I am building a new deck and I am considering Weyerhaeuser Choice deck & Trex. Any suggestions vs these and good IPE wood

Kim,
Uh, I think I said it all in the above column. You might read it again.

Tim.,
So which composite deck manufacturer responded to your questions?
Joe

Joe,
It was Louisiana Pacific.

Thank you for the information Tim. I own a large decking construction Company in South Africa and we are at the verge of starting using composite decking made in China. I will certainly approach with great caution.

Sam,
You are most welcome. Be sure it has some type of internal preservative and anti-fungal chemical.

Tim, In 2000 we installed a decking material called "E Wood" on a large front porch. To say the least, we have had nothing but problems with the product. It shrinks so much that we have 1+ inch gaps between the boards. These are now not secure to the supports. The decking is extremely slippery when wet to the point that you have to be holding onto a railing or you will take a fall. It is curling at various places, etc. We have reinstalled the decking three times, with the same results. We've contacted the selled (Home Depot) and the distributor (Cascade McFarland) but have yet to receive much help. At the last communication with Cascade we were told that we would just have to live with it.
Have you ever heard of a recall or other actions regarding this horrible decking product? We are open to any suggestions. Thank You, Jill

Jill,
I have not heard a thing about any recalls on this, but I have not been actively searching. Do an intensive Wed search. My guess is that you will discover that your purchase price was a tuition payment to the College of Hard Knocks.

I amagine that trex was one that did not respond.Have you heard of any site that gives recalls on these products?

Jason,
You may be correct...... Just Google recall notices.

I am considering composite for my 750 sq ft deck and was hoping you could give me your opinion on Timber Tech. Have you heard much on this product? I look up Trex and Correct Deck and find all sorts of problems about mold, etc. I do not find much about Timber Tech.

I purchased some 2x6 hollow decking, about 7 years ago and as I now need some more of the same kind.. I find the type hard to find. Please advise..... There are two groves on each plank.
Thanks Per

Katie,
Did you read the column above?????? Have you asked the Timber Tech people what preservative is in their product????

How is EON decking? The deck is not solid like Trex. Why is that? When I called they said it was for expansion purpose. Is this true?

Amy,
I can't answer that. My guess is that they just had a different idea in mind with respect to manufacturing.

Can you save me some time and tell me which manufacturer/brand contains the zinc borate??

What covers your deck at home.

Jenn,
Louisiana Pacific.

Gary,
I don't have my own wood deck.

please let me know any new info good or bad. I am thinking about importing this type of product to latin america for use on some new housing developments under construction at this very moment. I want to be sure I have good product to give them the best result. thank you very much. Steve

What about decking called Crosstimbers? Any information on them?

Thanks

Shawn,
I have none. When you contacted them, what preservative did they say they used?

Tim,

Has there been an update to the white papers you referenced?

ChoiceDek's website states that they use no preservatives. From reading your article, this would rule them out as an option. Has anything changed since your research to modify your recommendation?

Thanks,

Ken H.

Ken,
I have had no time to poll the manufacturers. You know what to ask, so try to find one that has the borate chemical.

I am currently considering a composite wood deck & will take you comments above seriously when deciding what products to use. I have heard several times that composite decking is very hot in the summer...to the point you can't walk on it in bare feet and it is even uncomfortable in shoes. Is this true? My back yard faces the west, so I get a lot of afternoon sun. I'd hate to put all that time & expense into building a deck I can't stand to use.

Marsha,
Great question!!! You know what I always tell people? Test it......

Go buy an 8-foot length of the material. Cut it into four 2-foot pieces. Fasten it to two 2x4s that mimic deck joists. Place the panel in the middle of your deck. Report back here with your findings at 5:00 pm on a blazing hot summer day when there is not a cloud in the sky and the test panel has been in direct sun for hours.

HI TIM,
I AN HANDICAPPED AND AM CONSIDERING BUILDING A RAMP OF COMPOSITE DECKING..WOULD YOU CONSIDER THIS A GOOD PRODUCT FOR THIS PROJECT?
I AM LOOKING AT TREX AT HOME DEPOT OR ONE AT LOWES..CAN YOU ADVISE ME WHAT PRODUCT IS BETTER FOR THIS PROJECT AND DO YOU THINK IT IS STRONG ENOUGH FOR A MOTORIZED WHEEL CHAIR TO USE ON A REGULAR BASIS..
THANKS FOR YOU TIME.
SINCERELY
JAN DIOLOSA

Jan,
I would read this column again and then do your due diligence to see if Trex contains the chemicals needed to treat the wood.

