What Is New In Decking

With the new trend toward outdoor living the demand for long lasting decks has grown. So have the number of choices for persons wanting a deck.

One of the choices is back to wood, however, we are not talking about a cheap deck here. Instead, we are speaking of tropical hardwoods, that even untreated may have a lifespan of twenty to twenty five years. These decks have the beauty and feel of real wood but can be very expensive.

Western red cedar has also grown in popularity. It is naturally rot and insect repellent and long lasting. It is very soft however, and can be easily damaged by foot traffic.

Another choice is composite decking. In the year 2008, twenty percent of the decks built were made with composites. Owners of decks made from composites lavish their praise upon the materials. Experts think the numbers will continue to rise by twenty-five percent each year.

Some of the composites are a great way to recycle. In fact some are made from recycled plastic shopping bags. And, by the way, they do not put a dent in all those bags that are used every day.

One of the newest decking materials to be introduced is wood that is infused with glass. This process is considered to be much more green than the traditional pressure treating of wood and has the advantage of producing a deck that is expected to last for forty years.

Many of the decking companies are now introducing lines of decking that is made of PVC. PVC does not follow the green trend, but is still very popular in decking. PVC is not made of recycled materials and uses virgin materials. Its popularity is in that it is very close to maintenance free. In addition, PVC can be recycled. It is not easily marred by either tools or foot traffic and is expected to have a long life.

Persons installing PVC decking are warned to use new blades to cut the decking materials.

Since PVC decking does not have the wood fibers embedded into it like the composites, it has the advantage of being mildew resistant. Mildew is one of the problems with composites, requiring a regular scrubbing to keep it at bay.

Some of the composts are starting to fight back by making their decking so that there are no wood fibers exposed to add to the mildew problem.

What are homeowners looking for in decking today? Most want something that is pretty much maintenance free. They do not want to have decking that will stain easily or will fade in the sun. Most would rather spend time enjoying their outdoor living space rather than spend time maintaining it.