Non-Wood Options for Elevated Backyard Deck?

[ultrarunner]

Interesting option. I did not see it on the website but does the surface get slippery at all?

Dakota Oak is their premium plank and from the website has been offered only since 2016?

My former tenants would cordon off the deck and steps in winter calling it an ice skating rink... it would get real slick when wet.

Have not heard back from the contractor since I mentioned aluminum planks...

I was also thinking about aluminum framing but the last thing I want is a deck that is noisy and squeaks under foot

ND Finishes

 

[tow653]

We have timbertech composite,put down with hidden fasteners, love it so far, going on 5yrs. Note no but seams.

 

[newbury]

Not to horn in too much on ultrarunner's thread BUT

I'm in the initial throes of trying to plan decks for a house in Northern Virginia.

The house we "rent" to my son and family. It's a former Cape Cod that was about 26x30 and we added on (at fair expense) a section about 24x36. And NO porch. The house REALLY needs a porch.

Because of small children and splinters I'm thinking of composite decking. Years ago, maybe a decade by now I built a platform for a a shed with what Home Depot was selling for composite and it has not decomposed at all. But now there must be a dozen competing brands all claiming to be best.
And the width seems to vary from "nominal 6" to 5.25".

So what are "good" brands I can probably get from 84 lumber (Trex/Azek/Timbertech) or Home Depot (what 84 has plus Veranda, and Fiberon) or Lowes (what 84 has plus Armadillo and Tropics)?

 

[grsthegreat]

I have only gone thru 1 winter, but it is not slippery in the least. In the heat of tge day the deck stays pretty cool, almost like the old wood deck. The aluminum disapoates the heat. Ive been wirking on composite decks in summer and believe me they get hot.

 

[grsthegreat]

Dakota Oak is their premium plank and from the website has been offered only since 2016?

My former tenants would cordon off the deck and steps in winter calling it an ice skating rink... it would get real slick when wet.

Have not heard back from the contractor since I mentioned aluminum planks...

I was also thinking about aluminum framing but the last thing I want is a deck that is noisy and squeaks under foot

ND Finishes

With standard wood framing, the aluminum planks cut like butter with a thin kerf boade and a chop saw. Cut as clean and as fast as wood. Composite decks can clog chop saw blades . I had no problems with mine, cept it is noisy cutting it.

 

[grsthegreat]

Dakota Oak is their premium plank and from the website has been offered only since 2016?

My former tenants would cordon off the deck and steps in winter calling it an ice skating rink... it would get real slick when wet.

Have not heard back from the contractor since I mentioned aluminum planks...

I was also thinking about aluminum framing but the last thing I want is a deck that is noisy and squeaks under foot

ND Finishes

it was shipped 4 planks per package with paper barriers protecting finished side, and sealed in cardboard. Not a single scratch on anything. Very impressed.

 

[ultrarunner]

All are welcome...

I've learned a lot since starting this thread... mostly how much I don't know plus all the options that are out there.

Just spoke with the builder and he is not adverse to Aluminum... custom builds a lot of docks with Aluminum... just never used it for a residential deck.

 

[hawkeye08]

I'm interested in this aluminum decking.. perfect timing as we are nearly ready to start. Ours is not near as extensive as Ultra's, but is big enough to be a sizeable expense.

 

[California]

I'm facing the same problem, north of San Francisco where ocean fog overnight often leaves the redwood deck wet in the morning. Like the deck that preceded it, it lasted only 25 years and now has rot at the ends of a few planks where they meet over the joists. I bought replacement redwood lumber to piece in the damaged spots for now.

Each Redwood 2 x 6 x 14 ft was near $40 with tax!!!

Replacing the whole deck and structure using redwood would be too expensive at today's prices. I need to find an alternative.

 

[newbury]

I'm facing the same problem, north of San Francisco where ocean fog overnight often leaves the redwood deck wet in the morning. Like the deck that preceded it, it lasted only 25 years and now has rot at the ends of a few planks where they meet over the joists. I bought replacement redwood lumber to piece in the damaged spots for now.

Each Redwood 2 x 6 x 14 ft was near $40 with tax!!!

Replacing the whole deck and structure using redwood would be too expensive at today's prices. I need to find an alternative.

That's about the price of 1x6x16 Trex here, from Lowes.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Have y'all mentioned about how expensive the aluminum decking is per ft2?

 

[grsthegreat]

not cheap at all.....a 12' section was $68.00 , for the premium color. it was more expensive than composite. But i have a deck that will outlast me.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

not cheap at all.....a 12' section was $68.00 , for the premium color. it was more expensive than composite. But i have a deck that will outlast me.

12x6" or 5.5” or ?
Thanks

 

[aczlan]

If I went with the watertight planks it would protect the framing... and after 15 years the framing is starting to get punky in the gaps between the planks.

You could also put a piece of ice and water shield types of self-adhesive roofing membrane on top of each frame board. That will protect it from water from up on top.

Aaron Z

 

[ultrarunner]

not cheap at all.....a 12' section was $68.00 , for the premium color. it was more expensive than composite. But i have a deck that will outlast me.

Yes... that is still a good number... 5.74 lf for premium wood grain and 3.99 for solid color... with planks covering 6" in width up to 24' long...

Also sell Aluminum Joists at $274 ea.

 

[newbury]

heres a few close up pics showing gaps. i dont have any trees near mine so i cant tell you about needle cleanup.View attachment 552725View attachment 552726

i can assure you that this deck went together in the same amount of time as a wood deck would. there are no face screws in deck, only in the trim. it comes with spacers that screw into joists. Nextdeck will send you a free sample package showing all parts and colors

Thanks for the pics.
Note specs here.

not cheap at all.....a 12' section was $68.00 , for the premium color. it was more expensive than composite. But i have a deck that will outlast me.

Do you know if the 24' was twice the cost?

Yes... that is still a good number... 5.74 lf for premium wood grain and 3.99 for solid color... with planks covering 6" in width up to 24' long...

Are those prices per piece? per 12' piece? per foot?

And any mention of increase if tariffs kick in?

 

[ultrarunner]

The price is per Lineal Foot with no distinction between a 12 foot length or a 24 foot length.

$68 for a 12 foot length would be $136 for a 24' length of the more expensive wood grain finish.

No mention of tariff adjustment but I did not ask.

Company ask if I had a plan to send and that would be used to come up with a list of material and price... freight is extra and billed at cost.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

The price is per Lineal Foot with no distinction between a 12 foot length or a 24 foot length.

$68 for a 12 foot length would be $136 for a 24' length of the more expensive wood grain finish.

No mention of tariff adjustment but I did not ask.

Company ask if I had a plan to send and that would be used to come up with a list of material and price... freight is extra and billed at cost.

Dang, I thought those were per square foot numbers! Hadn't thought about the terrifs either. Be redoing my deck next summer. I guess aluminum probably will be out of the question by then...

 

[ultrarunner]

Let's see if the price PDF will work?

 

[grsthegreat]

i didnt compare to trex, but we did compared to a higher grade composite that they sell up here in Idaho. i forget the name, but it was thicker than trex. the alum came in at aprox 25% more in overall cost, but they had to add shipping to that. i had order shipped to a main terminal in Spokane as opposed to my house, and this cut the ship cost by over 50%. i picked it up from dock myself.

The thing that sold me on this was the fact that i wont ever have to mess with it again...ever. My old wood deck had to be constantly resanded, bleached and restained. The old steel handrails had been removed, sandblasted and repainted 2 times in past 20 years. ENOUGH ALREADY.

i went with powder coated aluminum to eliminate the hassles once and for all