Since I first wrote in regards to the issues with composite decking in 2018 there have been numerous feedback and questions particularly lately asking me to replace the data and if any of those points had been nonetheless true. So, I’ve absolutely up to date the data with references to new merchandise in the marketplace and modifications right here in mid-2024. I solely hope it helps folks make an knowledgeable resolution.
There are numerous choices for decking in the present day. It’s not just like the outdated days the place you needed to merely select between completely different species of wooden. Right this moment, you will have all the wooden choices of yesterday, however now there are scores of various composite decking choices.
When you been a reader of my weblog for any period of time, you’re most likely considering “Oh now, right here he goes once more bemoaning one other fashionable product.” Nicely, I wish to let you know that that’s not the case. I don’t have issues with new merchandise, solely subpar ones.
Sadly, most composite decking falls into that class. It has been bettering slowly over time with the introduction of capped decking, and applied sciences like CoolDeck amongst different upgrades, however nonetheless, the experiences from customers and contractors are usually not promising. Check out a number of the web sites the place householders have posted their critiques, and also you’ll learn 1 and a couple of star critiques all day lengthy.
7 Issues With Composite Decking
There are a mess of issues with composite decking that present up all too typically to be only a stray challenge for a tough to please house owner. The accounts of points are repeated with a daunting regularity and sameness all through the threads of complaints.
Many owners acknowledge the problems, however nonetheless choose the composite decking to conventional wooden decks, normally as a result of upkeep required for wooden decks. Beneath are a number of the points that crop up most frequently.
1. Composite Decking is Slippery
In the previous few years Trex and Deckorators have launch “slip-resistant” variations of their composite decking, and whereas these are higher than the older composite decks they’re nonetheless much more slippery than a wooden deck.
If you put water on prime of plastic it’s all the time slippery because it can not take in the water like a wooden deck can. It’s a only a reality of life that composite decks are nonetheless going to be extra slippery than wooden decks.
There are aftermarket non-slip coatings you’ll be able to apply to your composite deck. I can’t converse to the effectiveness of those coatings since I haven’t used them myself, however I do know they’re on the market in case you are eager to experiment and discover a potential answer to your slippery composite deck.
2. Hotter Than Wooden
Composite deck producers have been engaged on this challenge for many years with little or no enchancment aside from advertising and marketing spins. Right this moment you’ll discover CoolDeck expertise from MoistureShield and Transcend Lineage by Trex which “is engineered with heat-mitigating expertise to provide you our coolest decking but.*” I needed to seek for the place that asterisk was referenced and right here was the reply from their web page:
“*Though Trex Transcend Lineage is designed to be cooler than most different composite decking merchandise of an identical shade, on a scorching sunny day, it would get scorching. On scorching days, care must be taken to keep away from prolonged contact between uncovered pores and skin and the deck floor, particularly with younger youngsters and people with particular wants.”
When you stay in a northern local weather this may not be a problem for you, however anyplace within the southern US and also you possible will endure from this challenge. It’s not simply the difficulty of being scorching on naked toes but additionally the warmth that shall be radiating from this deck when you sit on it. Summer time is scorching sufficient with no deck radiating a ton of warmth again at you.
When you nonetheless insist on composite decking then selecting white or mild gray colours will preserve the deck floor cooler, not as cool as wooden however barely decrease than the floor of the solar.
3. Tighter Joist Spacing
If you’re planning to easily exchange your present wooden decking with composite decking you might want to ensure that the supporting construction of your deck is adequate. For wooden decks lined with 2×6 or 2×8 boards 24” O.C. joists are usually not unusual. Most wooden decks utilizing 5/4” decking would require 16” O.C. joists. Composite decking may be completely different although.
Dan Gileo of Decks & Docks has been working within the decking trade for over 25 years and his advice is a minimal of 16” O.C. joist spacing for straight installations, whereas 12” O.C. could be required for diagonal installations to keep away from sagging.
Composite decking varies by producer and though it might be nice for a number of years on the wider spacing, many installations I’ve come throughout start to sag even with 16” O.C. spacing after the 10-12 12 months mark. So I might suggest sticking with the 12” O.C. to be protected.
