A History of Composite Decking

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A History of Composite Decking
Manufacturers brought composite decking onto the market in the late 1990s. At first, a major problem with the new material was that it was prone to “mushrooming”—i.e., the plastic-wood fiber material would puff up around the heads of the fasteners. To compensate, developers created smooth caps for the heads of fasteners. Still, wet and cold weather often drove even these fasteners out of early composite material. Additionally, many early composite deck owners struggled with mold infestations.

These problems have largely been fixed in today’s composite decking. The use of different recycled plastics resolved the expansion issues. Moreover, mold-fighting chemicals are now embedded in high-quality composite decking materials. Because they contain organic material (namely wood), composites without such protection are still susceptible to mold. (If you have an array of composites to look at, choose the one with the least obvious wood particles; this means mold has fewer places to latch onto the lumber.) Top-notch composite decking material cannot be scratched, although it does cost a bit more than other varieties. Finally, the mushrooming effect can now be avoided by using clips, rather than screws, to secure the various parts of the deck.