Every homeowner who is planning on building a new outdoor space, the materials they use is one of the most important steps they have to dwell on. Every material comes with a different price, some cheaper others more expensive, but the main goal is to pick a material that will last as long as possible. Usually, what deck builders offer in terms of materials are wood decks and composite decks. They recommend composite decking as the better option, but let’s dig into it and see why a composite deck would replace the beauty of natural beauty that a wood deck would offer.
What Is Composite Decking?
Composite decks are made out of recycled and wood boards. It’s an alternative to timber that becomes more and more popular because it is considered to be eco-friendly and requires a lot less maintenance than wood decks do. Composite is used in many outdoor projects like outdoor dining, leisure areas, balconies, and decks.
Another benefit of this type of material is that it’s resistant to rot, insect damage, and moisture, and it doesn’t require regular staining, sealing or painting. The downside of it is that it can be a little more expensive initially and it fade in time, easily scratched and it may experience thermal expansion in extreme conditions.
Types of Composite Decking
As you probably guessed, there are multiple types of composite. This material evolved over the years, and each type comes with unique characteristics, materials, and performance benefits.
- Capped Composite Decking
- This one is considered to be the most common type on the market.
- It’s famous due to its protective outer shell (cap) that resists moisture, staining, and fading.
- It is recommended to be used for high-traffic or wet areas.
- Uncapped Composite Decking
- The original generation of composite boards.
- More affordable but requires more upkeep since it lacks a protective cap.
- Can be prone to early fading or staining over time.
- Capped Polymer (PVC) Decking
- Made entirely from synthetic materials (no wood fibers).
- Ultra-durable, waterproof, and extremely resistant to mildew and mold.
- Great for poolside decks or areas with heavy rain and moisture.
- Hybrid or Mineral-Based Composite Decking
- A newer innovation that blends minerals with polymer resins.
- Provides exceptional dimensional stability (less expansion/contraction).
- Offers a more rigid, realistic wood-grain texture.
The Most Popular Composite Decking Brands
There are some good composite brands that you should know about if you’re planning on starting a new project. If you are getting proposals from multiple composite deck builders, make sure you asked them about the brand they’ll use for your deck. Here’s a list with top 4 best manufacturers:
- Trex®
- This is considered to be the most recognized brand in North America.
- It’s made out of 90% recycled materials and it comes in multiple colors. If you want an eco-friendly option, this brand is the best option.
- Trex Transcend® and Trex Enhance® lines are favorites for their balance of cost and quality.
- TimberTech® (by AZEK)
- Offers both composite and full PVC decking.
- TimberTech Advanced PVC line is known for realistic wood tones and superior fade resistance.
- This is an option good for wet climate areas like King County, WA. It comes with a great warranty coverage.
- Fiberon®
- This is a more affordable option.
- Known for a strong protective cap and diverse grain patterns.
- Homeowners choose it for its good value and performance.
- MoistureShield®
- What makes this option unique is its boards being fully encapsulated. It’s a great material for ground contact projects or even underwater applications.
- Many deck contractors praise it as being extremely durable.
The Benefits of Composite Decking
The benefits of building an outdoor area with composite decking comes with more other benefits than just that it looks beautiful:
- Low Maintenance: We start with the most important, and that’s the fact that you will never need to sand, stain, or seal it ever.
- Warranties: Some of the brand we mentioned will offer you stain warranties for up to 50 years.
- Certified Installer: Some manufacturers will train and certify their deck builders so you as a homeowner are sure your outdoor area will be built by experienced professionals.
- Long Term Investment: A beautiful composite deck will increase your property’s value for decades.
Summary
So, with other words, composite decking is a combination of beauty of wood with modern performance. It’s a material made out of recycled material, it’s more resistant to wet weather than wood in some cases. You get good warranties of up to 50 years and when you hire a decking company that words with Trex, TimberTech, or Fiberon you can be sure that they are certified and experienced in these types of jobs.
