Decking The Composite Alternative

An outdoor deck made of wood decking or aluminum decking can reflect your taste and style, and provide customers or employees with a relaxing space.

An outdoor deck made of wood decking or aluminum decking can reflect your taste and style, and provide customers or employees with a relaxing space. If you want to use wood decking for your outdoor deck, consider traditional wooden planks or wooden tiles. Before building the frame it is a good idea to cover the base with a ground sheeting material to stop any weed growth once the decking is finished. As with softwood it is important to protect hardwood decks by staining them regularly with a good quality timber finish such as decking oil or timber stain. Burying nails in the sides of decking to close gaps works, but it gives water more ways to enter the decking, which eventually leads to rot. Tropical hardwoods such as kwila are commonly used for outdoor furniture and are also durable alternatives to treated pine for decking. The original and still most common decking choice, wood is natural, strong, easy to install and feels good under bare feet. Composite decking manufacturers are quick to admit that their products are not perfect. Composite decking materials are also not structurally rated, so a composite deck is still dependent upon treated wood for structural components such as joists and beams. The lack of a big-name manufacturer has also left the industry grasping at a fractional piece of the decking pie.

Wood

Composite wood decking typically costs less than natural wood. Fortunately softwood can be used in all decking and pergola situations provided that it is properly treated. Varieties of hard wood popular for decking include Asian hardwood Bartu and Jarrah. When working with this wood, always use gloves, wear a mask, and never burn it because the toxic chemicals in the wood that prevent rot and termites can also be harmful to your health. Composite decking is weaker than wood, so a deck not built to manufacturers specifications might experience sagging or drooping.

Composite

Composite decking looks more like wood than plastic lumber, but must be installed over a pressure-treated lumber base and frame. The unique fibreglass composite decking structure is ideal for any environment. Most composite decking materials are made from a blend of wood industry by-products or recycled products�wood fibers, sawdust, etc. Many of the manufacturers also offer complete composite decking systems�from deck boards to rails, posts, and balusters. �We offer earth tone colors�tan and gray�and a smooth finish, a wood grain or embossed finish, and a mildly brushed finish,� says John Pruett, Product Manager for CertainTeed\\'s Boardwalk composite decking systems. Although plastic lumber has yet to claim any significant share of the decking market, it does boast some distinct advantages over its composite competitors.

After all, your investment in decking should provide twenty or more years of enjoyment.

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