it was installed.