16 Pros And Cons Of Composite Decking

Choosing Deck Materials

Simply glue together three sides, slide them over the post, glue and clamp the last side in place, and then never worry about painting or staining again. AZEK Column Wrap is available for 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 posts. Order it at home centers and lumberyards that carry Azek products.

Composite Decking Vs Wood

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Trex offers four tiers of decking products providing a comprehensive range of easy, low-maintenance options. All Trex decking is available with a grooved edge, hidden deck fastener option. When using grooved-edge boards, Trex’s hidden deck fastening system installs between the deck boards, fastening them to the joists with no visible deck screw heads on the walking surface. This precision also creates perfectly consistent spacing between the boards for a flawless look across the entire deck. Even though Trex Hideaway hidden deck fasteners are designed for use with Trex decking, they work with just about any decking with a groove. They even sell a bit for making the grooves yourself if your decking has a solid edge. The clips are super easy to use, extremely versatile and come with starter and edge clips for a super clean finish.

The problem that you have with nails or screws when building a deck is that they create a place of weakness for the board. You can experience cracking, corrosion, and premature rotting depending on the quality of the construction. At the very least, you end up with a product that requires precision fastener placement to create the clean look you want. If you choose composite decking instead, then you can use hidden fasteners under the decking to secure the product.

• Composite decking on the other hand has a very low water absorption rate which will prevent fungal growth.
• But then, when dead leaves, pollen, dirt, and dust, accumulates on the composite decking’s surface, it could encourage molds and mildew to grow on the surface.
• Compared with other composite materials, the WPC decking products we designed and manufactured are more focused on improving the anti-slip performance.
• WPC decking looks and feels like wood, but is actually made of high-density plastics and wood fibers, therefore harder than wood.

Grit tape will definitely improve traction, but it’s obviously going to be very visible because it is black. Both are imperfect solutions, but they just might save a slip or fall that sends a loved one to the hospital.

Some face-screwing systems, like the Cortex system from FastenMaster, allow you to countersink the screws and fill the holes with plugs made out of the same material as the decking. Installing the plugs is time consuming, but the fastener locations are almost invisible. Build it from something other than wood like PVC decking boards. This is perhaps the most important step in preventing a slippery deck surface. A thorough cleaning each year, ideally with a pressure washer, will allow the natural wood grain to provide extra traction and slip-resistance.

Another quick and easy way to make decking non slip is to use specially-made abrasive strips or non-slip decking tape. Abrasive, non-slip decking strips are the more permanent solution, as they need to be screwed into the surface of your decking . Non-slip tape is a cheaper and much faster way to stop decking being slippery, but isn’t necessarily a long-term solution.

It seems to come on strong and takes constant effort to keep the decking clear of it, especially for a self-proclaimed “no maintenance” product. Sadly, most composite decking falls into that category. It has been improving slowly over the years with the introduction of capped products and other upgrades, but still, the reports from consumers and contractors are not promising. Take a look at some of the websites where homeowners have posted their reviews, and you’ll read 1 and 2 star reviews all day long. If you’ve been struggling with a slippery deck, trying to figure out how to make decking non slip, then I’ve got some excellent slippery deck solutions for you. From non-slip coatings and paints to effective methods to clean algae off a wood deck, one of these methods is sure to be your slippery decking cure. Does Composite Decking Normally Have Heat Build-Up Issues?

Trex

I’m in the mid-atlantic and have replaced both of my decks — beach and suburbs – with Zuri. Even buying the best cedar and finishing both sides — 10 years it was a mess. I took off the PT after 4 years and put down the Zuri … down about 5 years now. It’s strong enough to span the 16″ on a very solid structure.