Home Repair and Paint Guide

Composite decks are advertised as maintenance free and able to withstand weather extremes. But this is not necessarily true. Not all composite decking materials are the same. Some are made from recycled materials, and the strength can vary widely between types and brands.

There are a lot of composite deck installations that have not held up to the original claims. There are several in my neighborhood that look very rough. The surfaces show exposed “wood” fibers that are obviously not wood. The fibers look more like old newspaper and are just awful. On top of that, water has started to penetrate and the material looks like it’s getting bloated and soggy. Definitely not something I want on my house.