Composite Decking Over A Concrete Porch

UltraShield® composite decking has a layer of protection that keeps the core of your decking boards safe from mold or mildew, which can break traditional decks down over time. With our fully capped composite decking, you never have to worry about the integrity of your boards. Composite wood is made of a combination of wood fibers and high-density recycled polyethylene plastic materials. NewTechWood then finishes each composite decking board or tile with a strong polymer protective coating. Because of this, composite decking is stronger and more durable than wood or plastic alone. It is the ideal decking choice for anyone who wants longevity and minimal upkeep or repair after a harsh winter season. Well, it might be more accurate to say that it “was” hard to install, but now things are quite different.

Edge-fastening looks good because the screws are hidden, but face-fastening is faster, stronger, and easier to fix. When face-fastening, use screws designed only for composites. This decking bubbles up around standard bugle-head deck screws . Since 2004, NewTechWood has been a pioneer in the creation and improvement of composite decking boards, deck tiles, siding, deck railing, accessories and more. We are so sure you will love the NewTechWood UltraShield® advantage, that we offer a 25-year limited transferable warranty —one of the most comprehensive warranties in the decking industry. Plan the pattern or design you want to achieve with your composite decking. If using multiple colors or finishes, consider drawing a detailed design on paper, so you can consult it throughout the installation process.

• UltraShield® composite decking has a layer of protection that keeps the core of your decking boards safe from mold or mildew, which can break traditional decks down over time.
• Using high-quality recycled plastic materials in all our composite decking boards, tiles, railing, siding, bird feeders, deck fasteners, planter boxes and more.
• With our fully capped composite decking, you never have to worry about the integrity of your boards.
• To find out more about Infinity composite decking, fill out Fortress' contact us form.
• It’s just one example of the thoughtful engineering that Fortress Building Products puts into its whole line, from decks to railings to fences.

Facts About Composite Decking

Getting composite decking 20 years ago meant you were signing up for a singular “look.” To many though, the benefits of composite outweighed the lack of variety. Different brands offer different colors and textures with major headway being made in the design and look. ” – a great selling point – but it’s not entirely accurate. While it is true that composite decking requires much less maintenance than traditional wood, it doesn’t mean there’s no maintenance.

Composite Decking: Does It Really Stack Up?

Can You Install New Decking Over Old Deck Boards?

The eco-benefits of composite extend beyond the recycled materials used in the decking’s manufacture. Because the components are virtually maintenance-free, gallons of stain and/or sealant are saved. More durable than wood, composite decking stays out of the landfill longer. Another hang-up came with the discrepancy between the thickness of the deck boards. When I installed the new boards, they revealed 1/2 inch of unpainted siding along the bottom of the three walls surrounding the deck. To hide this I needed to add trim, and settled on a kind of makeshift base moulding for the deck.

What Kind Of Decking Is Best For Winter?

Composite decking materials, on the other hand, sell for $2.50 or $3.50 per linear foot. Even so, when you account for the costs associated with maintaining a wood deck , composite decking emerges as the value choice. DuraLife’s ColorLock™ Multi-Layered Finishing System also helps protect against discoloration because composite material is completely uniform from one side of the board to the other. Made with a proprietary mixture of polypropylene plastic and hardwood fibers, DuraLife composite decking is inherently more resistant to damage from moisture buildup, mold and mildew growth. DuraLife Step-Clip™ composite decking hidden fastening system can reduce installation times by up to 50 percent. Other benefits of the DuraLife Step-Clip system include providing complete joist protection and is designed to automatically create a uniformed 3/16” space between each composite deck board.

This is good in the winter when slush, frost and piles of snow can sit on your deck for extended periods. With composite decking, you do not have to worry about the moisture seeping into the material and causing rot or warping. Once temperatures warm up and snow melts, composite decking also dries quickly.

Using a hidden deck fastener system in a composite deck means that your deck will be free from screw heads showing. These hidden fastener systems create a beautiful, smooth surface and an easy transition from the inside of your home to your outdoor living space. The cost of composite decking materials falls in the middle.

A Lifetime Deck?

Now, with an array of choices, more homeowners and builders are trending toward alternative deck board materials such as composite and PVC. And as time has gone on, composite decking has gone through a number of incarnations. Technological advances have dramatically improved the look, feel, durability, and overall quality of composite and PVC decking materials. According to Popular Mechanics, basic pressure-treated lumber goes for about 80 cents per linear foot, while redwood or cedar runs up to three times that amount.

but when you said "will end up ripping up the old deck seems to be best" I assume you mean remove the wooden decking boards and install the Trex on the existing joists. I think this is a bad plan as you will be installing a 30 or 40 year decking product over joists that have 5 or 10 years of life left in them. Especially once you pull all those existing decking nails and leave the existing joists pocked with water pockets that will accelerate rot. You can fasten boards to joists by driving screws through the face or into clips inserted along the edge.

The Best Decking For Winter Weather

Your composite deck may not warp, but it can sag and buckle. Most sagging is caused by improper spacing between the joists when it is installed. Also, thermal expansion, the fluctuation of temperatures, can have a more significant effect on composite decking than on natural wood decking. Spacing between composite boards, and boards and walls, is usually greater than between wooden boards.

The making of composite decking is virtually waste-free, and the product contains no toxic elements. Thousands of tons of wood and plastics are diverted from landfills and incinerators each year in the composite deck manufacturing process. Hidden deck fastener systemsare an option when installing a composite deck. Composite deck boards are manufactured with grooved edges on the sides to allow for the placement of hidden deck fasteners. Hidden fastener systems provide uniform spacing and gapping between the boards, which means there is no guesswork involved in the installation process. This type of system also gets rid of the need to pre-drill holes since there are no exposed screws.