Additionally, many composite decking supplies require 12″ and even 9″ on middle stair stringers spacing to help composite stair treads.
The purpose is be sure you account for the added time and prices of reframing the help construction in case you are altering from wooden to composite.
4. Mould & Staining
Particularly prevalent on older and uncapped composited decking, mould exhibits up rapidly and is harder to eradicate than you’d count on. The mould appears to develop closely not simply on the floor, however contained in the tough texture of uncapped decking. It appears to come back on robust and takes fixed effort to maintain the decking away from it, particularly for a self-proclaimed “no upkeep” product.
Even with the latest expertise enhancements mould and algae nonetheless exhibits up faster than I might count on. Staining is one other drawback with composite decking. Relying on the landscaping even issues so simple as the tannins in fall leaves or berries can completely stain these composite deck boards so ensure you don’t have points in your location.
5. Colour Fading
Everyone is aware of shade fades within the solar, however composite decking firms appear to be oblivious to what their merchandise are actually able to. Some composite decking has light so rapidly in simply a few seasons that replacements boards stand out like a sore thumb. Similar to the mould, this challenge is unpredictable and arduous to grasp which decking may have issues and which is not going to.
Trex presently affords a 50-year guarantee on their prime line decking, but it surely’s arduous to think about the deck shall be anyplace close to the identical shade it was when initially put in. And in contrast to wooden decks the place colours can change over time as you stain them the choices for altering the colours on a composite deck are extraordinarily restricted.
6. Warping & Shrinking
It’s not wooden, so it shouldn’t be increasing and transferring the identical, proper? Proper! It really strikes extra AND extra unexpectedly than wooden decks. Some composite decking gained’t transfer a bit and others have been discovered to shrink, swell, warp, twist, bow, and another phrase you wish to use in quantities unparalleled, even with wooden.
Once more, it appears utterly random when this occurs, but it surely occurs typically sufficient that you must learn about it. The most effective clarification is that plastics have larger motion than wooden and as supplies warmth up they develop extra. So, with a composite deck that’s largely manufactured from plastics and will get hotter than wooden decks the motion may be excessive.
7. Sagging Boards
Even in the event you use the correct spacing composite deck boards are infamous for sagging. Particularly the decrease finish merchandise. The highest of the road merchandise have accomplished a wonderful job at stopping this in the present day, however there may be nonetheless sufficient sagging in the very best boards that it makes me uncomfortable utilizing them.
I discover this challenge exhibiting up after a decade or extra of use, and when it does it normally makes the deck unusable. Alone home I’ve a composite deck that’s 21-years outdated at this level and the sagging is extraordinary to the purpose we are able to’t actually use the deck till I’ve the prospect to switch it. Try the video under to see how springy these boards can actually get!
What To Do?
For now, I’d say the easiest way to keep away from issues with composite decking are to keep away from it altogether and keep on with wooden. You might be one of many fortunate ones who installs composite decking and will get away with it, or you might find yourself continually on the telephone attempting to steer them into the honoring their guarantee, which is extraordinarily arduous to do.
Certain, wooden has problems with its personal and requires staining often (right here’s an excellent tutorial on staining wooden decks) but it surely’s nothing that can take me abruptly. And if it wants a alternative piece, it’s as simple as swinging by the native lumber yard reasonably than attempting to trace down a mannequin that has been discontinued 5 years in the past from a provider midway throughout the nation. As for me, I’m sticking with wooden. How about you?
Composite decking has come a good distance because it first got here out, but it surely’s not there but. Sometime, the trade could possibly create a constant long-lasting product that lives as much as the claims and keep away from the issues with composite decking presently, however proper now, they’ll’t appear to make it work. After they could make a product that’s persistently higher than wooden, then I’ll be in line for it, however till then I’m sticking with a dependable choice like wooden.
When you’re searching for a dependable wooden choice that has little to no upkeep and might simply last more than composite decking I might encourage you to take a look at Accoya. It’s not the identical as conventional handled lumber and is ideal for a deck even within the hardest parts.
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I really like outdated homes, working with my arms, and educating others the excitment of doing it your self! All the things is teachable in the event you solely give it the prospect.