Exterior Products Review: Colorful Composites

Low-maintenance decking imitates vibrant rainforest hardwoods to win upscale customers

Source: BUILDING PRODUCTS Magazine
Publication date: 2007-05-29

By Jeffrey Lee

Owning an elegant hardwood deck can feel like a tropical fantasy. The rich color variations and stylish grains of woods like ipé, mahogany, and walnut provide an exotic twist to a home's outdoor extension.

But caring for tropical hardwoods can be a nightmare due to the staining, oiling, and washing required--and that's not to mention those pangs of guilt every time the environment-conscious homeowner thinks about the rainforest from which the woods were harvested.

For these and other consumers, composite decking manufacturers are delivering durable, low-maintenance boards with the more refined look of tropical wood. "High-end decking people like the richer colors, the hardwood look," says Kevin Brennan, vice president of sales and marketing for TimberTech, which offers its Earthwood plank in a tropical walnut color.

Though these high-end composite offerings are generally three times more expensive than basic pressure-treated pine, they're priced only slightly higher than lumbers like redwood, cedar, or ipé, and can be cheaper than more exotic woods. Basic composite decking, offered with fewer colors or options, is about two times the price of pressure-treated pine. Considering its minimal maintenance cost, composites can be a better value after just a few years.

Composite decking is sustaining its growth. Demand will expand more than 15 percent annually through 2009, faster than any other decking material, projects the research firm Freedonia Group. Some manufacturers even are experiencing growth rates of 20 percent to 30 percent annually.

Much of that growth is coming from new homes that are built without a deck, says Tim Machelski, executive vice president of Elk composite building products. "The reason is a lot of consumers don't like the deck that's provided for them," usually made from pressure-treated wood, he says. Many manufacturers are therefore focusing on remodeling projects for this "new" construction, he explains.

Great Outdoors
These days, homeowners are more concerned about the appearance of their composite decks. "The outdoor space seems to be becoming more of an outdoor living area," says Scott Gregory, a custom builder and owner of Scott Gregory Designer Homes in Ada, Mich. He has been adding outdoor fireplaces, grilling areas, and pizza ovens that turn the deck into a virtual second kitchen.

New colors and plank designs give deck builders the capability to create unique looks, Gregory says. Often he'll blend different colors or create designs with accent boards, such as a deck he created with the points of the compass highlighted in different colors.

Deck builder Chris Warner, owner of Warner's Decking in Plainfield, Ill., also uses different hues to create borders or inlays, and says distinctive shapes like circles are becoming more popular. "People are spending a lot of money and getting the unique deck," he says.

And despite the higher price, about 90 percent of his customers are choosing composite over pressure-treated, up from 50 percent only three or four years ago. "The low maintenance is worth it, and they have the warranty" of up to 25 years, he says.

Composite decking also can help homeowners avoid any pangs of conscience for using rainforest hardwoods. The wood fiber in most composite deck boards is reclaimed from activities like furniture construction or sanding, and even the plastic content can come from recycled materials: Trex, for instance, says it is the largest user of recycled plastic grocery bags in the country.

Fasten Fashion
The quest for great-looking decks is even extending to screws and nails, with decking systems that conceal unsightly fasteners becoming more common and easier to use. Most hidden fastening systems use pre-grooved decking boards with fastening biscuits that connect adjacent boards and screw into the support beams.

The system is ideal with both homeowners and deck builders, says Patti Pellock, marketing manager of deck and railing products at CertainTeed. "For consumers it's popular because you don't have any screws popping or nails popping or the mushroom effect," she says. "For contractors it does save time and labor."

Custom builder Gregory agrees on both counts, pointing out that to install the grooved product, "You just lay it down, screw it in, and you're good to go." But Warner says this is one area where his customers prefer not to spend an extra $1,500 to $2,000, so he simply flattens any resulting "mushrooming" with a mallet.

