Composite Wood Decking

The Decking of Choice

Pressure treated decking is being replaced by a more durable decking material. Composite wood decking is replacing pressure treated decking. Composite wood decking is easier to work with and will last much longer than pressure treated wood.

A lot of pressure treated wood decks have been built in the last several decades and many homeowners are tired of the task to seal their deck surfaces every year. Many people don't bother to seal their decks at all, and after a few years they begin to wonder why their deck surface is in such poor condition. If not sealed regularly pressure treated wooden decks begin to rot after about ten years of rain, snow, ice, and the hot sun that dissolves the preservative chemicals.

The alternative to pressure treated wood decking is composite wood decking. Composite wood decking has become the norm for decking material today. The new technology of construction material that has changed siding and roofing material has made the same impact on composite decking material. Composite decking is long lasting and is relatively maintenance free and composite deck prices have dropped considerably.

Composite decking is made of wood from recovered sawdust and waste plastics. The mix is ground into a dough consistency, died and molded into boards. A great deal of our waste plastic milk cartons and soda bottles eventually wind up being cycled into composite decking.

The frame work of a composite deck is still constructed in the same way using pressure treated floor joists, band boards, and the composite boards are screwed to the floor joist. Composite decking is best installed with screws rather than nail guns. Nail guns tend to pucker the surface material as the nail seats in the surface. The hard surface makes starting the screws difficult so pre drilling is recommended for a better looking finish. Composite decking is also relatively stain free. Spills can be easily removed with deck cleaner or warm soapy water. Light scratches can be removed with furniture polish or a paint stick and rag.

The only down side to composite decking is that it does get warmer in direct sun light during hot summer weather so some sort of foot protection is recommended. On the up side, installing composite decking can be installed by most DIY home owner as a home improvement project much in the same way as pressure treated decking although using screws rather than nails is recommended. If your old pressure treated deck is in poor condition or you are contemplating building a deck, I strongly recommend that you use composite decking material for your project.

Building Deck Railing

Composite Wood Decking

Deck Maintenance

Deck Cleaning | Washing Deck

Dry Deck

Deck Floor Joist Sizes and Spacing

Deck Piers and Footings

How to Square a Deck

Staining a Deck

Wood for Decks | Building a Deck

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