Composite Decking vs. Wood Boards For Your Deck
Composite Decking vs. Wood Boards for Your Deck
There are many reasons to choose composite decking over wood decking materials. The biggest reason is longevity—composite decking can last 25-50 years, while traditional wood decking may last 5-15 years, depending on where you live, the type of wood, and how well you maintain the wood.
While longevity is the biggest reason, there are many other reasons why you should consider composite decking material when you add a deck to your home or replace an existing deck. Inside, we go over many of the pros and cons of both types of decking and how they impact your outdoor living life.
The Short Pro List for Composite Decking
Longevity – 25-50 years for Composite material vs 5-10 years for wood decking material. As a homeowner, you may get five times the lifespan from a composite deck than a traditional wooden deck. That boils down to a greater return on your investment, and it follows the adage — “work smarter, not harder."
Maintenance – Composite decking is low maintenance. Traditional decking material requires regular maintenance, and the degree of maintenance depends on your local climate, the type of wood, and the wear and tear of using the deck. In short, expect to sand and stain wood decking every two years or in mild climates every three years. In some climates, you may have to stain and sand the decking annually.
So, in addition to having a longer lifecycle, composite decking has little to no maintenance. That means you enjoy the outdoor living deck space without spending weekends sanding and staining your composite deck. Instead, you can enjoy a BBQ and other family activities without all the labor.
Low Pest Damage — one of the most damaging factors besides UV on wood decking is the physical damage caused by pests – carpenter bees, termites, woodpeckers, and rodents, for example. Neither carpenter bees nor termites are attracted to composite decking. Even woodpeckers and rodents have a tough time damaging composite decking.
If you are replacing an existing deck, you have the added benefit of seeing the type of damage to the deck. If that damage is pest-related, composite decking is likely a better fit for your project.
Home Value – Both wood and composite decking offer 60+ percent ROI – Wood at 66% and composite at 63% for ROI, according to CNBC. [1] https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/05/these-home-renovations-will-give-you-the-greatest-returns.html]
Fire Rating – In areas of high wildfire risk, composite decking helps reduce fire risk. The reason is that composite decking is a mixture of wood, binding material, and plastic – when combined, they are harder to ignite than wood decking. That is also a plus for those who love to BBQ with fire.
The Cons of Decking Materials
Composite decking and traditional wood decking materials are quite different. Wood decking has some advantages that composite decking cannot match. Those include:
Lower Cost – In the short run, expect to pay less for wooden decking materials than composite decking materials. Overall, the additional upfront cost of composite decking material may be much lower than wood decking if you consider that you will not have to replace a composite deck as often as you would a wood deck. Also, to be considered in cost comparison is the decrease in labor and maintenance suppliers with composite decking over the labor and supply costs of maintaining a wooden deck.
Aesthetics — Wooden decks can be painted or stained, but composite decking comes in the colors that the manufacturer offers. If you want more options for blending the deck into the background or matching it to existing paint and trim, then wood is a better option. That is not to say that the color options available with composite decking are bland because there are many choices, but they will complement existing color schemes.
Summer Heat — Wood and Composite decking can hold heat making shoes mandatory when enjoying outside deck life in the summer. It’s a small annoyance but something to consider and it can be reduced if you add shade.
Warping – With wooden decks, warping can be dangerous and is a sign that the deck may need maintenance. Composite decking does not warp and because it is resistant to water absorption, it holds up well in snow and icy conditions.
Which Decking is Best for Your Home or Business?
Composite decking offers many advantages over wood decking. For example, it lasts longer, it holds up to seasonal abuse, it is almost maintenance-free, and it does not attract wood-eating insects; but it can have a higher upfront cost. There are many great brands such as Fiberon, Envision, Trex, and Timbertech - they all offer a good product with lots of color choices.
A great place to start your consideration is to talk with our experts and go over your budget, and expectations.
