COMPOSITE DECKS

Composite decking is a popular choice for customers with a higher budget. These boards are manufactured from a combination of wood fibres, various plastics, adhesives and other additives. The greatest benefit of composite deck boards is that they are virtually maintenance-free and can last a lifetime. Composite deck boards are available in a variety of different colours and textures. Each manufacturer offers three or four levels of quality with the higher-end choices having the closest look and feel of natural wood. These top-end options offer the richest and most unique colour and texture options. Another significant benefit of composite is that these boards are installed with fasteners that are hidden between the boards of the deck, so there are no tell-tale screw or nail holes visible on the deck surface. Because of the nature of the manufacturing process, there is also much less twisting, warping, or bending of the boards when compared to pressure-treated wood. Between the stability and the hidden fasteners, composite decks generally have a much cleaner, even, and aesthetically pleasing look. The framing for a composite deck is still made from pressure-treated lumber but there are some areas of the framing that require more “beefing up”. Stair stringers are required to be closer together and all points where butt end joints are located require extra blocking on the frame. Joist tape is also applied to all of the framing surfaces before installing composite deck boards. This ensures that the life of the frame matches the life of the decking.