Fencing & Decking

More and more consumers are turning to composite decking. According to The Freedonia Group, wood-plastic composite decks made up only 7% of the deck marketplace in 2002. That number had risen to 22% in 2006 and is forecasted to reach as high as 30% in 2011.

This relatively new form of decking, which is composed of wood fiber mixed with plastic, is practically maintenance-free, available in a wide variety of colors and pleasant to the touch. Composite decking will never splinter, scratch, bend, twist or warp. It is safe for children and animals. Many brands of composite decking are considered environmentally friendly, since they reuse recycled materials that would otherwise go into a landfill. (For more environmental ratings for composite and plastic lumbers, read the Healthy Building Network’s Guide to Plastic Lumber.) Finally, composite decking is strong enough to hold up in harsh weather conditions.

One disadvantage of composite decks is that they are prone to sagging without the proper structural support. Another is that if a scratch appears, or if you decide you don’t like the color, you can’t refinish or paint a composite deck. It’s going to look the same for its entire lifetime—unlike wood, which may be almost endlessly cleaned, sanded and refinished. A final disadvantage of composite decking is its higher initial cost. Over the lifetime of the deck, however, this higher up-front cost is offset by nearly nonexistent maintenance costs. (You may have to purchase cleaning materials to keep mold off the surface of your composite deck—that’s basically the only cost in the long term, unless you end up replacing the wood supports.)