The Problems With Composite Decking

Do Composite Decks Get Hot?

If by any chance you decide to sell your home at any point in the future, you can use your composite deck as an additional selling point. With its long-lasting and low-maintenance properties, it can be quite the pull to any potential buyers. Again, this reinforces the idea that a composite deck should be seen as an investment, rather than an expense.

Last fall I had a new deck built with real wood decking. The wood is horrible, it is splitting, it splinters and we just hate it. There are a total of 7 series currently available from MoistureShield ranging from the premium MoistureShield Vision to the more affordable Essentials collection. My preference, though some people object to the incisions, is incised copper treated ground-contact rated hem-fir or similar western quality wood - NOT pine unless lodgepole. Can be retreated for longer life in green or brown, and stained to darker green or browns or blackish. Mine is 0.30 CCA hem-fir about 28 years old, was surface retreated at about 10 years in, and just now fading and needing retreatment, with harsh winters and wet summer environment. If his deck is on pressure treated wood joists it can be even worse as this wood is prone to being of different sizes and warping.

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.

Paver Patios Vs Composite Decks

You’ll also get more years between cleaning periods by sealing it off. If you choose not to seal the deck, you can expect to do a deep cleaning annually. Potential buyers love to see a deck in excellent condition.

Maintenance

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.

You can also design your outdoor living space with various accessories, such as benches, railings and planters. High-quality composite wood panels connect to the house or fascia with decking clips for convenient, stress-free installation. Deck fasteners and finishers complete the installation process by providing a smooth protective edge for the planks. Composite panels are an alternative to solid wood and pressure-treated lumber. Manufacturers add pigments to the mix during production to create a wide variety of natural tones for your choosing.

I had the same misgivings about its rainforest origins as another poster, but it was just the best product for my needs. My original intention was to let it go gray, but now that I've seen how gorgeous it is, I'm probably going to take a stab at keeping it up, at least somewhat. I've lived here in Hawaii with PT decks for the past 14 years and there was absolutely no way I ever considered installing it in my new house. The upkeep is tremendous, and as someone already pointed out, unless all sides of the boards are properly sealed you still end up with horrendous mold, mildew and dry rot problems.

• There are some very poor reviews of composite decking on the Internet.
• Enter your zip code to find a supplier near you, so you can start building your brand-new composite wood deck today.
• You can find our decking materials and tiles at most major home improvement stores.
• We were intending to put up a 400 square foot composite deck, but now we're a little concerned.

This is with minimal fading and very minimal maintenance. While pressure-treated costs less in the short-term, you’ll pay more in maintenance. Plus, who wants to spend their weekends doing chores when you could be relaxing instead?

Furthermore, don’t pick a dark colour if the deck is going to be exposed to direct sunlight. This is because composite decking can get super hot when it sits in the sunlight — probably it’s only other major disadvantage other than its price tag. This means they aren’t harvested directly from a forest and, therefore, don’t contribute to preventable impacts on the environment such as deforestation. The particles in the composite wood are tightly combined and it won’t warp, so termites are not able to enter into the composite wood deck boards. I have been looking into upgrading to composite decking and feel like it might be the right choice for us. as above, i know composite is more expensive, but are there any pros/cons of it?