Composite Vs Wood Decking Uk

While composite decking is made to look like natural wood some people prefer the authenticity of actual wood.

Composite vs wood decking uk.

It is splinter free and mould resistant. But if you don t like the look of composite wood may be a. It arrives as a finished product and never needs sanding staining or painting just an occasional soap and water cleaning. Composite decking is more resistant to rot and decay from moisture and isn t as susceptible to the deterioration commonly seen with wood.

Composite or capped composite decking of any kind will get hotter than a traditional wooden deck regardless of what manufacturers may promise. At the same time wood decking problems like splinters rot and high maintenance cause many headaches. Some composite decking won t move a bit and others have been found to shrink swell warp twist bow and any other word you want to use in amounts unheard of even with wood. While wood decks were clearly winning the bids until some ten years ago the composite decking materials improved immensely in terms of structure durability and safety.

Though composite decking is the more expensive choice initially over time it can pay for itself and save you a world of maintenance. It helps protect against rotting warping and cupping which are caused by water. Although composite wood decking is easier to maintain some homeowners worry that composites won t. Again it seems completely random when this happens but it happens often enough that you should know about it.

Many homeowners choose wood decking because it is familiar readily available and affordable. Gaining in popularity are composite decking materials composed primarily of a mix of recycled plastic and wood fibers. Composite decking the pros cons. The rustic boards help you to achieve the weathered look but will outlive traditional timber decking.

However as durable as wood decking is it s still far more susceptible to maintenance costs time and effort. The battle between wood and composite decking materials has been going on for decades with mixed results. While a deck built with these materials is clearly not natural and won t have the potential beauty of a real wood deck you can choose from an array of colors to mimic a more natural look. Composite decking offers clear advantages over wood.

Composite decking is a lot like pre finished flooring. With that in mind boards that are hollow don t retain as much heat and pvc capped boards will be the coolest.