Composite Decking or Real Wood?

Composite decking or real wood? Pros and Cons:

There are advantages and disadvantages to each choice.

Composite requires no staining; wood needs periodic refinishing to maintain a good look and longer life. Neither material is impervious to weather or staining from rust, barbecue grease, wine, coffee, etc. Composite seems to be just plastic, but is a mix of recycled plastic and sawdust and has some of the characteristics of both ingredients. Wood is actually less affected by the ultraviolet rays of the sun than composite. The primary shortcoming of composite is that some of it starts to deteriorate in as little as five years in strong sunlight. And the typical guarantee won’t cover labor and material to replace it. In fact, manufacturers of composite have often gone out of business due to the cost of failed product.

So what’s the main appeal of composite? Some like the composite look and not having to finish and refinish wood. Others prefer the natural wood look. One drawback of composite is that it soaks up the heat of the sun, especially in dark colors and thus you can’t walk on it barefoot after it heats up.

The choice is up to you, but do some research about longevity and what is covered in the guarantee.