Two of our most popular products are Pregrooved and Tongue & Groove decking. Both are perfect for giving your outdoor living space a smooth & blemish free look. How are these popular decking options made? This molder produces boards that make any deck installation smooth and easy. Having precise fitting boards is exactly what you …
Spring is finally here. The morning air is more welcoming. And, the memory of shoveling snow is fading. If you’ve been inspired and are thinking of extending your outdoor living area with a new deck, you are not alone! Thousands of deck remodels and new builds are being planned by hard working professionals and DIY …
We have many customers who share with us projects they’ve completed with short decking lengths. As you can see from the pic above, not only can you use hardwood decking for arbors, you can also use it for paneling. To me, the most impressive piece in this whole picture is the custom built cabinets made …
You get so much more out of Brazilian Decking than good looks.
People who first find us online often ask, “Why do you sell hardwoods from Brazil and not composite decking?”
Our answer is always the same: “We only sell products that make our customers happy.”
Check out some of the reviews we’ve received that highlight how hardwood leads to solid decks that can be lived on and not slaved over: Ipe Decking Reviews & Testimonials
At Advantage, we work with homeowners, contractors, and builders to ensure they receive only the finest quality hardwood decking from South America, specifically Brazil. Our products are many things. Durable. Reliable. Resilient. Beautiful. Those benefits aren’t mere marketing hype. They’ve been backed by decades of use and proven by science.
Want to know just how durable Brazilian decking really is?
Is the new composite decking option right for you?
You might have heard about the latest type of composite decking. There are multiple decking brands using what’s known in the plastic industry as “capstock.”
What is Capstock decking? Basically, Capstock is a new kind of composite decking material that combines composites (plastic and wood fiber core) with a “durable” exterior layer of vinyl (PVC). Think of it as a composite and PVC deck hybrid.
Like with most new products in the decking market, the companies that sell this kind of synthetic decking are doing their best by spending millions of dollars to convince you that, FINALLY, this is a composite wood product you can trust. These brands are also trying their best to convince you and deck builders across the country that it is “as good as, or better” than natural hardwood decking in terms of durability and looks.
They even offer a 25-year warranty on their product. However, if you’ve done research, you will learn that, for many, composite decking warranties aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. Many people complain and have sued these artificial decking companies for not complying with the terms of their warranties.
Ironically, even a reputable publication like Professional Deck Builder says about the latest trend in capstock composite decking, “The lengthy warranties – most up to 25 years – indicate that manufacturers stand behind these products (though perhaps you’ve heard that before).” That’s a direct quote, folks. Even the home-building press is skeptical about these products and for good reason.
Another interesting fact that arose out of our research is the resistance of all composite decking companies to disclose the chemical makeup of their new decking materials. In fact, when FineHomebuilding Magazine was conducting their own research into these products for their article entitled “In Pursuit of the Perfect Plank” the author noted, “None of the manufacturers I spoke with would reveal what was in their proprietary polymer.” Why is that?
Poor Doug. He has no idea that covering your decking is a very, very bad idea...
Doug Tales – Cover The Decking, Ruin the Wood
The story you are about to read is true and, unfortunately, all too common…
Doug’s order of wood decking has just arrived. Needless to say, he’s very excited. Even though the sky is clear, Doug knows that it’s going to rain overnight. So he covers it with a tarp so that the wood can be protected prior to installation.
The next day, it’s sunny and clear again. Doug says, “Time to get building!”
He removes the tarp from the pile, “So far, so good.”
As Doug starts prepping the wood, he notices that some boards are a little warped. He thinks to himself, “What gives? I thought this stuff was supposed to be strong!? Oh well, I bought a deck wrench, I’ll just straighten up out. No worries.”
A couple of hours later, Doug’s wife comes out to see how things are going, “Um, honey. What did you do?”
5/4×6 wood decking is a superior sized deck board for many reasons. The extra thickness provides increased structural stability, a more rigid surface, and is ideal for all exterior applications.
5/4 x 6 Ipe wood decking has given many homeowners a solid, reliable surface that hardly ever has to be tended to, if ever. If you’re looking for decking materials for any deck projects that is going to be installed close to the ground, just having that extra 1/4″ is essential. For instance, if you’re about to construct a deck, your contractor should insist on buying 5/4×6 hardwood. Why?
