Decking Material

[spdljohn]

We are getting ready to build a dock at our lake lot. The covered gazebo will be built out of treated wood including the floor. However, for the ramp and the floating portion of the dock I am considering using composite decking material. I hate the way wood fades, warps, peels, cracks etc. Anybody have any experience and/or strong opinions why composite decking would be better or worse? Thanks.
David

 

[oldnslo]

I have seen some composition decks on homes that showed traffic wear patterns real bad. Not sure what brand of material or decking the was but it sure looked fake and really detracted from the looks of the home.

 

[DKCDKC]

Composite has some real advantages for typical decks, but one big disadvantage. It is costly. You should do some math as part of your selection process. For a recent deck I built the composite would have cost as much as several decks of wood - in other words it would have been cheaper to just replace the deck every few years than go for the durability of composite.

Of course, you still have the risk of splinters, etc., but not as much if you don't let the deck get old. I imagine all that would also apply to a boat dock.

 

[Fossil Farm]

We have had Trex on our deck for about 7 years. It was treated wood prior to that. We love it. No splinters, no staining, etc. We have the saddle and gray colors. Some slight fading on the saddle (brown) color, but it has held up very well. We also put the Trex on a couple seats on the dock of the pond. The deck is treated SYP. It is much nicer to sit on the Trex than SYP. A couple notes, depending on your use on the "floating portion of your dock." Not sure what you mean by that, but composites do not float. Drop a piece in the water and it goes straight to the bottom. It is heavy and it will chip if you drop something like a ladder on it !! But it machines nicely and has worked very well. I predrllled all the holes, probably did not have to, but it worked out well. The Robertson double threaded screws I used are steel, and would probably go to stainless and use a different head next time. Tried different bits, but still had problems with the Robertson's stripping for some reason. They usually are pretty good. Also, if you go with a composite, pay attention to the expansion requirements depending on the type of composite you use. You will notice the expansion depending on the season. Good luck.

 

[dodge man]

We have a large deck made of a material called Evergrain. I looks good and after about 5 years, its weathering well. It also has fairly good traction compared to some decking, its not so slippery when wet. The downside is its really expensive.

 

[KennyG]

We have had Azek on our deck for a year now. It has a wood grain finish and looks painted. It really doesn't have a "plastic" look. We're very happy with it. Yes, it's very expensive. However, maintenance is limited to power washing twice a year. Snow pushes off much easier than the wood deck.

If you are going with a composite, consider using more than one color. We have a light colored deck but "picture framed" it with a dark color. We also have multiple levels and edged the levels in the darker color to give a visual clue to the step for safety. The over all result is a more expensive look for the same cost.

 

[Tollster]

When composite first appear on the market, I recall UV rays took their toll, particularly in full sun, if your wife had planters on the deck, in the fall it was very apparent where they where during the summer. Research real well from real world users, also consider consumer reports once ya have it narrowed down some.

 

[kw22614]

As well as composite being more expensive, it can't span the same distances as traditional wood. Your supports should be about 12"oc which will also greatly increase your expediture. With that said, some of the better public/state floating docks at boat ramps are composite. It's a much greater outlay at the onset, but considering maint and replace costs over the coming years, it's well worth it.

 

[koamfps]

I have a solid Trex deck. I put it in ten years ago and love it. No problems at all. As far as span Not sure about that I put in a 20 x 24 deck with a 2 foot canlever. I was able to buy my Trex in 24 foot lengths.
I would call around. Very few companies are making soild material anymore. The material is either fluted or hollowed.

 

[kevinwak]

I have Trex and love it. Very pricey, but doesn't fade and isn't slippery like some of the cheaper composites. I have the model with grooved edges so the boards are held down by a side clip!

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