Tim: Iam thinking of using a product called Brock Decking. Do you know of it or have any experience with it compared to the composite decking.

Pri,
I have not yet installed that one. Did you check to verify if it has a wood preservative?

I have a customer that would like no wood whatsoever in the building of his deck. He is open to composite decking, but wants no wood in the substructure. Do you have any recommended products that I could use for this project??? thanks, jason

How do you feel about 100% pvc decking? It seems it might hold up better than the composites.

Tim,
I noticed that Louisiana Pacific had sold their composite deck manufacturing. Do you know if the new company maintained the same product anti-fungal protection?

Tim,
In 2002 I built a deck with Geodeck material. In 2007 I started to notice slight discoloration/fading and molding, then came the worst. My deck boards actually began falling apart (degrading), they just crumbled! Well after submitting a warranty claim with the manufacturer (and receiving an approval letter for coverage), the company ceased operations and I never received a penny from them. The total estimate is $15K to replace my deck. I've contacted other individuals who have had bad experiences with this product and there is a class action lawsuit pending. The website is www.geodeckclassaction.com to submit a complaint and join in the lawsuit. I know there are hundreds/thousands of others out there who need help so I hope this is informational to anyone viewing. Please consider making this public information avavilable through a newspaper column...THANKS!

im looking to install a large composite deck in the ny area very confused on which decking i should buy or not buy please help

Tim: We are in the process of installing a composite deck with materials from a company called Monarch. I just read a blurb from TOH, and Monarch did not get a good review. Do you have any experience with this material? Any comments? Thanks!

So Louisiana Pacific was the only manufacturer that responded with concise, written answers to your questions. Is there any chance that we could have a look? I'd also be very interested to know your opinion of their responses. Did they have some type of internal preservative and anti-fungal chemical in their product? Also, would you recommend sealing this product when installed? Thanks!

As Mark Harris noted, it seems that Louisiana-Pacific has indeed sold the rights to their Weatherbest decking products to Fiber Composites, LLC. (Afraid of being sued?)

http://www.lpcorp.com/globalutilities/lpweatherbestinformation.aspx

Knowing that, are you privy to any useful information on this new company? They claim that they'll maintain "business as usual," in their article, but we all know that isn't always the case. Do you still believe the Weatherbest decking material to be a superior grade material? Are there any new decking materials currently available that could potentially be a better choice?

Hello,
The staff at my local Lowe's store informed me that if I install composite decking in a very sunny spot, the deck material temperature can reach up to 140 degree's F.

Is this really possible, for the Northeast US?

Thanks,

I'm glad I found your site. I'm about to spend several thousand dollars replacing my wood decking. Since composite decking seems to have problems just like wood. What would suggest for material instead off composite? 100% plastic or vynal?

Tim,

I believe CorrectDeck CX also uses the zinc borate (they call it MicroBan). Are you saying WeatherBest is the only one that replied? Did you inquire of CorrectDeck? I know, however, that even with this additive they do not warranty against mold or mildew.

Tim,

I am using composite decking material to build above the ground garden boxes. I have heard that there may be concern with preservatives leaching from the decking material into the soil beds adn eventually the graden produce. Is this a concern?

AsktheBuilder,
Did the Louisiana Pacific product contain zinc borate?

It does not appear that tim is responding to this thread any longer. I fear it may be dead.

Does anyone know anything about Azek decking material which has no wood products in it?

Tim, Am planning to replace my PTW deck and would like to use composite material. Would like to use recycled material but am concerned about quality assurance. Have read your comments about chemical treatment of wood fiber filler to prevent rot but remain skeptical. One product, AZDEK, claims to be PVC with "beneficated flax additives". Flax is organic. Same problem? Any technical material available like ASTM to sift out the "peddler talk"? Thanks for info.

I just installed a new composite deck and someone told me that there was a self sticking strip that matches the deck color that can lay acreoss the seem where the boards meet. All boards meet in a straight line, so one long strip should hide the seem. Home Depot and Lowes knows nothing of it.

We are planning to put quartzite slate on a covered deck. What do we need to use under the slate? also, how what do we use around the wood upright posts we have on our deck (timber frame style home)?

Do you recomend Procell composite decking?

I am looking for a composite decking like that of an old time wrap around porch, it needs to be tongue and grooved is there any products out there. If not can this product be plained with tongue and groove chamfurers. and what kind of expansion will if have

I have a multi-level deck that I built back in 1991. The bones are pressure treated lumber, all above ground, on concrete sona-tube piers. The decking and all visual elements are red cedar. there is good air flow under the deck as it is raised above ground anywhere from two feet to five feet with good circulation.

