Composite Decking Material Choices

By Mark J. Donovan

Review of Trex, TimberTech, ChoiceDek and Smart Deck Composite Decking Materials

There are a number of composite decking material choices to choose from when designing your new deck. Composite decking materials are increasing in popularity due to their low maintenance, durability and longevity. They are also designed with traditional wood surface textures.

The Pros

Composite decking materials are environmentally friendly. Composite decking materials are constructed using wood fibers and recycled plastic. In some composite decking materials the percentage of recycled plastic used in their construction approaches 50%.

Due to the fact that composite decking still contains at least 50% wood fiber it can be stained for your specific deck color requirements. In addition, the wood fibers help to minimize slippery deck surfaces.

Composite decking material is extremely durable and requires zero maintenance. They are highly resistant to ultraviolet rays, rot and insects. Composite decking material suppliers like Trex and TimberTech offer warranties up to 25 years on their products against splitting, splintering, cracking, rot, insect damage or material defects in workmanship and materials. ChoiceDek, SmartDeck and other composite decking material suppliers offer similar warranties up to 10 to 20 years in length.

The Cons

There are however a few disadvantages of composite decking material. Some composite decking material can have a shiny, plastic look, and the dyes imbedded in them can also fade a little over time. There have been continued advancements in these product offerings however in recent years to somewhat mitigate these issues.

Also some composite decking materials require narrower joist center spacings than the traditional 16 inch center spacing. This can add a little to you deck construction costs. In addition, more attention needs to be paid to the clean up phase of a deck project when using composite decking as the plastic material is non biodegradable.

Availability of Product

Trex, TimberTech, ChoiceDek all produce standard stock/size decking material, similar to what you would find in all wood decking products. Standard 5/4 x 6” and 2”x6”stock are manufactured by all vendors. Other vendors offer 1.5”x6” stock sizes.

Board stock is usually offered in either plain deck board styles or in tongue and grooved styles, depending on the manufacturer.

Costs of Composite Decking Material

Typically Composite Decking material costs between $3-4 per square foot. Installed you could expect to pay $18-$25 per square foot.