Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Thin Trex-like material to overlay deck?

Does anyone know if thin (say, 1/4") synthetic decking material (like a Trex) is made? I'd think there'd be a market for a product like this so people like me could overlay their cracking/peeling/checking PT decking and reduce their maintenance load.

Thanks,

Tom (first time poster)

geezer123,

Welcome to DoItYourself.com and the Deck forum.

No, none of the composite mfgrs. make anything for decking that thin because it won't hold up if you lay it directly on another surface.

Remove the PT deck boards and install the composite on the existing framing, assuming that it is in good condition. Be aware that most composites will only span 16", so you may have to add an additional joist between each of your existing.

Geezer,

Don't give up hope. I have seen a mfg. that makes just such a product, it might not be a composite though, perhaps vinyl. My old age isn't allowing me to remember the exact product though

Mark

Here is one such product that I know nothing about.

http://www.lbplastics.com/products/decking/deck-cover/default.html

and here is a patent application

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6584748-description.html

Mark

Mr. Barnum told us that there was one born everyday.

Doesn't matter if it's a composite or a vinyl. If you try to overlay it over wood, you will trap mositure between the two and SOMETHING is going to rot or fail.

Thanks for the pointer, dooer, to www.lbplastics.com . I've contacted them for more information. I can see your point, Lefty, about water being trapped; I hadn't thought about that. This product, called Deck Cover, is not solid, but extruded with channels underneath that would seem to me to be able to prevent trapping moisture. Thoughts?

Thanks for the prompt responses.

Tom

I wouldn't overlay wood deck boards with anything. Even with channels extruded on the bottom, you are still going to have contact points between the overlay and the wood where water/moisture will get trapped and sit for days, which will cause the wood to start rotting.

The weakest point on a deck is the top of the joists, where water/moisture gets trapped and starts rotting the tops of the joists. That's why I install Vycor or some other similar material on the joist tops on most of the decks that I build.

By simply overlaying the the deck boards, you have no way of knowing the condition of the joist tops of your deck. Rather than take the chance of covering up rot, I would remove the PT deck boards, add additional joists if needed to reduce the span of the deck boards, and then install new decking.

If you choose a decking that will span whatever your joist spacing presently is, the cost difference between that decking and the Deck Cover product will probably be virtually nothing.

Mike, I even have customers get into Trex or similar products, and want me to remove their old decking and replacing it with Trex, with the mind set that it will last forever. I have to explain to them, it will only last as long as your framing members last, no longer. It seems to bring them back to earth. So, I agree with you about overlaying. In addition, overlaying will change the overall look, thickness, etc. of the deck profile, and it may not be pretty.