Is Composite Decking Worth The Cost?

Do Composite Decks Get Hot?

No mold/mildew issues, just gets a good cleaning 1 or 2x a year. I spent a lot of time on the GW porches and decks forum, and in the end I went with ipe.

It is difficult for homeowners to find all of this information in one place, and they won’t find all the options by shopping at a building supply retailer. Feel free to leave a comment to share your reviews of composite decking or installer below. Other brands worth looking into include Duralife, Genovations and Armadillo Decking.

The Pros & Cons Of Different Types Of Decking

Install Composite Decking From Newtechwood

These colors can complement your exterior design aesthetic, whether your home is traditional or modern. Ultraviolet inhibitors within composite wood prevent or slow the rate of fading from the sun, maintaining their natural wood appearance in any weather condition.

Trex decking also offers step by step installation guides that will take you from start to finish. Trex decking comes complete with its own hidden fastening system that is not only fool proof but has a completely flawless look. Trex decking comes in three signature lines and customized railing systems. Trex decking is resistant to mold, mildew, insects, and scratching. Initially they’re more expensive than ‘cheaper’ timber alternatives. As its quality is on par with the expensive, better quality timber options it works out more cost-effective in the long run. Composite materials are durable and don’t require special tools to install.

This gives you the chance to add your own touch to your deck and truly make it shine with your personality. In order to enjoy natural wood, trees need to be cut down. In a world that is worried about air quality and running out of our natural resources, this can create a conflict within deck builders. They want the look of wood, yet they are concerned about what the ultimate price will entail. Composite decks are aesthetically pleasing, look like real wood, and can be customized. There are several different styles and color options, as well.

It’s an easy material to work with – timber can be cut, shaped, sanded back, stained or painted depending on what you want to achieve and what your budget is. It’s a very versatile material – one of the biggest benefits of timber is its traditional and rustic appeal. This can be achieved through staining and luxurious paint jobs to create different tones, textures and styles. Timber decking and fencing has the potential to save you money, but only in the short term.

Moistureshield Decking

Now you know a little more about what a composite deck is. Let’s dive into a handful of the top reasons you may want to invest in a composite deck. Hopefully, these will help you decide if it’s right for you. Over the past several years, composite decks have become more and more popular. Not only do they look great, but they’re also long-lasting.

For this reason, it is important to view a composite deck as an investment rather than an expense. Even though composite wood lasts longer than natural solid hardwood, especially with the UltraShield® co-extruded cap, it can suffer from wear and tear when you don’t maintain it properly. This material can develop scratches if you drag furniture along it, or your pet digs their nails or claws into the panels. Depending on where you live, state and local regulations may require you to obtain a permit for your deck before installing it in your yard. This specification may delay your installation process by a few weeks, and you may have to pay an additional fee.

• The pros and cons of composite decking show that this material is useful in a variety of different situations.
• That’s why you’ll find this deck option as a top choice in communities like Seattle where the wet weather is an almost constant feature of life throughout the year.
• The modern composite decking manufacturing process helps the boards to become mostly impermeable to water.
• You can simulate the look and feel of natural wood while preserving the environment and reducing your maintenance needs.

If you are doing a composite — read the specifications and installation instructions. Especially prevalent on older and uncapped composited decking, mold shows up quickly and is more difficult to eradicate than you’d expect. The mold seems to grow heavily not just on the surface, but inside the rough texture of uncapped decking.

Maintenance is the #1 reason that we went with composite deck material on our second floor deck. Maintaining a ground level deck is one thing, doing so on the second story is just something I didn't want to have to figure out. I am in the process of building a new home and will have several outdoor decking areas, most of them covered. The upper main deck has two sections - one section is covered and is screened in, the second section is not covered. There is a lower deck that runs underneath the entire 2 upper deck sections, so it is completely covered. I also have a separate lanai off the master bedroom that is covered.