In fact, modern day composite decking is often very simple to install for someone familiar with deck installation. Composite can even be easier to install than most traditional wood decking due to how the boards are attached.

• They have the appearance of wood but are made with recycled material.
• See our Deck Planning and Materials Guide to learn about different types of decking.
• This water-resistant decking also resists mold and stains but doesn’t require sealing or painting.
• Compared with wood, which requires cleaning and regular staining and/or sealing, composite boards make for a “build and chill” project.
• Because of its plastic content, composite decking neither splinters nor rots, and it resists mold and mildew.
• Hands down, easy care is the biggest plus for this material.

Facts About Composite Decking

Unfortunately, one place where composite decking will probably last a lifetime is in the landfill. There is so far no recycling for composite decks, and those that end up in the dump will probably be there for about 2,000 years. Treated wood, on the other hand, returns to nature in 10 years or less, and untreated wood in as little as 2 years. On the plus side, most composite manufacturers use waste wood products as filler, primarily sawmill waste but also post-consumer recycled wood products such as used wood pallets. Capstock deck boards, with their plastic shell, fade less than uncapped composite boards. Most will fade a little bit because the exposed material is plastic, the fading is minimal.

Composite Decking: Does It Really Stack Up?

Can You Install New Decking Over Old Deck Boards?

What they forget to tell you is that the wood flour itself is a food source for mold. So, if it is not protected, or the protection wears off, your composite deck becomes a giant smorgasbord for many species of mold and mildew no matter how clean you keep it. A wood deck gets hot enough so that walking barefoot is mildly uncomfortable. All composites and plastics get hotter than wood – some get hotter than concrete. Dense materials retain more heat and get hotter than less dense materials.

What Kind Of Decking Is Best For Winter?

Another mistake to avoid when installing composite decking is spacing the joists too far apart. Current building codes require that all decks should be supported with a minimum of 2”x 10” pressure treated pine joists that are spaced 24” apart (although 16” OC is standard building practice).

After the original deck boards have been removed from the joists, carefully inspect each one for “soft spots” – places where water has seeped into the wood. Before replacing the decking, consider adding a layer of joist tape to help protect joists from moisture runoff. All of these factors combine to keep composite decking barefoot-friendly and attractive looking over the long haul. However, it’s perfectly possible and safe to do this. Here are some tips on putting composite boards in on top of your old deck’s substructure.

To find out more about Infinity composite decking, fill out Fortress' contact us form. Using high-quality recycled plastic materials in all our composite decking boards, tiles, railing, siding, bird feeders, deck fasteners, planter boxes and more.

A Lifetime Deck?

Some capstock manufacturers, such as Fiberon and Timbertech, now guarantee some of their products against excessive fading. But, most continue to specifically exclude color changes, fading and graying from their warranties. Trex, the largest manufacturer of composite decking, has been sued more than once due to excessive mold and mildew build-up on its composite decking and had to pay out big dollars in settlement.

but when you said "will end up ripping up the old deck seems to be best" I assume you mean remove the wooden decking boards and install the Trex on the existing joists. I think this is a bad plan as you will be installing a 30 or 40 year decking product over joists that have 5 or 10 years of life left in them. Especially once you pull all those existing decking nails and leave the existing joists pocked with water pockets that will accelerate rot. You can fasten boards to joists by driving screws through the face or into clips inserted along the edge.

The Best Decking For Winter Weather

Consider Deck's Environment

However, over the lifetime of the deck, expenses for composite decking are likely to be lower. This is largely due to reduced upkeep, as well as its longer lifespan. Composite decking stacks up, and, in some respects, it surpasses the competition. Composite decking is low maintenance as it never requires any sealing, painting, or sanding.

DuraLife composite decking products are uniquely manufactured with a super-strong, co-extruded polypropylene outer shell that forms a “force field” around three sides of the board. This makes DuraLife exceptionally resistant to staining and fading compared to older generations of composite decking from other manufacturers.