What is Composite Wood Decking?

Overview

• Crafted from recycled sawdust wood fibers, plastic, and additives, composite decking finds applications across various outdoor settings.
• Composite wood decking offers durability, low maintenance, variety in styles, and sustainability, making it an eco-friendly and versatile choice for outdoor spaces.
• It has drawbacks including permanent color, limited customization, higher initial cost, and potential fading over time.

The foundation of any beautiful outdoor space starts with the deck. But with so many material options, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. While wood remains a classic choice, composite wood decking has emerged as a strong contender.

Let’s explore its several advantages and disadvantages to help you decide which material best suits your dream deck.

What is Composite Wood Decking?

Composite wood decking offers an eco-conscious substitute to traditional wood, seamlessly blending wood aesthetics with the durability and low-maintenance perks of other materials. Crafted from recycled sawdust wood fibers, plastic, and additives, it finds diverse applications across outdoor spaces.

From residential to commercial settings, including marine environments and high-traffic walkways, it provides a stylish and practical alternative to traditional wood, catering to modern sustainability needs.

Advantages

Composite decking offers more than just natural beauty; its advantages include durability, low maintenance, versatile styles, and sustainability.

Durability

Unlike traditional wood, composite decking exhibits exceptional resistance to the elements. Rain and harsh sunlight hold no sway over its structure, minimizing warping, cracking, and rot. This enduring strength ensures your deck maintains its beauty and functionality for years to come.

Termites and other wood-boring insects pose a constant threat to traditional decks, requiring regular treatments and potential structural repairs. Composite decking, on the other hand, stands resolute against such infestations. Its unique composition renders it unappealing to these destructive creatures, offering peace of mind and the assurance that your deck remains structurally sound.

Low Maintenance

In the realm of outdoor spaces, beauty is often accompanied by a nagging question: How much effort will it take to maintain it? In this area, composite wood decking rises as the best option of convenience, offering the allure of aesthetics with the liberating advantage of low maintenance.

Unlike porous wood, composite decking’s surface repels dirt and grime, requiring only occasional cleaning with mild soap and water. This allows you to spend less time wielding a scrub brush and more time enjoying your outdoor haven.

Traditional wood decks, prone to moisture retention, can become breeding grounds for mold and mildew. Composite decking, with its inherent moisture resistance, significantly minimizes this risk, ensuring a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing outdoor environment.

Variety of style

Composite decking transcends the uniform texture of wood, offering a range of options. Embossed and grainy options deliver a natural aesthetic, while sleek, contemporary finishes cater to modern design preferences. This variety grants you flexibility in achieving the desired mood, be it rustic charm or minimalist elegance.

With its remarkable versatility in style, it allows you to seamlessly integrate it into your existing design aesthetic or explore new possibilities. You can craft an outdoor space that reflects your unique vision.

Sustainability

In today’s environmentally conscious world, the materials we choose for our outdoor spaces carry an added weight. Compared to traditional wood decks requiring transportation and treatment with chemicals, composite decking often boasts a lower carbon footprint throughout its lifecycle. This translates to a reduced impact on climate change and a more sustainable choice for your outdoor haven.

By choosing composite wood decking, you make a conscious effort to minimize your environmental impact and contribute to a greener future.

Disadvantages

While composite decking offers numerous advantages as we’ve highlighted, it’s important to present a balanced view by acknowledging its potential drawbacks as well.

Permanent Color

Compared to traditional wood, composite decking offers limited options for color customization after installation. While some manufacturers offer additional colors or accents, they are typically prefabricated and may not perfectly match existing deck elements. This is a limitation for homeowners who desire complete control over color or who need to match existing features.

Cost

Costs within the composite decking category can vary greatly depending on the material composition, brand, and specific design features. Compared to traditionally treated lumber, composite decking can have a higher initial purchase price. This can be a significant factor for budget-conscious homeowners and may require considering financing options or adjusting project scope.

Fades Over Time

Over time, darker composite colors may experience fading due to exposure to elements like UV rays, weathering, foot traffic, and chemical spills. However, higher-quality materials, like GRM Biowood composite decking, are less prone to fading, thanks to built-in UV-resistant properties.

How to choose the right one?

Choosing whether composite wood decking is right for you depends on your priorities. You might ask yourself if sustainability is important to you or do you prefer the natural look of wood or the wider variety offered by composites.

The best decking material for you depends on your individual needs and priorities. Weighing these advantages and disadvantages of composite decking against other options and considering your circumstances will help you make the right choice for your outdoor space.

Key Takeaway

Elevate your outdoor space with GRM Biowood, the innovative composite decking solution. Visit our website to explore our extensive product range, browse inspiring projects, and discover the benefits in detail. Get expert advice and start building your dream deck contact us today.