Composite Decking
Ready To Start Building With Wood?
Our body has a keenly intuitive sense of what it’s stepping on, even with shoes on our feet. One of the issues my clients and I had with the first generation of composite decking was that this decking had a little bit too much of a sheen to it.
How do you protect a composite deck from scratches?
There are many peel-and-stick protectors available in the market. Rubber and plastic pads are better for outdoor use because they repel water. To repair the scratches, you may use a heat gun to blend it in and make it disappear somehow.
For now, I’d say the best way to avoid problems with composite decking are to avoid it altogether and stick with wood. Especially prevalent on older and uncapped composited decking, mold shows up quickly and is more difficult to eradicate than you’d expect. The mold seems to grow heavily not just on the surface, but inside the rough texture of uncapped decking. It seems to come on strong and takes constant effort to keep the decking clear of it, especially for a self-proclaimed “no maintenance†product. Unlike most wood decking, composite decking is not prone to damage from termites and other wood-destroying insects. 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.
Trex
- Both Trex and TimberTech offer several tiers of composite decking products, from least to most expensive.
- When compared with wood, composite, and plastic lumber, aluminum decking is three to four times lighter, yet two to three times stronger.
- And don’t worry about your deck looking like high-school bleachers.
- Most aluminum decking comes in a variety of wood-grain finishes and colors.
- It can be cut with the same saws and carbide-tipped blades used to cut wood.
Several "good," "better," "best" product lines are available, each offering various shades of wood tone and gray decking planks. The best lines offer more realistic wood grain textures and are more resistant to fading. EnvisionEnvision Composite Lumbermanufactures solid decking made from a compression-molded process, which uses lots of heat and pressure to squeeze out air pockets. This makes for very dense and heavy decking boards with deeply textured surfaces. This "lumber" is made entirely from recycled plastics, with no natural wood fibers. The decking boards come with a 25-year limited warranty. Products available includesurface decking, railing, porch, trim, and molding components, and lighting and hardware accessories.
Learn More About Deck Materials
Most of the composite, plastic, and aluminum decking we tested kept its original color better than unfinished wood. While wood is the most popular type of decking, other materials are catching on with homeowners.
Can you power wash composite decking?
Pressure washing is not usually recommended for composite decking. Pressure washing too close or using too much pressure can be ruinous for your deck. Composite decking material is softer than natural wood and therefore can be “etched†more easily.
While all-wood decking will eventually splinter, composite decking is made with small wood fibers encased in plastic, so it won’t splinter. This is especially important for walking on the deck barefoot, and for children and pets, whose feet are sensitive. MoistureShield® offers the only wood composite decking that can be installed in the ground, on the ground or underwater. Discover how our Solid Core has helped prevent structural field failures for more than 30 years and why that matters for your outdoor living space. TrapEase is one brand of special-purpose screw intended for use with plastic and composite decking. It has coarse threads at the tip to bite into the deck's supporting joist and finer threads toward the head to stop the decking material from bulging out.
Produced by Seattle Times Marketing.
Posted: Thu, 28 click for source May 2020 07:00:00 GMT [source]