If you’ve been dreaming of building or remodeling a deck, you’ve probably seen the tantalizing smorgasbord of alternatives to traditional lumber. All of these decking systems promise low maintenance and durability in an almost dizzying array of colors, textures, profiles and materials.
Each major manufacturer offers a variety of products at different price points, sometimes under seemingly competing brand names. In most cases, lumberyards and home centers carry different products, so it’s worth visiting both types of retailers. You can also special-order lumberyard brands through home centers in some regions. To help you consider all of the available options, here’s a closer look at today’s top products.
Two categories
Alternative decking can be divided into two basic groups: Low-maintenance composites and the newer ultra-low-maintenance plastic decking. Within the plastic group, you’ll find expanded or cellular polyvinylchloride (PVC) products, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic and a copolymer acrylic blend. Some companies, such as Trex, Fiberon and TimberTech, now offer both composite and PVC, but most companies specialize in one or the other.
Most composite-decking products are extruded or forced through a shaped hole (think Play-Doh Fun Factory) and then cooled. Tamko’s EverGrain composite decking is compression-molded (like a compacted hamburger patty). “We believe this provides composite-decking products that excel in performance and appearance,” says Tamko’s Mark Shaner.
Composites vary in appearance and construction, but they all contain roughly half recycled wood fibers for stiffness and half plastic resin for durability and bonding. The plastic usually is polyethylene, but it also can include polypropylene. In some cases, such as Trex and CorrectDeck CX, the plastic is made entirely from recycled materials — including used yogurt containers, plastic grocery bags and the plastic bins the post office uses for stacking mail. Fiber Composites’ Fiberon and Veranda lines incorporate a mixture of recycled and virgin materials; TimberTech’s products are made entirely of virgin materials.
The wood fibers in composite decking typically come from hardwood sawdust waste from shops that make furniture, golf tees or Popsicle sticks. A.E.R.T.’s relaunched MoistureShield Juniper collection uses sawdust from water-guzzling Texas cedar trees, which are harvested to protect underground aquifers.
TimberTech Senior Product Manager Tom Day says his company relies exclusively on virgin polymers in its composites to ensure quality control. Others such as Correct Building Products and Trex insist they have so refined their materials streams and manufacturing systems that their recycled products are just as reliable and a lot greener.
The warranties for composite decking made from recycled plastic aresimilar to those for virgin-plasticproducts. Correct Building Products warrants its composites for life to the original and the first transfer owner; both TimberTech and Trex guarantee theirs for 25 years.
Because sources of recycled PVC are limited, the newer expanded or cellular PVC decking is made of only virgin resin. These products include Azek Deck, TimberTech XLM, Trex Escapes and L.B. Plastics’ SheerGrain. Because various plastics differ in their strength and hardness, some planks can span only 12- or 16-in.-OC joists; others are able to span 24 in. To maximize performance and safety, always follow manufacturers’ recommendations (and building codes) for structural design.
Azek’s product, which it introduced after acquiring PVC decking manufacturer Procell last year, is unique because it contains rugged flax-fiber waste (from the harvesting of flax seed) that adds stiffness and strength, according to Azek President Ralph Bruno. The manufacturer says that compared with wood or other composite decking, PVC resists scratches and stains better and won’t split when a screw is driven near the edge.
The other decking material in the plastics category is HDPE. BearBoard, which is made of HDPE (recycled milk cartons), claims to offer superior wet traction and uses recycled plastic, and it contains no toxic biphenols.
Recent improvements
When composite decking debuted nearly 30 years ago, the boards were shaped and colored to resemble finished wood, but they lacked wood’s natural texture and color variations. They also faded and were as susceptible to mold and grease stains as unfinished wood.
Manufacturers have since reduced composite products’ fading and staining. They discovered two keys to making boards more fade- and mold-resistant: Keep the wood particles away from the surface, and grind the wood fibers finer so that each tiny particle can be completely encapsulated in plastic. For insurance, they also began to add mold inhibitors and antioxidants.
TimberTech’s Day notes that the surfaces of its Earthwind Tropical Colors boards are left unbrushed so the wood fibers are not exposed. “When you don’t brush it, you keep the plastic surface on it and you get that darker, richer color that resists weathering,” he says.
Because they are so dense, darker composites may feel hot under bare feet on a sunny day. But Trex’s Scott Fedor says the company’s composites still are the softest and most comfortable underfoot.
