Composite Decking

With the warm weather arriving early this year, 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 the wood flour from the furniture manufacturing industry in North Carolina.  More recently, 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 encapsulated, or “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. Even with this innovation, it doesn’t insure that mildew will never be an issue though, as composites do contain some wood fiber. Routine maintenance with a good deck cleaner is still the best defense against it. Remember, composite decking is "Low maintenance", not "No maintenance"!

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 research the warranty, as they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.  To learn more about composite decking visit www.fiberondecking.com

If you are interested in learning more about decking and the array of options available to you, please visit www.sanfordandhawley.com