Choices include PVC and polyethylene. It's also lightweight. Cons: Some can look cheap, some are slippery, and some had more color change than wood. Aluminum Decking Pros: Toughness, rigidity, and slip resistance. Its baked-on or anodized finish should last a long time, and its textured surface added traction in our tests. Sections sometimes interlock so that rain won't drip through. Cons: It's expensive, and no one would mistake it for wood.
For three years, we expose our test boards to harsh weather at test sites in hot and humid Florida, and in hot and dry Arizona. Each year we have the boards sent back to our Yonkers, N. Our exposure scores reflect how each model compares with the others in our tests. Our tests showed that some composite decking didn't make the grade for rigidity, and some tonier wood products outperformed most.
Wood Alternatives Are Generally Better at Resisting Sun and Spills Most of the composite, plastic, and aluminum decking we tested kept its original color better than unfinished wood. Many also fended off mustard, wine, and other stains. Wood Is Stiffer and Surer Wood resisted slips best in our friction tests. Woods also resisted bending and sagging. A few plastics and composites came close in those tests, but several flexed or sagged noticeably.
Wood Alternatives Offer a Range of Design Options Many of the synthetic products are available in colors such as white, gray, and several shades of brown. Surface textures include smooth like plastic lawn furniture, in some cases , subtle wood grain, ridges, and other decidedly nonwood-like patterns.
Some composite planks are flexible enough to be easily curved into patterns or shapes that would be expensive to duplicate in solid wood. New Fasteners Improve Looks and Ease Installation TrapEase is one brand of special-purpose screw intended for use with plastic and composite decking. It has coarse threads at the tip to bite into the deck's supporting joist and finer threads toward the head to stop the decking material from bulging out.
Invisible fasteners suitable for wood or plastics come in three types: metal clips with sharp prongs that dig into the deck planks and the joist, elliptical wafers that fit into a slot cut into the sides of the planks and are held with a screw driven into the joist, and strips that fasten to the joist and underside of the plank.
When all the planks are in place, the fasteners don't show. Snap-in-place fasteners are easy to install but unique to specific brands. One brand of aluminum decking we tested snaps together, much the way tongue-and-groove flooring does. A vinyl decking product we reviewed snapped in place over metal clips screwed onto the joists. We respect your privacy. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. Sign In. Become a Member.
Remember Me. Forgot username or password? Not a member? Need further assistance? Please call Member Services at To get a better idea of the type most suited to you, choose the option most important to you below —. And while hardwoods are fairly durable, those with low-maintenance requirements are recommended to look at composite or PVC solutions.
Because of its incredible resistance to the elements, PVC decking is generally recognised as the ultimate in low-maintenance decking boards.
But most experts agree that hardwood decking boards are difficult to beat for their natural allure, deep warm colours and their beautiful surface textures. Now this is a tough one! But this can be minimised by making informed choices.
Our preferred option is probably PVC plastics because not only are the boards often made from recycled plastics, they can be recycled again after use for new purposes. Like all options, PVC does have its downsides, though.
One of the reasons pressure-treated softwoods are so popular aside from their affordability is the fact they are so easy to work with during installation. Pressure-treated boards will usually last no longer than years; and while hardwood structures are naturally resilient, they are still prone to wear and tear over a number of years.
Wood-plastic composites are claimed to last over 25 years while the manufacturers of PVC decking claim the boards can last up to 40 years with very little maintenance. Skip to content. Home Garden Decking Boards.
In this guide - tips on choosing your perfect decking boards, including Working with the designated suppliers we have undertaken to join the FSC and PEFC chain of custody programmes to guarantee this sustainability commitment to our customers.
Enthusiasts of natural wood prefer hardwood decking because it is widely available, strong, lightweight, and has a naturally attractive colour that makes for a beautiful deck. The wood has naturally occurring oils and tannins that are resistant to insects and rot. You can use one more layer of protection by adding sealer and stain to keep the wood free of splinters and cracks.
It goes without saying that even the most naturally resistant wood will eventually turn a soft gray colour without the use of adequate protection. Tropical hardwood decking such as Ipe are higher-end materials used as a luxury choice. They also last for an incredibly long period of time, with a lifecycle of at least 50 years or more.
Ipe is incredibly tough and does not accept clear finishes and stains. It does have one consideration: improper acclimation. Ipe needs to adjust to the conditions outside, failure to do so will increase the chances of separation and splitting over time. Once Ipe adjusts to temperatures outside, it starts handling dry climates, humidity, moisture, and any other elemental effects with relative ease.
Unfortunately, when the wood travels from one yard to another, the sudden shift in climate can force the acclimation process to start yet again. For instance, if the ipe moves from an area with high humidity to an area with low moisture, it starts drying way too fast. This sudden loss of moisture causes the surface to start cracking and separate.
Redwood softwood decking shares many of the same characteristics as hardwood, and it is the obvious choice for natural wood decking material. It is most commonly found in Scandinavian countries. Redwood pine comes from farmed and carefully maintained forests that comply to FSC or PEFC environmental requirements, which ensure that the health of these forest areas is maintained. Thermowood decking is manufactured from Scandinavian redwood, it has been kiln dried for up to 96 hours to a very low moisture percentage, making the timber inert.
This makes thermowood; Dimensionally stable, Environmentally stable, Resistant to rot and fungi, Offers increased longevity, Improved Insulation and can also be recycled. PVC decking does not crack, splinter, or warp. It is fully waterproof and has low maintenance. Furthermore, PVC does not encourage the growth of algae and lasts an incredibly long period of time.
It costs slightly more than timber but has a lot more mileage. You can probably get away with missing a year of annual maintenance. The oddest material in this list must be aluminium. Prefinished aluminium makes for a strong deck that is weatherproof, insect proof, and immune to both rot and rust. Reinforced aluminium planks are finished with slip-resistant, thick coating that comes in various colours and remains maintenance free for the remainder of its lifecycle.
One downside to aluminium decking is that it requires special fasteners to secure the decking to the substructure of your deck.
For obvious reasons, price is the single most important factor before choosing decking material. Prices vary from area to area and depend on availability; it has been commonly observed that treated wood is the most inexpensive option out there. There are many sources of naturally durable wood available. Some of the more important versions may end up costing more.
Many firms are still unfamiliar with composite wood, and as a result, might end up charging higher to install them on your deck. But once the installation of a composite deck is over, you no longer have to worry about maintenance see Maintenance below.
The most common decking material is treated timber, and it is available in a wide variety of shapes and dimensions.
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