Deck Construction

When building a new deck, price should not be your only consideration.  The type of decking you select will have an impact on the appearance, cost, time of construction, fastener, and maintenance of your new deck. If your decision criteria is based solely on initial cost, in most cases, the decision is simple: pressure treated lumber. However if life cycle cost, appearance, time of construction, or ease of maintenance are also factors that you want to consider, then your decision should be given more thought.

Let Anderson Construction Services, LLC build the right deck for you!.

PRESSURE TREATED

 

As stated above, pressure treated lumber is the dominate decking product in the market currently. Relatively low cost, excellent strength and workability characteristics, and wide availability are responsible for its popularity.

Several preservatives that were commonly used to maintain appearance have been withdrawn from the market such as Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), Alkaline Copper Quat (ACQ), Copper Azole (CA) and Sodium Borate (SBX). The alternative is a higher cost preservative, ACQ (alkaline copper quat ) and CA (copper azole). Estimated prices for these alternatives range from 10% to 30% over the cost of CCA treated lumber because both use much higher amounts of copper. Southern Yellow Pine treated with these chemicals has many of the same preservative characteristics as CCA treated lumber, but without the use of arsenic or chrome. Both are offered with a lifetime warranty against rot and termite damage. Another factor of using the alternative preservative is the new treatment processes make the lumber more corrosive to fasteners. Nails, screws and bolts need to be made of stainless steel or be a quality hot dipped galvanized fastener. Fastener manufacturers are also introducing new coatings that resist corrosion when used with treated lumber. Aluminum flashing should not be used at all as it will quickly deteriorate when placed next to ACQ or CA treated lumber.

Advantages of pressure treated lumber deck

• Relatively low cost
• Widely available
• Long life (Many brands offer a lifetime warranty)
• Excellent structural values
• Very good for stains, OK for paint
• Easy to work, no special tools required
• Available in 5/4" and 2" decking and many other dimensions, as well as plywood and lattice.
• Wide selection of visible and hidden fasteners are available.

Disadvantages of pressure treated lumber deck

• Weathers without cleaning and yearly application of stain/sealer.
• Splinters, warps and "weather checks" are common
• Shrinks significantly unless kiln dried properly after treatment (KDAT).
• New preservatives require more care in fastening and joints to reduce cupping and warping.

COMPOSITE DECKING

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to composite decking. Some people think all composite decking is Trex brand, due in large part by a great marketing effort by the Trex to introduce composite decking to the market.  In fact, there are over 80 composite decking products currently being offered. By definition a composite is a material, in which two or more distinct, structurally complementary substances are combined to produce a product with structural or functional properties not present in any individual component. In the case of composite decking the primary components are most often a plastic and an organic material, usually wood fiber. But not all composites contain wood fiber and new products with new combinations of materials are rapidly appearing on the market. Some things to consider when choosing a composite decking:

Type of plastic used: The most commonly used plastic in composite decking is polyethylene. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is used for things like milk jugs and other similar containers. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is used for bags and wrappers. Both are recycled in huge quantities with decking being a major use of the reclaimed material. Denser, lighter, and stronger, high density polypropylene (HDPP) is used for portable gas cans, Tupperware, and furniture. Because of its longer life, HDPP is recycled in smaller quantities. Decking made with HDPP is more likely to be all or mostly virgin material. Recently some manufacturers have introduced composite decking using Polyvinylchloride (PVC) as the plastic. PVC is discussed in more detail below. Which is best? Well, that depends. Polyethylene based decking is more common so your selection is greater. There are more colors, profiles, and textures available. It also tends to be less expensive because of the recycled content. Polypropylene based decking is typically stronger, allowing for greater spans between joists. It will also wear better than polyethylene based decking.

Profile. Composite decking is available in solid and hollow or ribbed profiles. The solid is easier to work in finishing the edges using a saw or router. The hollow/ribbed is lighter, but must be used with special trims and end caps. Some composites are available in a tongue and groove (T&G) profile which is particularly useful for screened porches.

Reinforcement. By a huge margin, wood flour is the most common reinforcement fiber used in composite decking. It is readily available as scrap and saw dust from all types of wood product producers. The material is typically ground into a powder before being combined with the plastic. This mixture, along with additives for color and other properties, is blended, heated, and extruded in continuous ribbons of decking. Other materials such as rice hulls are used, but wood is most common.
The wood fiber is surrounded by the plastic to protect it from moisture. Earlier designs would sometimes have problems with the wood becoming exposed after the surface has been worn down. This typically results in mold or mildew problems. Newer products seem to have this problem solved - time will tell.

Fastening System. The first composites (Trex) were nailed or screwed to the framing. The material was so stable some contractors even used finishing nails to fasten the decking - a practice that is not recommended by any manufacturer. Today there are many ways to attach the decking. In addition to nails and screws, a variety of hidden fastener systems are available. Hidden fasteners give a cleaner look and eliminate worries over stains from nails or screws. It is very important to understand the manufacturer's recommendations. Some decking cannot be nailed. Others must be pre-drilled before being screwed to the joist.

Warranties. Warranty time limits vary from 10 years to "lifetime". Some are transferable if the building is sold. Labor for replacement may be included. In other words there's a lot of variations and it pays to read the fine print to understand the rights that you will have if something goes wrong.

Color and Texture. When first introduced Trex followed the Henry Ford example and offered any color and texture as long as it was smooth and gray. In time additional colors were added and the most recent models have a wood grain texture and tropical wood tones. Until recently, many people thought that composite decking looked too fake. That is changing as companies have developed more realistic colors and textures. With 80 plus composite decking products you should be able to find a color and texture that meets your expectations.