I was given bum information back then by the cedar supplier who told me not to space the decking because it was still wet wood and would contract upon drying out. Here we are 17 years later and the wood never did shrink. Years of making sure the joints were constantly kept free of debris by a combo of vacuuming and pressure washing has resulted in a losing battle. Numerous stain preps and reapplication probably prolonged its life but not by much in my estimation. Most of the deck is rotting at the touch points whre no air gaps ever developed even though stain was loaded here, particularly on the ends of the deck boards.

A few of the worst deck boards were replaced at a significantly higher price than I am prepared to pay, so I am now at a crossroads. The rest of the decking appears to be rotting out at a consistent rate, as in almost all at once.

I was going to replace all of the deck boards with some sort of composite, but the more I read the less enthused I have become. Unless I can get a bulk pallet discount on cedar, I may have to retreat to using pressure treated lumber.

From all I have researched and read, it appears that composite materials are NOT the way to go. Has anyone had good luck with ANY of these products? I have no issue with direct replacement with no modifications as my deck is overbuilt with the deck span distances more than adequate for even the thinnest composite material. The wear, tear, and performance levels of what appear to be ALL composites seems to be extremely disappointing.

I will go with a price premium for the best in composite as long as I am guaranteed long life, good looks, and reasonable maintenance. Or, should I stick with wood decking, period?

We are in the process of replacing a Rhino Deck (Mastermark Plastics) and would like to use the Timbertech products. How do they hold up with a northern exposure (almost full and constant sun) in a northern Ohio climate? The Rhino Deck molded, warped, and split.

Consumer Reports did an evaluation on Deck Materials and it appears that they rated plastic decking over composite material. Overall products like Deck Lok, Eon Classic, and Azek with Procell seemed to be solid choices. Your best bet when using these products is to over engineer the joist spans as these product seem to be slightly weak in the stiffness and sagging categories. Mildew resistance is high as is resitance to color change, slipping and staining. Cost is, on average, about $100 to $150 more than composite for the same square footage.

Of course the ultimate in performance all the way around, if you can tolerate the look, feel, and "sound" of aluminum is Lockdry which is a total aluminum product with solid high marks in all categories

I would like to find a composite decking material that can be used on an existing deck(structurally sound yet unsightly) to sheath or cover the deck. The deck planks are 2x6 redwood that was not neatly installed and not maintained for several years. The result is a lot of rough appearance due to errant saw cuts, screw holes and splits in the decking.

So what type of wood do you recommend for a deck? I am in the early planning stages of building a 45' by 16' deck. It will be about 30 inches off the ground.

I installed a rooftop deck with P.T. framing and Eon decking late last year on my Chicago townhome. I am quite pleased with it overall. The material does get pretty hot from solar gain and you can either hose it down occasionally or wear flip-flops. There is also a static charge that develops from walking on the product but it's no worse than being inside a cold climate home and walking on carpet. The decking feels solid underfoot and has shown no signs of fading (although it is just getting into it's second year). I would not hesitate from recommending it to friends and family. I am a home inspector here in Chicago and have seen a few examples of the Eon decking that has been around several years and they all still looked good.

Doug,

Go with pressure treated lumber for all of the structural elements. Get deck design info to select properly sized materials for spans, deck load, etc. For decking, trim, railings, etc. you can go with pressure treated (cheapest) or choose a cedar ($$$) variety. Just be aware that the pt or cedar decking with a severe southern exposure will need to be cleaned and stained at least every two years, if a less severe exposure you may be able to get away with less maintenance. Vertical elements usually hold up longer, sometimes twice to three times as long as horizontal elements before needing cleaning and staining. Make sure to leave adequate space between deck boards and if you have a lot of trees and vegetation around make sure to keep those spaces clear of debris that might tend to build up like moist cake in the spacings after a while and promote rot.

I have not yet tried other decking material but I am leaning to Eon Classic. Another poster seems to vouch for it before my post. Some of these wood substitute products seem like they tend to sag or have less stiffness, therefore plan accordingly when laying out your basic structural elements. You may want to double up on them and halve the span distances with composite or plastic decking choices.

Tim,

In 2001 I had a TimberTek deck built. Seven years later I have noticed no deterioration in the material. I do, however, notice what appears to be a spoty black discoloration on the surface. I tried applying Stain Solver to it with minimal removal of the black. Since Stain Solver didn't work, I don't know if anything else will. Do you?

Charles,

Are the stains possibly mildew or are they caused maybe by grease stains from a grille or some other spill? Supposedly, of all of the composite materials that Consumer Reports tested, TimberTech had a superior mildew resistant grade.