Composite Decking - The Affordable Choice

With the Summer season starting, many people will be looking at the deck in their backyard and wondering if this is the year to update. The world of decking choices has changed over the years. Gone are the days when your choice was pressure treated or pressure treated. Today's market offers a wide array of material choices, including natural wood (pressure treated, cedar and tropical hardwoods), composites and PVC. This week we will look at Composite decking.

Composite decking was first introduced in the early 1990's. Composite decking was offered as a low maintenance, earth friendly alternative to traditional wood decking choices. In the early days, Composite decking was manufactured using recycled milk cartons and wood flour from the furniture manufacturing industry in North Carolina. Eventually the industry has moved towards virgin plastics, cellulose wood fibers and a combination of recycled materials.

Composite decking is a good alternative to wood decking, especially if your budget is an issue, typically Composite decks are less expensive than PVC decking. A good Composite deck board should be "capped" on all four sides; this is a critical change from the early composite decking boards as it helps to prevent the growth of mildew and reduces staining. Composite decking does contain some wood fibers and it is possible that even with the protective cap that you could have some mildew possibilities. Routine maintenance with a good deck cleaner should solve any concerns.

Composite decking is available in a variety of colors and patterns, many manufactured to replicate the appearance of natural wood. Most composite decking boards have some type of warranty that covers staining and fading, be sure to ask about the warranty when shopping for your new deck. To learn more about composite decking visit www.modernviewdecking.com.