Done with Wood Deck Maintenance? Check out Composite Decking for Your Next Project

A well-constructed deck immediately adds beauty, value, and appeal to your home. There is nothing like enjoying a summer evening with friends on your very own piece of paradise. What happens, though, when the wood in your deck begins fading, cracking, and rotting? Or how about when you’d prefer to enjoy laying back and sipping a lemonade, but instead have to spend hours cleaning, staining, and protecting your deck? Suddenly, this relaxing addition to your home becomes a big headache and a mountain of work. If you want to keep your deck as the relaxing centerpiece it deserves to be, though, composite decking may be just the answer.

Durability

The wood in decks, though durable by nature, has a limit to its durability. As a naturally porous material, wood absorbs water and reacts to changes in temperature and humidity. These changes, along with constant exposure to sunlight, lead to changes in the wood that cause issues which need to be addressed. Composite decking, on the other hand, is made from a combination of plastic and wood, giving it inherent durability, flexibility, and even beauty. Composite deck boards are essentially impervious to the elements, creating a barrier against rain, snow, ice, humidity, and environmental pollutants. This unchanging nature of composite boards allows them to last much longer, in much better condition, than wood.

 

Safety

As an added benefit to composite deck boards’ durability, they are also ultimately safer than wood deck boards. Minimal chance of rotting or warping means that you’ll never encounter a broken deck board, and, of course, no more risk of splinters for those bare feet headed to the pool. Added safety is not the first quality most people consider when choosing composite decking, but it certainly is a big bonus!

 

Reduced Maintenance

Although there is, of course, some minimal maintenance that needs to be performed on a composite deck, it is much less than even the highest quality wooden deck. Wooden decks must be regularly sanded, painted or stained, and waterproofed, not to mention the regular cleaning to remove stains and debris. With composite decks, debris removal is still necessary, as is removing, quickly, anything with the potential to stain, but beyond that, a good spray-off once or twice a year is really all the maintenance that is needed. This, even though a composite deck still looks great, no matter what conditions you live in.

 

Long-lasting Beauty

Since the maintenance demand for a composite deck is lower, it also follows that it retains its natural beauty for much longer than a wood deck. Due to the advanced manufacturing methods of modern composite decking, most materials are guaranteed for 25 years, or more, against fading. Compared to a wooden deck, which, when in full sun seems to start fading almost immediately, it’s easy to see how a composite deck truly protects the investment you make.

 

So, if you’re tired of your deck bringing you more work than relaxation, it might be time to consider a composite deck. Their value, durability, and ease-of-maintenance will ensure you’re able to enjoy your outdoor space for years to come.