Composite Decks

Avoid Improper Decking Gaps

In our backyard tests, composites reached Fahrenheit 109° to 111° (Celsius 42.77° to 43.89°) on a sunny summer day where the air temperature was a relatively mild 85° (31.67°). When composite deck manufacturers compare their products to wood decks, they always compare to unsealed wood decks.

Most homeowners know that finding mold inside their homes is a huge hassle and potentially very scary; however, if it’s outdoors, is it a big deal? Outdoors, mold plays an integral part in breaking down dead leaves, trees, and plant matter to go back into the ecosystem. However, that also means that wood decks and traditional composite boards are prime real estate to hungry mold spores. When a home inspector says, “Mold is eating away at the foundation of your deck,” they mean it literally — mold isn’t a cheap date. Left unchecked, mold can lead to structural damage. In these locations, it’s probably best to avoid the use of composite decking materials that contain wood fibers that have not been treated with chemicals that prevent wood rot. Trex decking does not typically get hotter than pressure-treated wood, although on a hot day with a blazing sun, nearly any surface will get uncomfortably hot.

Dimensionally stable steel provides consistency and reliability that wood doesn't, and is more fire-resistant as well. Leveraging the strength of steel, Elevations can span longer distances between posts and precise engineering ensures surfaces that remain flat over time. Most area rugs aren't a problem with Trex decking, but we do recommend cleaning underneath them regularly. In rare cases, rugs made of plastic or viscose materials may bleed, drawing colorant out of the decking or making them difficult to remove. Always allow your decking to fully dry before fitting a rug into place. If you've noticed any staining, scratching or fading over the years, it's likely you have early-generation decking.

Trex Company, Inc

It is important to choose composite lumber decking based on your budget, site and code requirements, fastener choice, and style and colour preferences. Although the price of quality composite decking will be higher than pressure-treated wood, they last longer and offer a greater appeal to home buyers when selling your home in the future. Many builders and homeowners choose wood materials for decks because it’s a low-cost option. Wood decking, however, requires more maintenance than composite decking. While you may save on your initial investment, you will end up spending more money and time to maintain your deck. Trex composite decking resists fading, staining, scratching and mold, and will not rot, warp, crack or splinter.

“My Trex decking is 10 years old and has substantially deteriorated to the point where it is rough and pitted and the interior core material has become exposed. Since Trex decking is warranted for 25 years, I filed a warranty claim only to find out the quality problem I experienced was systemic and subject to a Class Action suit against Trex. So Trex agreed to replace the defective decking but decided as a matter of ‘policy’ that they would only replace 113 of the 144 defective boards. Arguing that they only replace defective product on a square footage basis. Even though acknowledging that there would not be enough boards to replace the defective ones. I should splice deck boards to comport to their minimized square footage solution?

Moisture that gets trapped under the decking and on top of the wood joists would tend to stay there and keep the joist from drying properly. Wood that is not allowed to dry properly will be more susceptible to rot and decay. The reason for color fading comes from the wood fiber content. Inconsistent fading occurs due to the manufacturer’s inability to control the consistency of the colorant and raw materials being added. When the first generation composite boards are exposed to the UV and water it begins to decompose.

Wood And Composite Decking Review: Pros And Cons

Although some capstock and plastic deck manufacturersNote 1 insist that their products do not fade, the empirical evidence is to the contrary. I recently was on a home inspection for a home that was approximately 10 years old. During the inspection I was looking at 2 decks that were part of the home. These decks were constructed of a composite wood material that has become popularized as a maintenance free alternative to wood.

On their own website and in their own literature they state decking will fade and even give guidelines in their warranty regarding how much fading should occur and how much would be covered. Capstock deck boards, with their plastic shell, fade less than uncapped composite boards. Most will fade a little bit because the exposed material is plastic, the fading is minimal. 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.

Although Trex decking cannot be recycled due to the mingling of wood fibers and plastics, it can be repurposed into new decking materials. Even better, it contributes to less trash in landfills and on the planet. PVC-wrapped composite decking is a plastic-coated board comprised of a composite core wrapped with a vinyl shell.

Sided Capped Board

5 Great Deck Materials - Popular Mechanics

The Materials for Making her response a Modern Deck

TimberTech PRO Decking boasts 4-sided capped composite boards that have no wood particles, AKA organic material, in the cap. Plus, the cap flows through the grooves and onto the backside to cover all four sides of the board.

For wood, solid stains typically yield longer-lasting results. When pricing the materials, be sure to figure in the cost of railings, stairs, and supporting structure as well as the planks under foot.

It’s a good board, I’d place it up there in like the top 3 you can buy. We purchased our current home, as new, nearly 18 years ago. It came with a deck that was made with early type (uncapped?) composite decking. The spindles and posts were also made of the same material. The home builder was so impressed by the product he wished that he had used it for the large deck, he had recently built, on his own home.

Responses To Composite Decking Mushrooms

However, the next homeowner may not feel the same way as they may see it as a chore rather than a passion or hobby. A new homebuyer may view pressure treated wood deck as a structure that requires a lot of maintenance to create a long-lasting appeal. This can be a deal-breaker on the sale depending on the condition and size of the old deck.

• Although the price of quality composite decking will be higher than pressure-treated wood, they last longer and offer a greater appeal to home buyers when selling your home in the future.
• Choosing the best composite decking material can be quite overwhelming given the variety of styles, colours, and brands available.
• Composite decking materials have improved over time as the number of quality products continues to increase each year.
• Many builders and homeowners choose wood materials for decks because it’s a low-cost option.
• It is important to choose composite lumber decking based on your budget, site and code requirements, fastener choice, and style and colour preferences.
• Wood decking, however, requires more maintenance than composite decking.

Decking Buying Guide

What is certain is that making WPCs requires a careful mixing of ingredients not just for performance but to keeps costs under control. One way to reduce costs is by reducing the amount of material used. It's a principal reason why a lot of lower-priced composite decking is flat on just one side and scalloped or grooved on the other. Grooved decking requires less mix to create a board.