Best Decking Available?

AndyJones

What is the best decking product available, composite/plastic/wood?

RobertCDF

Here is a big suprise to anyone that knows me.... CORRECT DECK! But that is just my opinion and each person will tell you something differant. Most will tell you that you cant beat good old wood. But I will tell you from Colorado wood has to be restained every year and thats a royal pain.

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Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

DecksEtc

I'll chime in with my preference - cedar.

Like Robert said, it boils down to personal preference and BUDGET (for most people).

Are you asking for yourself or a customer?

bob the builder

I guess it depends on best what? Longest lasting, lowest maintainance.
My vote for the best looking deck is Brazilian redwood. Yeah you have to maintain it, but it will make the neighbors drool...

Bob

Oregon_Rob

Of all the composites, and I researched them all, Correct Deck CX has the best properties.
Highest stiffness
Lowest CTE (Coefficient of thermal expansion)
Top surface is a bit plastic looking, but it has an anti-microbial built in.
Also, almost not water absorption.

In our area, the WRC we get today is crap, all sap wood.

AndyJones

I work here in Cali and Redwood is by far the #1 product. However it is becoming very hard to get a good quality redwood, and the price is climbing very close to many composites. I'm most worried about staining and fading and am leaning towards composites. Seems to me the bar has been set pretty high as far as maintenance expectations, and that worries me. First it was "maintanance free" and then "low mantanance" and now with the CorrectDeck CX product they are touting it as "extremely low maintanance." Where will the madness end? They appear to be setting themselves up to dissapoint the homeowner.

Oregon_Rob

Sales pitch & it will never end

Deck & Fence Co

Hey Andy,
What can you tell me about this TimberSill wood, and how could I find out about the statment you made that the EPA shut them down. Does the EPA have a web site I could read about this?
e-mail me at: chuckelliott211@bellsouth.net

PressurePros

My choice is Cypress. Good rot resistance, easy to work with, accepts stain well. Beautiful when finished. Softer species so a properly prepped deck with high quality penetrating oil on it will last for 2-3 years before recoat is neccessary.

Cedar used to be good but too much sapwood in rotation now. I find cedar decks now that have rotting boards three years after construction.

Redwood: same problems as cedar also not as available on the east coast.

ipe/hardwoods: Beautiful and will last forever but very maintenance intensive. You will get 6 months to one year from a finish. If you don't want to stain and can accept the dirty and grayed look, ipe is definitely the way to go. I built my deck from mahogany. Its a little less maintenance crazy than ipe. Downside is that true mahogany (Honduran or African) is hard to get and expensive. Lots of crap out there being sold as mahogany.

Composites: Some look better than others. Some wear better than others. Every one of them I have seen look scratched and faded after a few years of repeated bleach cleanings. No cleanings= deck covered in mold spots. I dislike the look of plastic in someone's back yard. The big illusion that has come back to bite companies like trex is the "low maintenance" sell.

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Ken Fenner
Pressure Washing PA
Roof Cleaning Services PA

RobertCDF

http://www.buffalo-lumber.com/timbersil.htm
You can buy Timbersil here. Costs about $42 for a 2x8x16' PLUS freight and you will probably have to buy a bunk at a time.

http://www.timbersilwood.com/
Manufactures website. Call them direct to have any questions answered.

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Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

neolitic

Anybody used the new "SmartSense/MicroPro" yet? One local yard has made the switch from AC2. I figure the other local yards can't be far behind since this is the treater's choice, and there aren't all that many treaters. No idea how far the Boxes haul their stuff.
Any how if you believe Osmose this stuff is the new wave in treated--deck and frame. Safe for galvi, even aluminum contact. Have heard that it's already been rolled out in other parts of the country.

BreyerConstruct

MicroPro is awesome... I'd use it on every job if I could...

It's usually 3-5% more than #1 ACQ

~Matt

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