6 Advantages And 6 Disadvantages Of Composite Decking

Mold And Mildew On Composite Decking

Additional material required is slashed to only a third of a deck board for each side of the deck. Bringing costs to only slightly over a $100 to finish the composite deck board ends. Finishing the deck boards with a finishing detail that requires regular and extensive maintenance destroys the low maintenance advantage of the composite deck. The level and type of care needed for the end detail must match the decking maintenance. The number one driving factor in finishing the ends of composite decking is appearance. However, you choose to complete the decking; it must look good. You may as well trim the decking and leave it at that.

What Are The Drawbacks Of Composite Decks?

It can be worse with certain colors or on uncapped products. This is a composite decking problem that’s impossible to predict until a deck has been in the weather for several months, which can lead to a very expensive problem. If you have to use a shovel to clear snow from your deck, only use a plastic shovel. As for ice, different companies recommend various products, but calcium chloride and rock salt are safe to use with Trex composite deck boards. Pros & Cons On Composite Panel - Awning Singapore Composite panels are highly versatile products and they offer both advantages and disadvantages. Pros One of the main features of the composite panels is that they are manufactured as a single unit.

The added material on the edge of the decking and treads increases grip, minimizing slipping. Without all the extra framing to support the decking as picture framing, reducing the task in half.

List Of The Cons Of Composite Decking

The cost of merbau decking, like all quality timbers, isn’t just a one-off. When decking with timber, you’ll pay the upfront materials cost, the installation cost and the cost of ongoing maintenance.

• Often, combining synthetic and organic materials seems to capture the best of both worlds , and creates a durable product that looks and feels similar to wood decking.
• So when your looking at the pros and cons of composite decking, take the time to make the decision is the right for you.
• Composite manufacturers now admit that there are no "maintenance free" decking materials of any kind.
• The fact is, there are many products on the market depending on your location.
• As for materials, most composite products are manufactured from wood by-products, such as sawdust, wood chips or recycled plastics.

Composite decking is likely to last for at least 15 years before any of the boards need replacing. What’s more, is composite decking has the ability to withstand whatever Mother Nature throws at it. So you can enjoy long hot summers and cold winters without it having an effect on your deck. Composite decking is an environmentally friendly lumber alternative that combines plastic and wood fiber. Wood plastic composite is anti-static, resistant to fungus or mold growth, insect attacks and rodents which is another advantage. The surface is soft and feels comfortable to walk on barefoot. Many composite decking options are manufactured with a non-slip surface, whether wet or dry, which makes them the ideal solution for wet areas.

Plastic Decking Boards End Caps

Unfortunately, one place where composite decking will probably last a lifetime is in the landfill. There is so far no recycling for composite decks, and those that end up in the dump will probably be there for about 2,000 years. Treated wood, on the other hand, returns to nature in 10 years or less, and untreated wood in as little as 2 years. On the plus side, most composite manufacturers use waste wood products as filler, primarily sawmill waste but also post-consumer recycled wood products such as used wood pallets. The most enviro-unfriendly material used in composite decking is plastic, particularly "virgin" or new plastic made primarily from petroleum or natural gas. Some manufacturers use vinyl which is decidedly un-green.

Pros And Cons Of Softwood, Composite And Hardwood Decking

(For a complete report on and ranking of the environmental impact of various plastic and composite materials by the non-profit Healthy Building Network read the Guide to Plastic Lumber). Capstock deck boards, with their plastic shell, fade less than uncapped composite boards. Most will fade a little bit because the exposed material is plastic, the fading is minimal. Some capstock manufacturers, such as Fiberon and Timbertech, now guarantee some of their products against excessive fading. But, most continue to specifically exclude color changes, fading and graying from their warranties.

Appearance – composite decking comes in a wide range of colors and textures and you can find the right pattern to match perfectly with your home’s exterior. You can find options which are manufactured to mimic the appearance of wood species such as Cedar, Redwood, Maple or Oak or exotic varieties like Mahogany, Ipe and Mangaris. Experts advise that you choose lighter colors, especially if you live in an area with long and hot summer season and lots of sunlight as these decks feel cooler to the touch. Another disadvantage of composite decking is that severe scratches are difficult to repair without replacing the deck boards. Composite decking is usually made of wood fibres and plastic materials. Its high quality, no-finishing-work necessity and non-slipperiness make it a great alternative to the classical timber boards. Composite decking is eco-friendly as it is made of recycled wood and plastic.

This means there is a chance for you to alter the colour slightly, however, this can be quite an expensive and time consuming process. Many people buy composite decking because it lasts a long time.

I’m just glad that the composite decking companies are willing to help out because I know that that was the decision maker for me. Amatuer here, but have put in and maintained a couple decks. Had a old wood deck at a vacation home that was in bad shape, but sanding and using Rust-Oleum Restore brought it back nicely. Put in a composite deck at my mom’s and hated it – first it fades, not that much but the decking faded faster than the railing, and the rail end caps even less.

Composites may look like wood but they are not wood, and they don't act like wood. So, don't expect a perfectly convincing wood-like appearance. A wood deck gets hot enough so that walking barefoot is mildly uncomfortable. All composites and plastics get hotter than wood – some get hotter than concrete. Dense materials retain more heat and get hotter than less dense materials. In our backyard tests, composites reached Fahrenheit 109° to 111° (Celsius 42.77° to 43.89°) on a sunny summer day where the air temperature was a relatively mild 85° (31.67°). The most common plastic binder used in composite deck boards is polyethylene.

As a result, you won’t end up with a slippery deck, as well as chipped or rotting boards. Apart from budget and sunlight exposure, there are a few factors you should consider when planning your project, so keep on reading to learn more about composite decking below. So unless some sort of anti-fungal material is added, wood flour can be a very attractive home for mold and mildew. Manufacturers caution in their care instructions that keeping the deck free of pollen and debris that may be food sources for mold is important to assuring a mold-free deck. What they forget to tell you is that the wood flour itself is a food source for mold. So, if it is not protected, or the protection wears off, your composite deck becomes a giant smorgasbord for many species of mold and mildew no matter how clean you keep it.

Cons:

Timber decking is prone to splintering, which can be dangerous if you're walking around barefoot. DeckPlus composite decking doesn't splinter, making it a safer choice - note that our boards are also slip resistant, plus they don't get too hot on sunny days.