Composite Decks Have Some Great Advantages Over Wood Decks

You must be aware of the growing selection of materials for composite decks that are now available, unless you have never set foot into any of the big box home renovation stores across the country. Traditionally decks have always been built from wood. But as lumber becomes more scarce and expensive, building decks with composite decking materials such as railings and deck boards will only become more and more common. These synthetic materials are referred to as composites because they are often made of a variety of materials - some synthetic and some natural. Their appeal lies in the fact that maintenance is greatly reduced, if not entirely eliminated. So if you are one of the legions of people who can't stand the annual maintenance required on your wood deck, composite decks are a real treat. And their use extends beyond decking boards. Many companies offer complimentary railing systems made of the same composite lumber materials so your entire deck looks unified. Composite Decking Materials Will Become More and More Common If you think the trend towards these newer materials is fleeting, think again.

Since 2000, sales of synthetic decking materials have doubled (198%) and the sales trends are expected to continue at about 23% annually until at least 2009. The cost of composite lumber or decking materials is anywhere from 2 to 5 times that of pressure treated lumber. A big difference. But, and the main reason composite lumber is doing so well, is that annual maintenance is reduced or eliminated - an important consideration. The second reason is the look of the materials is really getting good. Pros and Cons of Synthetic Decking Materials Pros it won't warp or split or crack maintenance is reduced to sweeping and spraying it is easily worked with standard tools every piece is quality controlled so less waste during the building phase colors can be matched to your home and won't fade like a wood deck some include recycled materials so are more environmentally friendly Cons it's 2-5 times more expensive then pressure treated lumber it's much heavier than wood some of it can't span as far as wood so requires smaller joist spacing special fasteners are usually required extreme temperatures can increase flexibility of some composite material

So, is a composite deck right for you?

To help you out we've started a review because there is still a bit more to consider as there are over 55 manufacturers in the US and Canada. The selection is broad.

So broad in fact, in both the actual composites used and the finished appearance, that we have broken our review down into the three categories of materials available, polyethylene-based, polypropelene-based and non-wood plastics.

Synthetic and Composite Decks Product Review

Polyethelene Based Composite Decking

Polyethylene decking composites make up the largest share of the composite decks market. They comprise wood or wood fiber blends with plastic. This results in a plastic lumber material that is slightly softer so may not span quite as far but is easy to work with and can have textured finishes applied to it. They are the most wood-like of the synthetic materials.

ChoiceDek Made from 100% recycled material and oak fibers, the environmentally conscious consumer will be happy. Available in 5 different colors. Comes in 5/4" thicknesses and is around $1.75 per foot.

www.choicedek.com

EverGrain This product is made from a compression molding process so a nice wood grain is impressed right into the surface. The 2x6 composite lumber version can span 20" o.c. Not bad for composite decks. Includes four different colors and a railing system as well. Works out to around $2 per foot.

www.evergrain.com

WeatherBest This product also has a nice open grain textured finish, comes in 5/4" thickness and a variety of lengths from 12' to 20'. It costs about $2.25 per foot.

www.weatherbest.com

Trex Their composite material is made from recycled hardwood sawdust and polyethylene plastic and has a wood grain texture for a nice look and feel. It's made from 97% recycled material and has a 25 year transferrable warranty. We haven't found any other company that offers this long a transferrable warranty but the cost is slightly higher at $2- $3 per foot.

www.Trex.com

TimberTech This product line is made from a patented composite blend of plastic resins and wood flour and is also available in white. Available in 5/4" and 2" thicknesses. Includes a railing system. Lengths vary from 12' to 20'. Costs about $2.50 per foot.

www.TimberTech.com

US Plastic Lumber This company offers a structural plastic lumber designed for strength and durability. This is a HDPE (high density polyethylene) material with a 30% fiber filler. Worth checking out.

www.USplasticlumber.com

Nexwood This particular composite decking is designed to span 24 inches between joists - rather unique and appealing. It is 5/4" thick and available in several colors.

www.Nexwood.com

Kadant Composites This product is coextruded PVC coating that caps a wood composite core. Comes in three colors with an accompanying railing system and a 20 year limited warranty. Another innovative product idea. Costs about $2.25 per foot.

www.GeoDeck.com

Universal Forest Products This composite decking line offers three deck railing styles with the decking material. It comes in white and gray. Made from wood fiber and plastics. It has a brushed finish on one side and a wood grain on the other.

www. UFPI.com

To Category Selection

Polypropelene Based Composite Decking

CorrectDeck This product is made of polypropylene and 60% reclaimed hardwood fiber. It also has a UV-inhibited pigment to protect the color. It makes a very rigid composite lumber decking material.

www.correctdeck.com

CrossTimbers Made of oak and polypropelene. Comes in five colors. Brushed, embossed or smooth finishes are available also. This product is definitely an advanced product. At least the company says so. They offer a 25 year limited warranty.

www.composites.elkcorp.com

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Non-Wood Plastic Decking

Kroy Building Products This is a composite polymer extruded with recycled wood fibers and comes in white and khaki.

www.Kroybp.com

CPI Plastics This product line is also available in 5/4" thicknesses and known as the eon Decking System. Its made of a thermoplastic material and available for decking and railings. It has a hard durable finish so pre-drill before screwing. Lengths range from 12' to 20'. There are bullnoses and fascia and railing also available. Also has a 25 year warranty.

www.EonOutdoor.com

Thermal Industries This company offers a product called Dream Deck which is a vinyl decking plank system made of 100% recycled PVC compounds. The patented crowned planks allow for drainage and stop slipping.

www.ThermalIndustries.com

Decklock 100% virgin vinyl (PVC) with a textured finish. Comes in 2x6 sizes from 12' to 24' and four colors. It is quite strong and can span joists 24" o.c. Sells for around $3 per foot.

www.royalgrouptech.com

Bearboard This product is a 100% recycled HDPE composite decking material and is available in 5/4" abd 2" thicknesses and lengths from 6' to 16'. It comes in seven different colors. But joist spacing can not exceed 12" for the 5/4" and 16" for the 2" material. They offer a 50 year limited warranty. Wow! Costs around $1.75 to $2 per foot.

www.epsplasticlumber.com

Procell This is a PVC product in four different colors. It's a solid core PVC plastic lumber product with no wood materials. So no worries about moisture absorption. Very strong and much lighter than other composite decks. Costs around $3 per foot.

www.procelldecking.com

PlasticBoards This is a 100% recycled HDPE product manufactured by Bedford Technologies. They make two different types of high quality plastic lumber. Select Plastic Lumber is 100% HPDE materials and Fiber Force Structural Plastic Lumber is also an HPDE product but with fiberglass added to provide more structural strength.

www.plasticboards.com

To Category Selection

There is a lot to choose from in the world of composite decks and lumbers. Ultimately your choice will depend upon your budget.

If you plan to live in your home for at least 10 years you will get your money back out of your deck. If you are on a tight budget or don't plan to be in your home for more than 2-3 years, the upfront expense of composite decking materials won't pay off.

But the real dividends of the new composite decks and materials comes from how nice they look and zero maintenance. Its a powerful draw...

Top of Composite Decks