Cons of composite decking: An honest review

[@MichaelJ674]

4 out of 5 of the cons mentioned are also potential cons of wood decking; the only true difference among the issues mentioned is that PVC-based/coated decking gets significantly hotter than wood. Millboard composite decking (mineral based) does not use PVC and does not get as hot as Trex, TimberTech, etc. In my opinion, the following are the REAL cons of PVC-based composite decking: 1. Cost. Composite decking costs more than wood for the decking material and fasteners unless you go with a really exotic and expensive wood species. The framing costs are higher for composite decking, too, as you really need to use 12” o.c. joist spacing to completely eliminate sagging and bowing (even though most mfr’s allow 16” o.c. framing) and requires a double joist at every butt joint plus extra framing to support the “picture frame“ border typically used to hide the cut ends of the deck boards. Wood decking is typically installed over 16” o.c. framing and some wood decking can be installed over 24” o.c. framing. Note that Millboard composite decking can be installed over 16” o.c. framing and does not require double joists at butt joints. It has the highest material cost of all composite decking options, however. 2. Dimensional stability. PVC-based composite decking has a much higher coefficient of expansion than wood or Millboard and therefore requires 1/8” - 3/16” joints at the ends that open and close as the material cools down and heats up respectively. Wood decking can be butt jointed with no gaps and Millboard decking requires only a 1mm gap (about 1/32”). 3. Aesthetics. PVC-based composite decking will always look and feel like cheap plastic to me even though it’s more expensive than wood. This is personal opinion and there are many people who like the look of Trex or TimberTech better than wood. To me, you just can’t improve on the look and feel of real wood, but you have to be prepared to do at least annual maintenance on a wood deck and you will still likely have to replace the decking much sooner than composite. Wood is not a viable option for those unwilling or unable to do the regular maintenance required. In my opinion, Millboard is a nice middle ground in terms of aesthetics vs. maintenance as it looks like real wood (the surface polymer is cast from pieces of real wood) and requires virtually no maintenance over the life of its 25 year warranty. Again it is the most expensive option in terms of the material cost for the decking, but may be worth it for some because of its many benefits. Whatever you decide, I recommend you have fun with it and don’t look back once you’ve decided which decking material to use. All decking options have pros and cons and you should pick what’s right for you.

[@spelunkerd]

This single comment was far better than the content of the video.

[@SenseiFire]

@@spelunkerd For sure, the video makes little sense for most of it. You cant say something is a con and the say everything else also suffers from the same issue, then that's just normal not a con...

[@CBB-rf9ls]

Is there something to treat the cut ends with so it wont swell?

[@okbaumgaertner7126]

Good question!

[@jimsmith8324]

Here's my honest review after spending $66K on a Deckorators deck: Boards have deep grooves, hard to clean. I am talking hands and knees cleaning. I had one bad board, worthy of a warranty claim. They want me to take care of it on my dime and they will replace. But, they want the labor cost to be $25! Really? WTF? I can't get a kid to cut my lawn for $25t. Warranty is crap. I will sue the company after I pay to replace the board.

[@Cosmic_Drake]

What’s the best deck brand to prevent many of those cons?

[@jimharvard]

i would say to the above deck guy: "nice try but no cigar!" this guy obviously either sells composite decking or he installs that product. here's a "few" CONS that he somehow failed to mention about composite decking. 1. wooden cedar or pressure treated wood (standard wood decking) can be installed over a sub-frame of up to 24" "on center" but is usually installed on sub-floor linear boards at 16" "on center." composite decking MUST have a sub-frame planking with NO MORE THAN 12" "on center" between the boards as composite decking cannot have more than that span or it will warp or "droop" in the void between boards. this fact adds substantial cost to materials. 2. ALL composite decking has an "embossed" fake wood grain surface to it for appearance. this grain pattern is VERY "shallow" and if a board gets a deep scratch or cut, this damage cannot be repaired by "sanding" it out. if one attempts to do this, all the embossed surface pattern will be removed and the board will not match any of the adjoining boards. all wooden decking can have scratches sanded out as "wood grain" goes through the entire "natural" board. 3. ALL composite decking WILL fade and darker colors fade more than lighter ones do. if you have to remove a deck board due to damage (that cannot be fixed), any replacement board will not match. that is not the case with wood products. even if a wood deck has fading due to weathering, wood can usually be sanded or refinished to match older adjoining boards. 4. "chalking surface powder" tends to form on composite (plastic) decking over time as the plastic decomposes. this powder can be scrubbed off, however, an entire deck will have to be cleaned. wood decking does NOT suffer this problem. 5. wood decking can be stained or painted if the homeowner wants to change a look or just "renew" the look. because composite decking is a plastic product, stain and/or paint will not soak into it like wood. any attempt to paint or stain composite decking will likely NOT take as it will flake off or scratch easily. to have the best chance of a paint adhering to a composite deck, you would need to treat the deck with an acid etching product and then cover with a plastic designed primer BEFORE you applied paint. for a large deck, going through all this process would become very expensive. 6. warping due to heat or a near fire. composite decking is PLASTIC and plastic will warp when it gets too hot. look at vinyl siding on a houses in an area that has very hot summers. you will see what is called "longitudinal distortion" which is the siding warping and bending under excess heat. AND if there is an open fire close to a composite deck, there is a chance of warping the deck. wood decks will not warp under heat and even if they become blackened or scorched, this surface damage can usually be sanded out. 6. COST. this is a MAJOR concern! composite decking is VERY EXPENSIVE!! various contractors might bid a simple 10'x14' "on ground" wood deck for around $8000 dollars. the same deck made out of composite decking will cost at least DOUBLE that price! 7. special tools. because composite decking is plastic, it uses different attachment hardware and special cuts or angles may become a problem. not all contractors that install decks install composite decks due to the significant difference with wood decking. ANY contractor that has a good "carpenter" can do a wood deck and this fact may give the homeowner a better chance of being able to afford the deck they want.