The added cost is actually the main factor slowing the growth of composite decking in the marketplace, says Shellie Sellards, director of marketing for decking and railing at Trex, so some manufacturers are developing more price-competitive composite products. "There is a need for a product that offers the durability and ease of maintenance but at a price point closer to wood," she says. The company recently introduced Contours decking, which is narrower and has a scalloped bottom so it can be manufactured and sold at a lower cost while still meeting codes.

Other manufacturers are also moving toward value products, but a crowded marketplace is forcing some companies to give up the business entirely. Integrated Composite Technology, for example, recently ceased production of its EverGreen decking. "There are too many manufacturers right now," says Dan Gauthier, director of consumer products at Universal Forest Products. He predicts a dozen more will shut down in the next 18 months.

The good news? Only the best will survive. "The trend is going to be higher quality, lower price, and better accessories," he says.

Deckorators. The Stacked Stone collection of postcovers is made of high-density polyurethane epoxy that uses a proprietary molding process to create the realistic look of dry-stacked stone, the maker says. Each column is 42 inches tall and is designed to fit over standard 6-inch-by-6-inch posts. They are available in canyon, gray, and Sedona colors, and are warranted against cracking, splitting, or warping. 800-332-5724. www.deckorators.com.	Swan Secure Products. The Dexxter screw for composite decking has a unique thread form that removes exhaust while driving to prevent mushrooming, according to the manufacturer. The small head diameter is available painted to match the color of most composites. Screws are available in both 305 and 316 grade stainless steel and come in 1-1/2-inch, 2-1/2-inch, and 3-inch lengths. 800-966-2801. www.swansecure.com.	Maine Ornamental.Tiffany-style Sunflower glass rail accents coordinate with the manufacturer's stained glass post caps, with or without lights. They are shown here with the maker's preassembled railing, a mission-style "rail in a box" that comes in 6-foot sections. Other new products include a sundial and rectangular copper post accents. 866-780-3507. www.postcaps.com.	Titan Metal Werks.SplitStop Titan III Composite Screws eliminate mushrooming around the screw head, reduce splitting near the ends of deck boards, and have no difficulty in head-setting, according to the manufacturer. The screws are now available in stainless steel to meet the needs of coastal markets, and dark brown to match more exotic decking colors. 888-578-3273. www.splitstop.com.

--BUILDING PRODUCTS

Fiber Composites

Fiber Composites.Tropics decking is designed to mirror the beauty and richness of exotic woods, according to the manufacturer. Jatoba mimics rainforest woods like ipé, cambara, and cumaru. Mahogany provides a look similar to natural mahogany, redwood, or Brazilian cherry. Tropics was developed with a process that injects more varied color into the wood, imitating wood's natural color variation. 800-573-8841. www.fiberondecking.com.

Composatron

Composatron.Premier UltraCell Deckboard includes Strancel low-density foaming technology, so it's 33 percent lighter than other composites, according to the manufacturer. It has a reversible wood-grain pattern and is available in dark grey, light grey, cedar, mahogany, and redwood. The board weighs 1.9 pounds per foot, and spans 16 inches on center. 416-335-6500. www.composatron.com.

Master Mark Plastics

Master Mark Plastics.Vision by Rhino Deck is a grooved composite deck board that can be attached to the joist by deck clips instead of pre-drilling, drilling, and then attaching through the top of the board. The clips give the deck a cleaner look with no visible screws and reduce labor and installation time. Rhino Vision is available in four colors. 800-535-4838. www.rhinodeck.com.

Weyerhaeuser

Weyerhaeuser.ChoiceDek composite decking is now available in cabernet, driftwood, and spice colors, joining gray, redwood, sandstone, and woodtone. Driftwood and spice form the decking's new Eden series, which is designed to give decks the look of tropical hardwoods. The ChoiceDek product line is made by encapsulating recycled wood fiber in recycled polyethylene, and the line also includes a complete decorative railing system. 800-951-5117. www.choicedek.com.

Dow

Dow. With four colors and two textures, Symmatrix Scenic series composite decking offers design flexibility and fits into a variety of outdoor environments, the manufacturer says. Each board is reversible, with a wood-grain texture on one side and a contemporary brushed surface on the other. The recently introduced Symmatrix railing is available in redwood, cedar, driftwood, mocha, and pearlescent white. 866-583-2583. www.dowsymmatrix.com.

