Wood Vs Composite Decking

Plastic is largely responsible for many of the positive features that define composite decking, but the material also includes stain-absorbent wood. If you accidentally get grease or another offending substance on a composite board, you cannot simply sand out the stain.

(For a complete report on and ranking of the environmental impact of various plastic and composite materials by the non-profit Healthy Building Network read the Guide to Plastic Lumber). The most enviro-unfriendly material used in composite decking is plastic, particularly "virgin" or new plastic made primarily from petroleum or natural gas.

• There are two main processes for creating composite decking.
• Spacing between composite boards, and boards and walls, is usually greater than between wooden boards.
• Most sagging is caused by improper spacing between the joists when it is installed.
• Your composite deck may not warp, but it can sag and buckle.
• Also, thermal expansion, the fluctuation of temperatures, can have a more significant effect on composite decking than on natural wood decking.

Facts About Composite Decking

Getting composite decking 20 years ago meant you were signing up for a singular “look.” To many though, the benefits of composite outweighed the lack of variety. Different brands offer different colors and textures with major headway being made in the design and look. ” – a great selling point – but it’s not entirely accurate. While it is true that composite decking requires much less maintenance than traditional wood, it doesn’t mean there’s no maintenance.

Composite Decking: Does It Really Stack Up?

Can You Install New Decking Over Old Deck Boards?

What they forget to tell you is that the wood flour itself is a food source for mold. So, if it is not protected, or the protection wears off, your composite deck becomes a giant smorgasbord for many species of mold and mildew no matter how clean you keep it. A wood deck gets hot enough so that walking barefoot is mildly uncomfortable. All composites and plastics get hotter than wood – some get hotter than concrete. Dense materials retain more heat and get hotter than less dense materials.

What Kind Of Decking Is Best For Winter?

Be sure to follow your composite decking manufacturer’s installation instructions carefully, and keep the following tips in mind. In this guide, we’ll go over the proper joist spacing for composite decking as well as some common installation mistakes you should avoid. After weighing the options, you’ve decided you want to use composite material to build your deck. Composite decking, which is made from a combination of wood and plastic, lasts longer than traditional wood because it’s less prone to rotting, splintering, and insect damage. But to truly get the most out of your new composite deck, you have to start with a strong frame.

The plastic used in most composite decking is polyethylene , a soft and not very tough plastic. As will the tougher plastics like PVC and polypropylene.

Using a hidden deck fastener system in a composite deck means that your deck will be free from screw heads showing. These hidden fastener systems create a beautiful, smooth surface and an easy transition from the inside of your home to your outdoor living space. The cost of composite decking materials falls in the middle.

A Lifetime Deck?

Some capstock manufacturers, such as Fiberon and Timbertech, now guarantee some of their products against excessive fading. But, most continue to specifically exclude color changes, fading and graying from their warranties. Trex, the largest manufacturer of composite decking, has been sued more than once due to excessive mold and mildew build-up on its composite decking and had to pay out big dollars in settlement.

The most they will venture is that their composite decks require "less maintenance" than wood decks. Certainteed, for example, allows only that its EverNew® 20 decking offers "weatherable low-maintenance design…". This is a Trex composite but most non-capstock composite decking materials have this problem to some degree. From frame to finish, Decks & Docks has everything you need to complete a composite decking project. Your deck can begin to fail prematurely if the framing is weak.

The Best Decking For Winter Weather

Consider Deck's Environment

This is especially important for walking on the deck barefoot, and for children and pets, whose feet are sensitive. Invented in the late 1980s, wood-plastic composite decking (also called “composite wood decking”) is made of wood fibers encased in plastic.

DuraLife composite decking products are uniquely manufactured with a super-strong, co-extruded polypropylene outer shell that forms a “force field” around three sides of the board. This makes DuraLife exceptionally resistant to staining and fading compared to older generations of composite decking from other manufacturers.