Creating a Beautiful Outdoor Space

Pros And Cons Of Composite Decking

20 February 2019 by Delores Chavez

Composite decking is a strange amalgamation of wood and plastic. It is "frankensteined" together in a factory with the intent of providing consumers a decking and fencing material that is easier to maintain. There are other pros and cons to this type of material, too, and you should know what they are prior to choosing and purchasing composite "wood." 

​Cons

​It Is Not as Strong as Real Wood

​It is kind of a crazy "con" in that composite wood is denser and heavier than real wood, but definitely not as strong. As a decking material, you will need to build a supportive framework underneath the actual deck so that the deck itself can hold thousands of pounds of people, deck/patio furniture, and outdoor entertainment accoutrements. If you have a family and extended family who all have extended girths, a composite wood deck will need plenty of support underneath.

​The Color You Choose Fades Over Time, and It Picks Up Stains Like Nobody's Business

​Imagine intentionally selecting white carpet to install in the hallway by your front door or in your kitchen where the whole family eats. Guess what happens to that carpet in a very short time? It becomes heavily stained with outdoor mud and dirt, or with food and drink when installed in the kitchen/dining room. Worse still, the carpeting does not remain true white over time. It dulls to a muted gray. The same holds true for composite deck material. The color you choose will fade, and any staining as a result of dropped food and drink or outdoor mud, dirt, and debris will occur. 

Pros

​No Maintenance Except the Occasional Sweeping or Powerwash

The best thing about this kind of material is that it never needs sealing, sanding, painting, etc. It is one of the most maintenance-free materials you can buy to build a deck or a fence. At most, it may need an occasional sweeping or light power-wash to remove leaves and dirt. If you do not like to maintain everything in your yard as it is, you might want to choose composite wood for these outdoor landscape projects. 

Never Rots or Warps

One of the biggest headaches homeowners have with all-wood fences and decks is that wood rots and wood warps. Rotten and warped wood always have to be removed and replaced. Otherwise you end up stepping on the rotten parts and putting a foot through or you trip over the warped parts and land on your face. Composite wood neither rots nor warps, so you will never encounter those headaches. 

For more information about composite decking, reach out to a contractor near you.

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