Benefits of Composite Decking for Homes in Fairfax, VA
Do you want to know what is hot in outdoor design in Fairfax, VA? Composite decking is all the rage. This is an amazing material for decking, with many great benefits for homeowners.
Topping the list of benefits:
Minimal maintenance: No staining or resealing is required to maintain composite decking as is required with wood. You will recoup the initial costs of composite decking over time with savings from not having to buy stains, re–sealant, and anti–fungal coatings for your deck.
Long–lasting: Unlike wood, composite decking doesn’t warp, rot, peel, split, splinter, or attract wood–boring insects common to Fairfax, VA. Composite decking is chemically treated during the manufacturing process to make sure it holds up for many years.
Fade Resistant: The first few months of the sun will cause composites to lighten slightly, but then any fading will stop. As you are aware, without semi–annual staining, wood will become gray in color.
20–foot Boards: Traditional wood boards are 12 to 16 feet and require more end joints. With 20–foot boards, the deck structure is stronger and more durable to typical stresses.
Recycled materials: If you have ever wondered about where all the milk jugs, plastic bags, yogurt containers, and other plastics in your recycling bin go, you will appreciate that composite manufacturing is one of the recipients. Recyclables are diverted from landfills to create strong decking materials. Remnants of lumbering such as wood chips and dust are also used in the process instead of burned.
What are the drawbacks? For you to make the most informed decision, here are a few things you should note. Composite decking is:
More expensive than traditional pine: Pressure–treated pine is somewhat lower cost than low–end composite decking – at least initially. See “Minimal Maintenance” above. Higher–end composite decking – solid decking with higher wood content and more wood–like appearance – is priced about the same as exotic woods such as ipe, a hardwood that hails from tropical rain forests.
Scratch prone: Rambunctious dogs and kids, sliding furniture, and certain shoes can scratch the surface of composite decking. While such scratches cannot be sanded out as with wood, over time, they tend to blend in with the deck as they do with finer woods.
Easily stained: Food and grease can stain composite decking, leaving brownish spots or streaks, especially in the beginning. These will typically blend in overtime – again not unlike wood – and be unnoticeable to most. This is just something to take note of as you make your decision.
Hot to the touch: Dark composites can get extremely hot after baking in the sun. This is true too of darker woods, though. Lighter pigments and deeper grooves will not absorb heat as readily and be safer for bare feet.
Not always good at mimicking wood: If you have your heart set on wood for its texture and grain for your home in Fairfax, VA, composite decking options may disappoint you a bit. Some are better than others at providing that look, but to the touch, it will be clear that it is not wood.