| | | | | most are susceptible to chalking and definitely look |
| Composite and PVC decking | | | | less natural or more man-made. Another trend in high |
| | | | | end composites and some cellular PVC decking |
| Confused about the plethora of composite decking | | | | boards are co-extrusions or a bonded outer layers . |
| choices? Not to mention the new cellular PVC decking | | | | These processes result in a “skin” or outer |
| materials? Well, you are not alone. | | | | layer of the decking board that has different qualities |
| Let’s return to 1992 when PT, cedar, redwood | | | | then the core. Usually the outer skin will be more |
| and mahogany(ipe was less none) decks ruled the | | | | colorful, have enhanced grain, be harder or more |
| roost. Mobil oil buys Trex technology ( then called | | | | scratch resistant, have some sort of anti-microbial |
| Rivenite ). They coin the term “composite | | | | qualities or mildew resistance, and often UV |
| decking” and spend tons of money of advertising | | | | resistance. |
| and informing the public about Trex and the birth of | | | | Pricing: composites and cellular’s range greatly in |
| the composite decking phenomenon is off and | | | | cost, your basic composites, which are more than |
| running. Now, fast forward 16 years, there are now | | | | adequate for most projects are going to be your |
| dozens of composite decking companies and so | | | | best buy, but still rely on petroleum and are |
| many choices it boggles the mind. Even Trex now | | | | influences by the oil market. Expect to pay quite a bit |
| make 6 different type of deck boards. Which one is | | | | more then treated wood for even the cheapest |
| best? Which one will be around in 20 years? 10 | | | | basic composite (roughly 3 times), but remember you |
| years? Next year? What are the advantages’ of | | | | still frame the deck from treated wood which is a |
| one composite material over another? What is cellular | | | | large part of the overall materials. The higher end |
| PVC? There are as many answers as questions, and | | | | composites and Cellular PVC boards can get outright |
| everyone has their favorites, or opinions on what | | | | expensive, some in the $3 and up linear ft area (this |
| makes their composite the best. Often times it is | | | | is exotic wood pricing!) These high end features |
| just a matter of pushing the most readily available | | | | come with a high price tag but the higher end |
| product. Many materials have already come and gone, | | | | composites do outshine their low cost competition. |
| or changed to suit the trends. This can be a real pain | | | | Your choice: choosing what composite to go with is |
| as last year’s version of your favorite composite | | | | not an easy choice. It would be great if there was an |
| might not match this years. You maybe be working | | | | easy answer to what is the best composite, but to |
| on multi-stage project and matching the materials on | | | | be fair there are many great products and there are |
| the previous stage is a must. | | | | many types of composites and looks. What may be |
| Rather than grouping all the composites and | | | | desirable to one person may look to fake or |
| manmade decking materials together we can look at | | | | man-made to another. It can even come down to, |
| them broken down into the following | | | | what composite company’s colors best match |
| categories. (note more info available here and our | | | | your house. Some composites look to be natural or |
| composite page ) | | | | emulate a natural wood species while others do not |
| Basic composites: single color simple grain or combed | | | | even try to look like wood. There are budget |
| finish, mixture of recycled wood fibers, dust or flour | | | | composites that may appeal to some for the obvious |
| and a plastic binder usually HDPE(high density | | | | reason. The cellular’s and many of the higher end |
| polyethylene) mostly in the 50% plastic 50% wood | | | | composites are popular right now as we search for a |
| range. These will be the cheapest boards and | | | | better and better product. The co-extruded high end |
| perform ok. Most will look similar, and have basic color | | | | boards promise less scratching and staining, and even |
| choices, require some periodic cleaning, and care | | | | less chance of mold and mildew growing, and |
| should be taken not to scratch or stain the decking. | | | | therefore less cleaning. As many of the newer |
| Enhanced composites: will have multiple color hues to | | | | products are not time tested we will see if they live |
| more accurately simulate a natural wood species. | | | | up to their promises and we will see who will stand |
| High end composites: a composite with superior | | | | the test of time. The soft economy of last year has |
| grain and higher quality materials, finer wood dust or | | | | already left several composites for dead, and other |
| flour (usually less wood and more plastic), a better | | | | companies scrambling to merge and consolidate their |
| extruding process, better mix of polymers, still | | | | efforts for profitability. If we have another drastic |
| mostly HDPE but also polypropylene can be used for | | | | oil price spike you can be sure all these products will |
| more strength ,often coextruded with harder | | | | be greatly affected. Still all of the today’s |
| surfacing, offering anti-microbial, scratch resistance, | | | | products are light years ahead of the first generation |
| and/or UV protection. These boards will have a great | | | | Trex boards. |
| deal of variety in color, texture or surface graining | | | | Another special consideration when building |
| and many the most natural looking of the man-made | | | | composite decks to be aware of: With all the |
| materials, often looking very similar to desirable real | | | | different colors and types of composites and many |
| wood species. Again ,some cleaning and preventive | | | | of them being special order, it can be frustrating |
| care will be necessary. Pricing on the group with | | | | when ordering materials for a project. You want to |
| range from affordable to quite expensive depending | | | | have enough materials to finish the project and you |
| on the product, there are some very good buys in | | | | don’t want to cut it too close or short yourself. |
| this group as well as some that are very pricey. | | | | But, you don’t want to sit on several boards (or |
| Cellular PVC: Originally developed by Procell, now | | | | more) of every color and style of decking product |
| owned by Azek, a process where PVC (poly vinyl | | | | you have worked with. In fact this can add quite a |
| chloride) and sometimes a filler (processed flax seed | | | | bit of money to each job, especially when you |
| or rice husks.)where extruded PVC is whipped into a | | | | cannot return the extras at all (sometimes there is |
| less dense (about ½ as dense as solid | | | | just a restocking fee). It is just a shame to see a |
| PVC) aerated foam resulting in a extruded material | | | | short stack of perfectly good composite decking |
| with a shiny hard surface and the working | | | | tossed in the dumpster of finding their way to the |
| characteristics of wood. This is much different from | | | | landfill because the job is done and there is no home |
| the ordinary hollow PVC materials we are used to | | | | for the extras. With standard materials like treated |
| seeing. Cellular decking materials are gaining popularity | | | | wood or ipe etc. you simply order a bit strong and |
| and now even many of the composite manufactures | | | | use the leftovers on the next job, it just gets very |
| also produce a cellular board. Cellular’s tend to be | | | | tricky with all the variety and colors of composites. |
| lighter and easier to handle, strong and tidy and less | | | | Some builders and suppliers will just stick to one or |
| likely to scratch or stain. Fastening cellular’s is a | | | | maybe two composite brands and limit the amount |
| breeze (no need to predrill or use special screws). But | | | | of colors they offer to combat this. |