Mold And Composite Decking Must Knows

Avoid Improper Decking Gaps

In our backyard tests, composites reached Fahrenheit 109° to 111° (Celsius 42.77° to 43.89°) on a sunny summer day where the air temperature was a relatively mild 85° (31.67°). When composite deck manufacturers compare their products to wood decks, they always compare to unsealed wood decks.

The product was installed in 2005 and began deteriorating after about 18 months. After contortions with their claim process, they sent a check for materials only and then only the bad boards. Well now,2 years later, the entire dock is deteriorating.

So unless some sort of anti-fungal material is added, wood flour can be a very attractive home for mold and mildew. Manufacturers caution in their care instructions that keeping the deck free of pollen and debris that may be food sources for mold is important to assuring a mold-free deck. What they forget to tell you is that the wood flour itself is a food source for mold.

Trex Company, Inc

A failed plastic seal that no longer protects the wood fiber filler is the fundamental flaw of wood-plastic composite decking. Composite decking companies themselves are much more circumspect. None now claims composite decks to be maintenance-free. The most they will venture is that their composite decks require "less maintenance" than wood decks.

We had come across several issues during the inspection of the deck. One issue of note was that the boards where cracking and splitting along the edges. Like most decking wood or composite there needs to be some space for expansion and contraction.

It is a different matter altogether as to how the different decking materials will look and perform over time as a result of mold . But composite decking is not completely recyclable like plastic decking because it is a mixture of wood and plastic. For its low maintenance and good looks, it's worth a look, but shop around. "Not all composites are equal," says Gordon Whittaker, owner of Alter Eagle. This type of decking is a little more expensive up front than wood materials. Where you save money is that you won’t have to treat a composite deck or porch, it won’t crack or splinter , and this material has exact, uniform coloring.

Wood And Composite Decking Review: Pros And Cons

Of course, the real value is in the time that you enjoy spending outdoors on your Trex deck. Our Cost Calculator will have your closest estimate for materials costs. Over the past few decades, composite decking has skyrocketed in popularity as an alternative to wood. Many new decks are being made with composite decking rather than wood, as manufacturers have led homeowners to believe that their products are superior to any real wood.

Trex Select is another fantastic option that offers quality decking materials at an affordable price. Available with shelled composite and railing, Trex Select brings superior durability and unparalleled aesthetics at an affordable price. While all three collections will help you transform your backyard space into the ultimate sanctuary, Trex Transcend is the best of the best. Transcend deck boards are made from 95% recycled boards with earth-friendly manufacturing processes to be more environmentally friendly than real wood. Trex Transcend is the revolutionary collection that first debuted in 2010. A proprietary nine-element surface formulation that produces a natural, wood-like grain pattern, it’s engineered with an exclusive low-sheen, high-traffic formulation.

Although PVC decking is made using synthetic materials, Trex decking is made from 95% recycled content and involves the combination of wood scraps and polyethylene. Reclaimed sawdust, offcuts, and household plastic waste are combined and ground down under heat and pressure to come up with composite decking products. Composite decking material uses a combination of plastic and wood fibers.

Sided Capped Board

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The Materials for Making a Modern Deck

Incredibly frustrating, unresponsive and inane.” Says Michael of Bend, OR. Cleaning complaints are fairly common problems with Trex decking that are actually an issue with all types of composite decking. Dirt clings to composite decking more so than wood and it stands out a lot more too. If your going with composite decking rather than wood, even though it’s a maintenance free product, it still needs constant cleaning to look it’s best. And by constant cleaning we mean more than just a simple sweeping or spraying with a hose. One of the most common complaints about composite decking is mold. Decking that is in shaded area or areas that tend to get wet frequently have been shown to grow mold and stain the deck.

So, if it is not protected, or the protection wears off, your composite deck becomes a giant smorgasbord for many species of mold and mildew no matter how clean you keep it. On the plus side, most composite manufacturers use waste wood products as filler, primarily sawmill waste but also post-consumer recycled wood products such as used wood pallets. The most common plastic binder used in composite deck boards is polyethylene.

It’s a good board, I’d place it up there in like the top 3 you can buy. We purchased our current home, as new, nearly 18 years ago. It came with a deck that was made with early type (uncapped?) composite decking. The spindles and posts were also made of the same material. The home builder was so impressed by the product he wished that he had used it for the large deck, he had recently built, on his own home.

A composite board not only expands across the width of the board but also along its length. The seasonal movement along the length of a 20' composite board may be as much as one inch. Expect just the cost of composite decking material itself to be two to five times more expensive than treated pine decking.

• Wood fades, molds, cracks, splinters, and needs to be treated and sealed regularly for the deck to maintain its original look and feel.
• This type of product came about to extinguish the problems of typical wood decking.
• The newer technologies come in a multitude of colors, grain patterns and thicknesses.
• Now that a little time has passed and some research has been done, these expansive claims are just not holding up.
• Composite decking is a decking material that is composed of several different recycled materials, though mainly hard plastic and wood.

Composite decks are designed to resist fading, scratches, staining, mold, or warping. They are safe and comfortable especially for families with kids and pets.