Should I choose to go with composite/pvc decking or wood?

A lot of people tend to ask the question of should I choose to go with composite deck boards and aluminum railings, and that’s a good question. When I am talking to a customer about the pros and cons of composite/pvc they always ask the questions:

“ What would you put on your deck? ”

“ Do you think composite is worth the cost? ”

“ How much longer do you think a composite deck would last versus a standard wood deck? “

When asked those 3 questions which occur with nearly every customer I talk to I also talk about 3 main topics. – 1.Initial Cost Differences 2.Future Cost Differences 3. How long will the framing last

Initial Cost Differences:

The Initial cost of composite decking is always going to be significantly more expensive. The cost of a 16’ wood deck board is about a quarter of the cost of a 16’ composite board. Not to mention the cost of Aluminum Railings can be significant as well. We do not typically offer vinyl railings due to the weak lateral forces they don’t tend to have like wood or Aluminum does. We only install products we can back and trust with our fully confidence to keep the kids safe especially on decks that are higher up. The Composite & PVC boards are similar in price as well. It all comes down to how you want your dream deck to lock. The Composite/PVC Boards take a little bit more time to install due to the precision they are to be installed at

Future Cost Differences:

Believe it or not the cost of wood and Composite/PVC decks could be about the same after some time, Here why: While the initial cost of Composite/PVC are more, I always talk about the Future cost. After you place composite or PVC boards down with aluminum railing you don’t need to do any yearly maintenance, just give them a couple of garden hose washes throughout the year and your good to go. But on the wood side, after about a year or 2.

Customers usually have to stain their entire deck and railings every spring to keep the wood quality long lasting. This can be costly of not only the stain which can be pricey for higher quality ones/bigger decks but also the labor cost of cleaning your deck with a power washer to remove all the dirt/mildew and applying the new stain to ensure it covers all exposed areas of the deck well. Any parts missed with the new stain will rot out quicker than the rest of the deck and the decks that don’t get wash yearly can develop wood rotting and splitting within 5 years causing danger to any people who may use the deck with framing failures and splinters. – – – Wood decks can last about 20-25 years with proper care which can really add up throughout the years, sometimes surpassing the cost of a composite/PVC deck.

How long will the framing last:

I’ve seen well taken care of wood decks usually last around 15-25 years before the boards start to rot out or the framing starts to fail. Usually the first thing to go bad is the post because they are in contact with the ground. But with our Composite/PVC Decks you could expect to get 25-35 years so you better make sure you like the colors you choose. We do things different over here at Construction Kings, With all Composite/PVC decks we build, we seal the post with Post Saver ROT Protection to ensure they will last through the toughest soils. On top of the joist we use joist tape to prevent the tops from getting moldy from the elements.

For our Composite Deck boards we like to go with Trex, and for our PVC Deck boards we prefer a brand like Clubhouse or a high end brand called Millboard decking. For the railing we like to use Harmony Railing, They product the best options on the market for aluminum railing and our customers love not only how they look but how strong and sturdy they are when installed correctly. To view our Deck boards and Railing, Click here