Comparing Composite Vs Wood Decking

Should You Get Wood Or Composite Decking?

Maintenance - Most decks need to be sanded, thoroughly cleaned and stained or sealed about every two to five years . Pressure-treated pine sells for about half the price, while premium woods like cedar and redwood cost slightly less than composite.

Is Composite Decking Cheaper Than Wood Decking?

What's The Right Choice For Your Deck?

Wooden decking is commonly seen as the cheaper, more conventional route to obtaining your garden deck. The initial cost of a quality WPC deck may thus seem expensive compared to a wooden one, but the investment is one that is guaranteed to pay off. Wood-polymer decking is made up of wood fibres, plastics and a small number of bonding agents. At EnviroBuild, all these materials are environmentally friendly. Our wood is recycled and a 100% FSC certified, also the High-Density Polyethylene used in our boards are recycled. If you're the type of homeowner who doesn't have a lot of time or patience for maintenance, you may want to steer clear of wood. With a wooden deck, you generally need to sand its surface every few years, as well as seal it.

• Wood decks have much higher maintenance requirements and don’t last as long as composite decking materials.
• While composite decking tries to mimic the look of real wood, it falls way short of replicating hardwood perfectly.
• Everyone wants beautiful, natural-looking decking and nothing accomplishes that more than real hardwood decking.
• The largest hurdle is the upfront cost, because composite materials cost more than real wood.
• There’s no such thing as a perfect decking material, and that includes composite decking.

Prices are between $13 and $22 per square foot, and this does not include substructure. Wow, there are actually quite a few alternatives to wood decking available. We also showcase some interesting decking options that you probably haven't considered. Here at Keystone Custom Decks, we encourage all of our customers to get capped composite decking for their decks and porches. Wooden decks long-term durability depends on water-proof sealant or stain being regularly applied, often every several years.

The cost of installing a new patio depends on the material used to construct the patio and whether any leveling or groundwork is needed before installation. A patio measuring 16 feet by 20 feet will vary in cost from $2,500 to $9,500 depending on the materials used and the labor needed.

No matter whether you choose composite or wood, the quality of materials should be your primary concern. A timber deck requires yearly sanding, staining and oiling, maintenance which costs between $450 and $850 per year to maintain. Compare that to the $5 to $15 it costs per year to wash your composite deck. Over the life of the deck, you will be saving every single year that you own your composite deck. NexGEN maintenance free composite and aluminium decking with up to a 50 year stain and fade warranty.

One area where composites come out ahead is they can more easily be bent to form curved deck sections. To extend the life of a wood deck, homeowners must regularly paint, stain or seal the decking to defend against moisture. Composites, on the other hand, only require sweeping or washing to keep the boards looking good. We installed composite decking but first sign of rain and there is water stain Mark’s all over it.Could you tell me why this is?. The staining seems to be coming though the paint from the wood below but it can’t be mould as it’s too new, any idea what it is & how to treat it please?

Keeping the deck mold and mildew-free is also critical to extending the life of wood decking. We have already discussed the fact that wood decking is easier to replace or repair if only one or two boards need to be replaced. While the Edge Premier Collection comes with the same long-term durability and low maintenance of capped composite decking, it is limited in the available colors and textures. Snap-lock systems are relatively easy to install, but they are harder to replace a single board if required.

Now, Lets Talk About Composite Decking:

The cost factor and maintenance efforts put into both types of decking. Let me know how you liked working with it and make sure to check out the TimberTech website to see all their products. 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.

Composite Fencing

The vast majority of decks are made with Southern yellow pine, a cheaper wood that is pressure treated to prevent weather damage, rotting and insect damage. Higher-quality woods such as cedar and redwood don’t require any type of pre-treatment because they contain natural preservatives.