Any Advice on Composite Decking?

[dkryan]

Hello!

After 33 years of maintaining the original wooden deck it’s time to reward myself with a new non-wooden deck.

I’m looking at two different “capped composite” manufacturers, specifically TimberTech and Deckorators.

We have a walkout basement so it’s an elevated deck with fourteen steps and a 18’ x 14’ footprint.

This will be a complete tear down and will include powder coated aluminum deck railings and posts, with LED lighting just under the post caps. LED lighting directly under the lip of each step, too.

Has anyone built their own deck using capped composite decking or had a builder build a deck with that material?

I’m looking for advice from a BITOGers who have “been there, done that, and if I ever had to do it again I would …………” (“or would not…..”)

One thing that came up was having the joists on 16-inch centers. A friend suggested using 12-inch centers to minimize any flexing of the floor.

I hear the material gets hot in the summer so any color selection would be light to no more than medium in tint, especially since this deck get the afternoon sun May through September.

Any constructive advice is appreciated!

 

[LazyDog]

The hot thing is real, especially if the deck faces West.

 

[dlundblad]

Is the warping issue still a thing?

 

[CarLuver]

i have helped a couple of folks build a composite deck. you really need the correct spacing or it will flex. espesically in the heat. one of the decks i put in was a dark brown color. went over there last summer to visit ,and it was impossible to walk on it without shoes. the great thing is that it still looks great and unlike wood won't spliter or needed any maintenace other than cleaning.

a couple of end butts i saw some curving up . according to the net that is from not putting enough gap, but i think we put in plenty. more and it will look like cr@p.

i would never build another deck with wood. too expensive and maintainance needed. we used the hidden fasteners and it looks great. do not use the face screws with plugs unless you have to

 

[Rand]

Is the warping issue still a thing?

mine hasnt but it gets partial shade.

 

[Inked]

Mine gets the full afternoon (west) sun. No warping issues.

 

[wings&wheels]

Installed Azek mahogany colored decking on our front porch in 2018 and it has held up very well structurally in a humid, exposed waterfront environment however there was as light but still surprising amount of fading. No warping, lifting but faded enough that we are looking at alternatives for the rebuild.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I used brown Azek in 2011 on 12” centers. It held up great for the 5 years I lived there but did get quite hot on my south-facing deck.

I had a deck builder do it with hidden fasteners, maybe Tiger clips?

 

[benjy]

installed generic Lowes decking on new framing 10 years ago as porch was over an always damp coal house that now contain oil tanks, got the cheaper stuff without slots + just surface screwed with stainless screws made for that, info said it could be laid directly on the ground without issues, its doing great + DON'T miss the painting for sure, just power wash yearly + as noted it gets hot to warm which is why it needs to be spaced although the $$$$ tongue+ groove dont

 

[DwightFrye]

The builder of my home used Trex for the front porch and rear deck. It's holding up very well after 5 years. However, the knucklehead used conventional lumber for the steps and railings. The steps need painting yearly and that is with the most expensive exterior paint I can find, and the railings are in need of their second repainting. I would suggest using as much composite material as possible including any steps, rails, decorative fencing, etc.

 

[Tharber]

Check the spacing of the joists, 16" OC might be problematic. I'd go 12" or less just to be safe. Its not going to cost that much extra.

The flooring will get hot and it will fade, nothing you can do about that. I replaced a deck on my old waterfront home that had composite that was bowing badly between the joists. I replaced with some renewable wood product, I forget the name but it sounded carribbean and exotic like. It was roughly the same price in the end and looked beautiful. You could also re-stain it as needed but I never did.

TH

 

[Zee09]

The next house I do will have no decks at all. I never use them and no longer want to maintain them either. Same for balconies.

 

[supton]

The next house I do will have no decks at all. I never use them and no longer want to maintain them either. Same for balconies.

I use mine enough that I would miss it—but I’d probably be just as happy with pavers on the ground, or even just a concrete slab (parents house had that decades ago, I remember that), now that you say that.

My old house, the deck was up a story, so that was nice, walk out the kitchen and the grill and outside table was right there. No getting around that. But this house, yeah, you’re right, for cost-reward ratio, I’d rather not. Looks good, too much work.