I know that cedar is naturally resistant to rot, but my understanding is that it's only the heartwood of the cedar tree that you can count on not to rot. The sapwood of the cedar tree isn't as resistant to rot.
I'm thinking the BEST way to make the deck maintenance free would be to simply cover it with a large awning like they advertise on TV. That would both keep the rain and UV light off the deck. Any of the companies that make tents and awnings in your area would have ideas on how to cover your deck. If you installed a bug screen around the perimeter of the deck as well, it might become your favourite hideout.
Another option might be to cover the deck with an indoor/outdoor carpet so you wouldn't have to keep up the appearance of the cedar. The only concern I'd have is that wet carpet can take a long time to dry out, and I'd be concerned about rot starting to form on the wood under the carpet.
Let's see what ideas other people have.
In my view a large awning or canopy would be the best solution, but it would be the most expensive solution. I think it's the best because I've never seen window frames rot where there's a wide roof overhang above the window that prevents rain from falling on the window. And, wood that's in the shade most of the time doesn't deteriorate from exposure to UV light from the Sun. Just look in any unfinished garage. The wood will look new even if the garage was built 20 years ago.
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