I know a lot of people prefer synthetic materials because of the extra upkeep of wood. Staining/sealing the steps is a bit of a pain, but if I only have to do it every year or other year, it's fine, and I'm a sucker for natural wood. I used Olympic "3 year" outdoor stuff, and I'd say based on my first 8 months, it wont last 3 years, but it still does a good job.