Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Rebuilding large deck....

Im planning on rebuilding my deck next Spring and was trying to get a heads up on what materials to use.

I was all set to use Trex/generic Trex and call it a day but now I read about things like easily scratching, etc.

Most likely I can get any brand of composite wood (there are enough home-stores and lumber yards nearby), so I was wondering if anyone knew of the "best" (I know, their probably isnt an absolute best) in regards to not scratching easily, not looking moldy, etc.

Or maybe Im barking up the wrong tree and should just consider replacing the PT with more PT or Redwood? The deck is 40'x17' (huge!), but I dont mind spending the $$$ to do it right the first time. We also have a little one on the way, which is mostly why I considered the composite stuff (little ones require enough maintenance, I dont need the deck to also!)

Thanks in advance!
-Chris

me too. my deck is covered & considering good ol Doug Fir! My old one held up fine for 18 yrs with zero maintenance.
neighbors here having problems with the expansion & contractions & staining[with the trex type products]
other friend got a redwood 2 yrs ago- yikes- lots of work & knots have fallen apart.
I think 20x 40 is my size- whole lot of expense..some carpenters are not up to speed on the Trex type too..

Chris,
Stay away from PTW. In about 2 or 3 years it will develop cracks which lead to splintering. it will not be safe for a child that is barefoot. Also I think the manufacturers are still using dangerous chemicals to treat this wood. From the replies I see about using wood as a deck surface are against using it mostly because of the maintenance in keeping it up. Some may have luck, but I suspect these decks are not subject to extreme weather conditions.
On the other hand, the composites hold their shape, do not cup, splinter or crack. Be aware that contractors that use wood over composites do so because wood is easier to work with. A lot of them want also to use a power nailer to speed up installation. Nails will pop. Use deck screws instead. Its more labor time but you won't be sorry.
I am not sure if the composites are meant to be painted or stained but check with the manufacturer. Some composites can be ordered in a variety of colors that may hold up better then those without color and are painted or stain by the purchaser. Check the manufacturer web sites for more information.
When you rip off the deck surface, look over all the joist's for large cracks. Both nails and screws would be useless if used on these areas. You may need to install two by fours along side of the crack joists for a new screw surface. All surfaces will scratch. What you need to determine is to find out if the composite is easily repairable. I suspect it is.

Hi Chris.

Trex and generic copies are a pretty good matieral, but it is also one of the softer comp decking products on the market. You may want to try a harder/denser comp decking, like LP Weatherbest, if you are concered with scratching. The best looking/longest lasting combination would be to use a comp decking product on top of pressure treated centers. Since all comp decking on the market today mushrooms with the use of a "normal screw" I'd definately reccomending using c-deck screws, which you can find at Screw Products' website. (http://www.screw-products.com/composite-deck-screw.htm) They make installing comp decking just as easy as wood. Hope that answers your question.

Oh, two more things. No, you should not paint or stain comp decking, it comes in whichever color you purchase, and most require no maintenance at all, with the exception that you may want to hose it off or pressure wash it a couple times a year. In regard to pressure treated lumber being unsafe, this is why the manufacturers recently switched over to the new ACQ treatment, which is essentially non toxic. However, the ACQ is also much more corrosive then the older method of chemical treatment, and requires the use of either coated, HDG, or stainless fasteners.

-deckguy

My dad just rebuit his deck that's about 600 sf. He used a composite decking material called Evergrain. Our uncle is a home remodeler and he highly recommended Evergrain decking material. They are suppossed to last a lifetime. I think the cost was marginally higher. Anyway, he said it was worth the investment.

Hope that helps. Cheers.

Chris,

I've used Weather Best and like it. But it will scratch. Virtually any of the composites will due to the wood content making them fairly soft. Pro Cell is 100% vinyl, and scratching isn't an issue with it.

Price differences between wood, composites and vinyl depends on what you are comparing them to. Around here, composites run from about $1.70 to $2.25 per linear foot for a 5/4 X 6 or 2X6. Pro Cell is $2.60 per lin. ft. 2x6 Con Heart Redwood starts at about $2.25 per lin. ft. and goes up from there. On a 17' X 40' deck (680 sq. ft.), you are talking about $1400 at the most in price difference -- the difference between about 10K and $11K for material.

Lefty,

Out of curiousity, I haven't had a chance yet myself; Have you tried the new deep grain Weatherbest? It looks like it might be more resistant to scratching, but its hard to tell. I've heard you can remove scratches from most composite decking with steel wool or a heavy duty wire brush, anyone tried that?
Thanks.

-deckguy

Haven't had a chance to try the deep grain WB yet.

My experience with trying to remove scratches with steel wool or a wire brush is that you end up with 'bald spots', and they look worse than the scratches. Best thing that I have found to do with scratches is to leave them alone and they eventually wear off and/or blend in. Deep gouges usually mean replacing the board.