Marty Grohman, chairman of Correct Building Products, says that CorrectDeck CX is the first composite decking product to use a co-extrusion process, adapted from the porch- and deck-railing industry, which “loads all of the good stuff in the surface to reduce fading and staining.” He likens the concept to putting a frosted cake back into the oven to let the icing soak in and fuse with the cake. “It’s not just a layer. As you get closer to the surface, there is less and less wood fiber, and at the top you get none.”
Little details, big picture
The most complex aspect of choosing a decking system is selecting the right combination of features. You need to consider colors, textures, railing options and fastening systems to achieve the overall look you want.
Deck boards may be solid-color or veined (also called streaked) to resemble exotic hardwoods. They may be smooth or embossed with a wood-grain pattern. And they may be screwed down from the top or installed with hidden fasteners that slip into grooves in the sides of the boards.
Don’t choose a product based on a 6-in. sample — that’s even riskier than choosing a paint color from a 1-in. color chart. To picture the overall appearance of the materials, you’ll need to see a finished deck or large-scale display. For an even better perspective, it’s good to preview products that have been exposed to wear and weather for a season.
“Some composite deck boards look extraordinary in a 6-in. sample. But once they are installed and they start to get scratched and stained and faded, it leaves contractors and homeowners saying, ‘Boy this doesn’t really look like the sample,” said Azek’s Bruno.
Color-streaked decking products, designed to mimic exotic hardwoods, are the latest look. Monarch boasts that it pioneered streaking with color variations that continue through the core of the board — as opposed to embossed grain patterns that are merely surface effects.
Even with the color streaking and graining, alternative decking isn’t likely to be mistaken for real wood. The bigger issue is whether the overall system offers the flexibility to express your vision for an outdoor living space.
Varying the direction of boards breaks up a large deck into defined spaces, and it also serves a functional role. Decking materials containing plastic expand and contract with changes in temperature. Although proper board spacing accommodates the changes in width, achieving it can be a problem with long boards. Breaking large deck surfaces into smaller sections with areas of perpendicular or angled boards provides a stylish solution to this problem.
Fastening systems
Most of today’s alternative-decking systems are designed to be installed with hidden clips that are custom-shaped to match the grooved profiles in the boards. They are usually made of stainless steel or plastic and attach with a single screw at each board/joint intersection.
Unlike earlier concealed fasteners that were designed for conventional lumber, these require no specialized installation tools. And because you don’t have to predrill holes or align fasteners for a neat appearance, the hidden clips are faster and easier to install than driving deck screws through the surface.
The clips serve three purposes: They give exterior decks a finished indoor-flooring look, they allow the boards to expand and contract, and they space the boards horizontally.
However, screws still have their place. “With many hidden deck fasteners, it’s difficult to do steps, 45-degree angles or picture-frame designs,” says Bruno. “It’s hard to secure the first boards. That’s not an issue with a screwed down deck.”
The right rail
When it comes to making an architectural statement, the railing system is as important as the decking. And it’s easier than ever to create railings that complement and accent your deck and coordinate with your home’s exterior trim. You can also incorporate wood-colored cap rails, glass panels, tubular balusters or decorative post caps and light fixtures for a distinctive look.
Offering a delectable menu of railing designs and decking options, today’s manufacturers provide plenty of ingredients for designing the deck of your dreams. Check out the product sources below to whet your appetite; then visit your local lumberyard or home center to select the combination of appearance, color, texture and flair that will please your palate and satisfy your needs.
Handyman Club member Roger Johns writes from Rhode Island.
Sources
A.E.R.T. (MoistureShield), 866-729-2378
A.E.R.T. (Weyerhaeuser ChoiceDek) 800-951-5117
Azek Building Products Inc., 877-275-2935
Correct Building Products, 877-332-5877
EPS Plastic Lumber (BearBoard) Fiber Composites (Fiberon), (704) 463-7120
Fiber Composites (Veranda), 800-230-7547
Fiber Composites (WeatherBest), 800-343-3651
L.B. Plastics (Sheergrain), 800-752-7739
MasterMark Rhino Deck, 800-535-4838
Monarch, 877-666-2742
Royal Outdoor Products (Deck Lok) Tamko (EverGrain and Elements DockBoard) 800-641-4691
TimberTech (Horizons and XLM), 800-307-7780
Trex, 800-289-8739