If You Think Composite Decks are Low Maintenance, I Have A Unicorn to Sell You
There’s no such thing as stain-free, or maintenance free man-made decking. Period. End of story.
The only thing in flux is “resistance.” How does a decking material resist getting mold damage? What about excessive heat? Bitter cold? Everything on this Earth has to contend with the elements. So, if you’re considering replacing your deck, or building a new one from scratch, look past the fancy words and pictures and ask yourself:
- Is the decking I want proven to last?
- Is it worth your money to buy the “latest and greatest decking” when its long term performance is yet to be determined?
- What do other people who own similar materials saying online?
- Are the warranties worth the paper they’re printed on?
If you find you can answer these questions positively, then you can move forward with confidence.
What has your experience been with you deck? We want to know! Leave a comment below.
I have installed a small Ipe deck on my house. I am very happy with my choice for using Ipe as I have seen the composite decks discolor from mold and the elements. My only concern is that I have used Pinofil Rosewood Oil to protect the Ipe. I followed the directions to a T. The issue is, the wood got really dark and the wood has no shine. It is very very dull. I live in LI so the weather is brutal plus I am sure we have bad acid rain. Is there anything I can apply that will give the Ipe a little life?
Jack,
Using a rosewood color oil finish will darken the material significantly. We always suggest using a natural color finish to maintain the natural color of the decking. The product we suggest using for this is Ipe Oil. That being said, products to be applied to exterior Ipe Decking are going to be penetrating oils and you will not get sheen like seen on interior flooring. Due to the natural density and oil content of the exterior Ipe things like polyurethanes can not be applied as they will simply peel or chip away. If you can send me a few pictures of the deck and I will see what kind of suggestion I can make to get the material back to it’s natural color. Thank you for your time.
I put a composite deck on my house that i bought from one of the “big box” stores. It went together easy but 2 years later looks like my 1970 furniture that is delaminating. I did save it going to the landfill and used the old composite deck boards to edge my flower garden….still a shame. Just installed some Cumaroo decking that you guys shipped me. Freaking awesome stuff!!! i even used the scraps from the deck project to build a stool for my shower as well as a flower box. After building my home handyman craft projects i had almost zero waste 🙂 thanks again
I love what you said about how you should ask if is purchasing the “latest and greatest decking” worthwhile considering that its long-term performance is unknown. This will guide me pick the best material we’ll use for our home’s decking. I’d love to have it done this summer so my friends and I can sunbathe in there so thanks for this.