# Composite decking



## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

Anyone here have experience with composite decking?

I want to avoid the chemicals (on the surface) with Pressure treat as I have 2 young kids.
I also get splinters easily and was thinking composite would be better than cedar.

Any thoughts on the quality of composites?


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

Expensive but worth it ,we did ours in 2010 and love it.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

What brand of decking material?
I don't see it being that expensive, maybe $1k more for the deck material.
The big cost will be the railing design, but I might just go aluminum.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

We have a 20x30 ft deck on one level then a ramp going down to a 18x20 level and about 3 steps down to ground on one side and another ramp on the other side.We got it at home depot not sure what brand they sell but it has 20 year warrently.On a basic 16x14 deck probably wont notice the cost difference .


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## dogcom (May 23, 2009)

On railing I bought pressure treated green rails at Rona that have a top rail, bottom rail with holes on the inside that fit black metal rods and attach to pressure treated posts. The rails are cheaper then aluminum and to me they look better.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

I thought about the pressure treated or cedar rails, but not sure on a composite deck if it will look stupid. Maybe cedar would be ok, there is a Rona near our house, they have a nice display, which is why I mentioned their aluminum rails.

My wife did some research and apparently some of the composite deck materials have lots of complaints. I'm eager to hear everyones feedback.


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## Homerhomer (Oct 18, 2010)

I love the sleek look of composite decking and plan on installing it next year, have started reading about them however I am still far from formulating my opinion, apparently the technology is now old enough that many issues have come up, and some of the newer products are much improved, and apparently there are major differences in quality from one brand to another.

I have came accross this discussion for what is worth.

http://www.contractortalk.com/f50/weatherbest-composite-decking-any-good-53132/


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

That's an old discussion, which is the exact research problem I'm having.


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2009)

We have the composite w aluminum rails right now. Very happy.


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## donald (Apr 18, 2011)

I don't know if it's out of your budget or would tie into the layout of your house/backyard but glass panels works well with composite decking imo.(looks sleek and high-end)


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## Homerhomer (Oct 18, 2010)

donald said:


> glass panels works well with composite decking imo.(looks sleek and high-end)


Agree, have seen it and looked fantastic.


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## Homerhomer (Oct 18, 2010)

Just bringing it up on top of transgender thread ;-)


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

composites only look good when first installed. Like miss jennatal. They don't last.

a teak or california redwood deck is a class A duchess, though.

chemicals on bare feet & pets ? more toxic chemicals from polymer/resin breakdown caused by harsh weather, sunlight & ageing than from painted treated pine.


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## uptoolate (Oct 9, 2011)

Have two composite decks with stairs. One is from 2005 and has held up very well despite being northern exposed and under an old white pine. Have pressure washed twice and looks fabulous. Second was done in 2009 of newer material and I like it even more but it has the advantage of being southern exposed and not having a tree right over it. Both have white aluminum rails with glass inserts. For us, have been very much worth the money and a huge improvement over the cedar and pressure treated decks that they replaced.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

with all due respect, i don't believe 3 & 6 years are reasonable time trials.

in the country, we have douglas fir & hemlock decks, docks & a wharf. Cedar deck overlays & a concrete seawall heavily battered by ice. The winter weather is fierce.

most of these structures are 25-35 years old. Some of the douglas fir was recycled from century barns in the region. It's impossible nowadays to buy douglas fir, clear grade, no knots, 12 x 12 inch timber. We expect it to last for our lifetimes.


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