[@deryckj]

But wood decking only lasts 5 to 6 years here in the south. Treated wood has been destroyed by the environmental wackos.

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

Id say cost is the big one.....Im building my own deck currently and the composite is 5 times as expensive not even accounting for variables. I think it looks better but not 5 times better. Timbertech cost almost more than my entire lumber delivery for a covered deck😆

[@jimharvard]

@@Burritosarebetterthantacos spending 5 times the amount a wood deck costs doesn't sound like a reasonable deal to me. i've talked to people who spent a lot of money on a composite deck and then were not happy with the color after some direct sunlight or the "chalky" look after a few years of weathering. i'm just not a fan of plastic decking.

[@28704joe]

Thanks for the concise comment.

[@HeavyDutyHillbilly]

Refinishing a wood deck cleaning, sanding and painting is about 3/4 the price of putting new composite decking down. Just priced it out this week. Obviously you like wood which is fine but don't rag on people with different ideas than yours you just come off as a know it all douch. Just saying

[@stevenanderson9660]

What about being slippery when wet

[@busterbrown1686]

Don't play basketball on it. Slippier than wood, but it's not ice.

[@tedhicks5431]

I need decking to be longer than 20 feet

[@stevenchadderdon9061]

composite is not worth the cost. it's super hot during the summer, it scratches, it's hard to clean, and all for the cost of longevity doesn't make it worthwhile

[@busterbrown1686]

Mu brother in law and I built our decks in 2003, I paid $3,500 for materials using Eon a PVC all plastic decking foe 20x25 deck. He paid $2,500 for a 28x20 cedar. Mine faded within 6 months, but has been care free ever since. Mean while every 2 years he has to pressure wash and buy 6 gallons of stain. He has replaced over 15 deck boards and rail spindles and his deck always looks dried out. The carpenter bees love him He curses and admits his short sighted decision all the time. Composite is a down grade from PVC, but way better than wood. The pros significantly outweigh the cons.

[@SuperBroop]

So, composite is just fine

[@cometcal2]

A "Con" is when a company makes claims about a product and those claims turn out not to be true.

[@patrickmckowen2999]

Good info👍

[@sirkildalot8409]

If it can stain then you can fix it fading.

[@MrBorderdown]

Everything you've said is completely wrong or irrelevant. Wood stain fades faster, wood scratches easier. I have 7 year old composite that has not faded in the slightest. Wood stains way worse than composite. Composite is far more liquid resistant than wood. Composite is cooler than composite. You can check this with an IR camera. Wood burns your feet regardless. This video is so disingenuine.

[@waynedavies3185]

Our Stupid Landlord is taking out a sound wooden porch and replacing it with a Composite porch. Once it is finshed, we will never be able to use it like we did with the old over 100 yrs old wooden porch. Haet would radiate from that plastice flooring enough that no-one will be able to sit out on the front porch anymore. It will become wasted space at our house. If the sun beats on it (and it will), it will be like walking on super hot sand, and burn your feet if walked on barefoot. Heat will break down that Composite board over time and not last like the old wooden porch did for so many years in the past. Renters at our building are just livid with the Landlord about this. It would have cost less to replace the old worn out boards on the wooden deck, than buy a whole new Plastic/wood Compositer deck. A well repaired woodden deck would outlast this piece of crap and be more enjoyable to use in the end for all the renters. Sometimes Landlords suck and don't know what they are doing.

[@billwong553]

How many times have you posted this comment?