The Problems With Composite Decking

Winner: Trex

Most all-plastic decking is made from vigin polyvinyl chloride or recycled high-density polyethylene . Some of these products have thin walls and hollow profiles, making them lighter than composites or wood but also requiring special installation hardware. Capped composite decking gives the material added longevity compared to its uncapped counterparts. Decks made from capped composite boards can last for at least 25 to 30 years. Composite decking lasts, on average, years with only minimal upkeep in comparison to natural wood decking. This is partly due to it being made from materials that are resistant to weather, rot and insect damage.

A dry space under the deck is a great place to continue your deck party during a rain shower, or to create some useful dry storage. The best strategy for a slip-resistant deck surface, whether made of wood or composite material, is to perform routine cleaning and maintenance. If you’ve founds some winners here then share them with us. For me, I’m not comfortable trusting the same companies who told us 20 years ago that their product was foolproof and failed that now they’ve REALLY made it foolproof.

Does Trex Or Timbertech Actually Honor Their Warranty?

We advise that Floor Grip be used with a Bonding Agent. SlipDoctors’ Bonding Agent is exclusively designed to maximize the adhesion of coatings and paints on those hard-to-coat surfaces. According to Richmond, who installs plastic and composite decks, all-plastic planks. Building a deck with plastic or composite materials is very similar to using wood, with a few notable exceptions. Plastics tend to shrink and swell lengthwise as temperatures fall and rise . For that reason, manufacturers specify gaps where board ends meet, or they provide a variety of attachment options to accommodate expansion and contraction. Plastics and composites also lose some rigidity and can be vulnerable to sagging when temperatures soar.

Aside from the material finish, the slip-resistance of your deck area is determined by your board’s resistance to organic growth such as algae, mould and mildew. Year after year of moisture build up allows this nasty organic growth to multiply and ensure that the finish on any outdoor surface is not only unsightly, but slippery too.

These are algae or fungal growth, molds, or mildew, which can make the surface slippery. Molds do not grow on composite decks, but pollen, leaves or other debris on decks can cause mold. At SlipDoctors we stock Floor Grip, the ideal anti-slip product for composite decking. This product will not change the look of your decks, is easy to apply and incredibly cost-effective.

The recently settled legal matter focused on the propensity of the first generation, uncapped Trex boards to grow mold, mildew, and discolor over time. The 2012 Trex recommendation of painting first-generation Trex decks with enamel paint with grit additive makes sense to us. Assuming the enamel paint with a grit additive will adhere to your particular Trex product, that’s a reasonable for a first-generation Trex deck where nearly the entire surface is slippery. However, if you want a longer-lasting, more resilient traction paint, we recommend the Slip Doctor product line of epoxy grit pain. If most of your Trex Deck is slick, then you’ll need a different solution.

Avoid Deck Rot With Flashing Tape

Add Sand To Your Deck Sealer Or Stain

When you choose composite decking for your home, then you’re using a product that is primarily made of recycled products. That means you don’t need to cut down more trees just so that you can build a deck. The recycled plastic in the product takes waste away from the ocean or having it enter our food supply. You can also choose capped composite decking to have a product that resists fading and discoloration over time. As long as you spray down the material with some water and a mold cleaner twice per year, you’ll be able to maintain the quality of your deck – even if it develops mold or mildew over time. Manmade deck material products include composites, PVC and vinyl from .

• While composite decks are built to last longer than natural wood decks, their surfaces aren’t impervious to mold and moss and the slipperiness that comes with them.
• Whether your deck is made of natural wood or composite decking material, each can be just as slippery as the other under the conditions described above.
• If you plan to install decks by the pool or in a humid environment such as frequent rain, you will first be concerned about the safety of decks.
• Sunlight and rain can cause wood to crack or rot, and mold growing on decks can also make decks slippery.

The modern composite decking manufacturing process helps the boards to become mostly impermeable to water. That’s why you’ll find this deck option as a top choice in communities like Seattle where the wet weather is an almost constant feature of life throughout the year.

Without this step, the natural wood fibers will still begin to disintegrate, which can leave uncomfortable plastic fibers sticking out of your deck over time, creating a walking hazard. A major benefit of composite decking is that you will never have to stain, seal or paint it like wood materials. Most higher-quality synthetic decking materials are backed by a warranty against splitting, cracking, rotting and insect damage. Typically, major composite deck manufacturers have their code reports on their websites, which is the best place to get them, as you will always be using the latest version. Whether your deck is made of natural wood or composite decking material, each can be just as slippery as the other under the conditions described above. While composite decks are built to last longer than natural wood decks, their surfaces aren’t impervious to mold and moss and the slipperiness that comes with them.

Made from either recycled milk jugs and grocery bags or new plastics like vinyl, it accounts for 10 percent of the $3 billion-plus spent each year on residential deck boards and railings. Colors are mixed into the material, from white to dark to faux wood grain.