Wood Deck vs. plastic?....

[HarryH3]

ywait42, for staining my Ipe I used Cabot's Australian Timber Oil with the Mahogany tint. It's beautiful when applied, but the first coat faded rather quickly. I'm hoping that since the wood has weathered just a bit that it will be able to soak in just a bit more of the stain this time. One thing to be aware of is that many sealers have been forced to change their formula for some markets in order to comply with new state mandated VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emission standards. Some users have been pretty unhappy with how they hold up when compared to the previous formulas.

The TWP 100 is also supposed to work quite well on Ipe. I seem to recall reading that the "clear" stains don't provide any UV protection. The Mahogany color looks pretty sweet on Ipe. It really brings out the grain. There were also a lot of good reports initially with this product: http://www.restore-a-deck.com/woodzotic.html However, it seems that the owner of that company had a disagreement with the manufacturer as it hasn't been available for over a year now...

Note that ALL of the stains mentioned above are intended for use with hardwoods only. They aren't intended for use on pine, cedar, redwood, etc.

To follow up on Riles statement about plastic decking not being maintenance free... Indeed they now sell "stain" for plastic decks. I suppose it's to cover up the mildew spots, staining, etc??? My next door neighbor had his deck redone with composite about the same time I did the Ipe on mine. On hot summer days, the sagging of the composite between joists is VERY evident. However, the builder of our houses used 24-inch centers for the deck joists, so perhaps that's just too much span for the composite.

 

[cubbybeave08]

What are you sealing the wood decks with?

I use wohlmans wood sealer...it comes in lots of great pigmented colors but are not a solid stain...it gives a nice hue to the wood, and really makes the different grains pop out and show. It can look really nice if you use it correctly...Got mine at Menards...The stuff I got I think had 10 year warranty. I used a cedar pigment...It works out to be a little darker than I expected...but I would stay away from redwood pigments...they are really dark, and may not be the color you want once it is done.

 

[kjcole]

I greatly dislike composites for all the reasons cited here, but mostly for fear of mold/mildew. I went with solid vinyl (Azek brand) around the pool rather than wood so I wouldn't be pulling splinters out of kids feet and butts all the time, and so I wouldn't have to seal/stain periodically (my deck overhangs my pool slightly). The only maintenance this stuff needs is washing with a garden hose and some light brushing here and there. It won't take stain.

This picture is from last year - I hope to post a picture of the finished deck later this spring. If you look closely at the cut pieces you can see that they are solid. Dirt, bird droppings, oil, etc doesn't affect this stuff. The embossed wood grain is light, but necessary because it would be very slippery without some texturing. Interestingly, only one side is textured so you can't flip them over. A lot of deck contractors are starting to use this with clients who don't want wood and will pay the high price. I couldn't afford to do my entire deck - so I pictured-framed about a 4 ft surround, the rest is standard pressure treated decking that I'll have to stain and seal periodically (not installed yet in this picture).

 

[ywait42]

Thanks for all the replies. My wife and I just bought the pool, and it is'nt even installed yet but we are kicking it around on which way we are going to go. One neighbor has a pool with a pine deck and he told me to go plastic. Another neighbor has plastic he said it gets to hot for your bare feet???? I only want to do this once an do it wright so all your help is great.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

How about plastic with one of those outoor carpet mats? My SIL has one and they're very comfy underfoot....

 

[ywait42]

Would'nt carpet be a mold magnet?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Would'nt carpet be a mold magnet?

I don't know....it's the kind that doesn't hold moisture, it passes right thru, made out of some kind of woven plastic-like material or something....and there's no pad under it...she's never complained. Hers is on wood decking. I'll have to ask her about it, good question... I wonder if it's like my RV patio-mat.

 

[kjcole]

The white vinyl on my deck stays cool and comfy.

 

[ohio]

Just curious, does the vinyl become slippery when wet?

Jim

 

[kjcole]

No, it's not slippery when wet. The faux wood grain provides enough grip - otherwise yes it would be slippery. Not much different than most woods after sealing, and maybe a bit better. By the way, this stuff is very heavy. Also, I've seen no sag with 24 inch centers for my joists even on scorcher days. Neat thing with this stuff is that you can drive screws very close to the edges without fracturing.

Kelly

 

[emsteph]

Good discussion on the concerns regarding plastic being slippery. I did a playground set in recycled plastic some 15 years ago and never found any concerns with it. It did fade over that time, but still looked good. My neighbour has done his deck in the same and the only thing I've noticed is his ballasters (railing) has some that have warped a bit. Otherwise it has held up well for him.

But that was 15 years ago when it was fairly new technology. It seems there has been improvements since.

Nothing like fresh pressure treated or cedar wood. Too bad it fades over time.

 

[NWMNMom]

Well we went with the composite and I love my deck but then we aren't in the deep south where we get serious 100+ weather. It gets full southern and western exposure all day long and I haven't found it to be any hotter than my treated wood deck that is on the house (which IS hotter because its dark stained wood) - we went with gray to match the pool and it looks very nice. I have had no issues with mildew or molds - we pressure wash it. There is also no issue with sag but then we considered that when building and braced accordingly. The brand we used can be stained just like wood for a different color if wanted or ordered pre-stained. We like the gray. Also, just my .02 but we are doing well with ours.

 

[ssabin]

I'm planning my deck now and shopping for plastics.

I've noticed that some posts above seem to lump composites and plastics together regarding mold, and that is simply not correct. Vinyl decking has no food for mildew to thrive on, and water cannot be absorbed into the material. If any mold or mildew forms on the decking, it is contained at the surface and can be easily removed by hosing down in most cases. I've never heard of anyone with true PVC decking complain of mold or mildew.

At any rate, I have shopped around the local supply shops and found 3 PVC decking material all less than $3/lineal ft - TimberTech XLM, Azek, and Veka, with each about $0.19/ft cheaper than the previous. I've researched all, and am comfortable with the Azek and XLM, but the Veka seems to be the newest around. It's claim to fame is that it claims to be significantly cooler than composite decking of similar colors, and offers superior slip resistance.

I'm still undecided, but leaning to choose between Azek and Veka. One thing to keep in mind in choosing decking is the cost of the railing system and the fasteners you intend to use.