You will have several different choices of materials for your new deck. New products come to market almost every day, as consumers look for less care and maintenance. In choosing a material, we will typically ask you to consider the following. How long do you plan on staying in your home? How much sunlight will your new deck receive? What is your building budget? When we meet with you, we will discuss these questions with you, and help you make an educated decision that’s right for you.
Composite Materials – Materials such as Trex, Correct Deck, Geo Deck are decking materials made from a combination of plastic and wood. The better composites have warranties from 10 – 25 years against splitting, warping, rotting and do not need to be stained or sealed for their lifetimes. While more expensive than wood, they maintain their appearance for many years and only require periodic cleaning. Approximately 80% of the decks that we built in this past year have at least a composite floor.
Western Red Cedar – If choosing a wood deck, this is the product that we most recommend. While softer and less durable that treated pine, it will maintain an overall nicer appearance through the years. You can expect to seal the floor every 2 – 3 years, and the railing every 4 – 5 years.
Pressure Treated Pine – Pressure treated pine is typically the least expensive decking material, and is a more durable material than cedar. However, it is very likely to shrink/crack/warp if it gets a lot of sunlight.
Plastic/Vinyl – Unlike composites, these products do not contain any wood fiber. They are more prone to expansion and contraction in the heat/cold, and are typically a little more slippery than composites/wood decks when wet. But if you are looking for certain color choices (typically lighter colors), they may only be offered in these materials.
There are pros/cons of each material made. When we sit down with you, we’ll be happy to go into much more detail about our experiences with these and any type of material you may be interested in.
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