What type of decking material is right for you? The answer to this question depends on what you are looking for in terms of appearance and maintenance, and how much you are willing or able to spend. Traditionally decks have been built out of wood – both for the structure and for the decking and railings. We are only going to address decking and railings, as the structure of all decks is still built from wood.
Wood decking is the lowest cost and there is wood decking that has been in place for twenty years and still functions well. The downside of wood decking is that individual boards may crack and need to be replaced; also wood decking should be pressure washed and stained every year.
Two level pressure treated wood deck, Carolina Colours in New Bern NC
A few years ago composite decking was introduced. Composites are a manufactured product consisting of a combination of wood and plastic. The advantage of composite material is that is does not rot or deteriorate, and requires considerable less maintenance than wood. It still needs to be pressure washed yearly, and if there are any cracks, mold can occur. Composite decking is also subject to staining.
Recently, pvc decking was introduced to the market. Pvc decking does not contain any wood and other than an annual cleaning is considered to be maintenance free. Mold is not able to occur, even if there is a crack. It comes as close as possible to being maintenance free.
PVC decking in Fairfield Harbor in New Bern NC