TimberTech

TimberTech.Earthwood decking planks and fascia are now available in tropical rosewood and tropical teak in addition to tropical walnut. The Earthwood Grooved Plank, also available in all three colors, allows for the use of a hidden fastener system, providing a clean deck surface. The stainless steel fastener system is painted dark brown to be less noticeable. 800-307-7780. www.timbertech.com.

CertainTeed

CertainTeed.Boardwalk Composite Decking and Railing is now available in a Signature HFS series. The Signature series features a PVC cap that adds extra protection to the plank and covers it with deeper, richer colors and a new natural wood texture, the manufacturer says. The Signature HFS style joins the Classic Hidden Fastener System style in featuring the hidden fastener system. 800-233-8990. www.certainteed.com.

Brite Mfg.

Brite Mfg. Offered in a brushed or embossed finish, the firm's composite decking is available in cedar, gray, natural, or redwood shades. The decking is resistant to insects, moisture, mildew, and rot and will not warp, check, or split. The manufacturer also offers a rail system with no visible screws or nails. 800-265-6021. www.britemfg.ca.

Alcoa

Alcoa.Oasis composite decking is now available with a hidden-fastener system in the company's most popular colors, teak and gray, with wood-grain or brushed side finishes. Unlike other hidden-fastener systems that require special biscuits and accessories, the Oasis system uses Eb-Ty biscuits that automatically space boards for the proper gap, saving time during installation, the maker says. 800-962-6973. www.alcoahomes.com.

Universal Forest Products

Universal Forest Products.Latitudes Composite Decking features a new Sienna color (pictured) that resembles an exotic, tropical hardwood. It is available with a one-sided embossed finish. Latitudes Equator slotted decking, which uses a unique hidden fastener system that eliminates the need for pre-drilling, is available in gray, cedar redwood, and walnut with a reversible finish. 800-598-9663. www.ufpi.com.

CorrectDeck

CorrectDeck. Using polypropylene instead of polyethylene to resist scratching, CorrectDeck CX contains a layer of Microban antimicrobial protection. The rich, embossed wood-grain finish doesn't wear out, according to the manufacturer, and the surface is scratch-resistant. It is available in merlot, mahogany, cedar, cottage green, and coastal grey, and it weathers to a natural matte finish. 877-332-5877. www.correctdeck.com.

Royal Crown

Royal Crown. The Harmony Select Advanced Decking System is the first product to use Celucor, a material that integrates wood-grain's allure, composite's versatility, and vinyl's weather resistance, according to the manufacturer. The decking is offered in Seaside, a weathered gray, and Sunset, a deep red mahogany. Celucor is made of natural fibers encapsulated with cellular PVC and capped with weather-safe thermoplastic resin. 800-488-5245. www.harmonyselect.com.

Elk

Elk.CrossTimbers decking resists sagging, splintering, warping, insects, and rotting, and spans 24 inches on center, farther than most products on the market, according to the manufacturer. It is available in new cedar, pewter grey, sandalwood, and weathered wood, and is designed to age for a natural look. Concealed fasteners make construction faster and deck surfaces cleaner. 866-322-7452. www.elkcorp.com.

Trex

Trex.Brasilia decking and railing has subtle shading and color variations that give it the look of tropical hardwood without the installation difficulty, according to the manufacturer. It is available in cayenne and burnished amber. Like the company's original decking, it is made of recycled plastic and reclaimed wood and resists moisture and insect damage, the maker says. 800-289-8739. www.trex.com.

Louisiana-Pacific

Louisiana-Pacific. Made from a high-quality mix of plastics and wood, WeatherBest decking resists warping, twisting, termites, rot, and decay, according to the manufacturer. It is offered in two styles, premium grain and deep grain, and six colors: Western redwood, driftwood gray, Pacific cedar, Tuscan walnut, chestnut, and greystone. 888-820-0325. www.lpcorp.com.