Re: [OT] deck material?

[Leon]

IMHO the biggest draw back to them is that they are not structural. You have to use a structural material to support them. My experience is that the structural material is going to deteriorate before that which you walk on.

Just wondering if anyone has looked into the composite decking materials > like Trex, Veranda, Eon, ChoiceDeck, Evergrain, or CertainTeed. > > Which do you think is best? Have you used one and been happy or not happy? > Any lessons learned? Where did you get the material? > > Thanks >

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I've looked at it but I'm not overly excited. The concept is good, but in practice, it seems lacking. Just not the same as real wood as it flexes a lot.

FWIW, I did look at mahogany and Ipe. They would be my first choice. I figured the cost of just the flooring on my 12 x 16 deck will be about $700. Mahogany was $1.90 a lineal foot, Ipe $2.10. For supports, a 4 x 4 x 8' was about $45. That was priced this past June. I made a garden bench from the mahogany. Ed [e-mail]

[Leon]

I have a deck that is going on 21 years old. PT all the way and the posts are starting to rot. Ipe would be my choice as the life expentancy is 50 years out doors. I am thinking chain link fence galvanized posts as replacements.

[Doctor John]

I used trex decking on a 20 by 20 gazebo built 2 1/2 years ago. It looks great and as long as you stick to the recommended joist spacing, flexing is not a problem. I used regular deck screws and sunk them in, but it left a little roughness around each hole. There is a special deck screw for this material which cuts the hole smooth around the head and if I had it to do again I would use these.

[Pat Barber]

I replaced my pressure treated SYP deck after 12 years. I now believe that the "vast" majority of failure in that deck was the fastners used in the installation. They were

16p hot dipped nails and "every single one" failed. After talking to a number of friends, they all have the exact same problem.

When I replaced the decking(supports were all fine), I used a system called "Deck Master" which is nothing but a series of galvanized strips that allow you to screw the decking from below.

The finish on the deck is great and I really like not having nail heads that are sitting there waiting to rust by the puddling water in the nail heads.

I believe this method will greatly increase the life of the deck.

[Dave Hinz]

I used the Monarch product as sold at Home Depot. Comes grey, gets greyer a bit in the past year. Good strength, not much sag, subtle grain look, feels good on the feet, and machines well. I'd use it again.

Dave Hinz