16 Pros And Cons Of Composite Decking

Choosing Deck Materials

Snowy and icy weather can make your deck into a slippery safety hazard. are slip and fall accidents, and as we brace ourselves for the winter, we . Rock salt and calcium chloride are safe to use on composite decks but.

Composite Decking Vs Wood

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If you live in a moist climate or your deck is shaded, these factors will expedite the growth of these organisms, as they thrive in a damp, dark environment. Even the buildup of pollen and other debris can create a slippery surface when moisture is present. VEKADECK is the best deck board in the entire vinyl decking industry. It’s very difficult to get and they only offer their products to the top decking companies in the country. I went the same way, extruded aluminum and removed my TREX. There was nothing wrong with the Trex but it was not properly shielding the area below the deck from water penetration.

Today, there are still all of the wood options of yesterday, but now there are scores of different composite decking options. Mats just lay on top of your decking and provide plenty of traction. These are similar to the mats used in restaurants to provide the non-slip surface they need in the kitchen where things can get very slick and slippery. Another option that’s much easier and less time consuming is to install anti-skid strips. These are hard plastic pieces that have a grip on the top. They are easily installed by screwing them into your decking boards. Maybe you like the idea of making your own non-slip paint with sand, but you don’t want to paint your deck.

• TimberTech maintains its color and elegance for years without the need of annual painting or staining.
• Available products include wood-plastic composite, capped composite, and PVC composite, all available in earth or other natural tones.
• And it resists mildew, warping and insects, removing the need to replace rotting, uneven or termite-damaged boards.
• With TimberTech you can build a dream wood-composite deck with confidence.

Different types of anti-slip strips are available commercially that you can install over your portions of your composite decking. They have a very rough texture that would greatly increase the surface traction of your composite decking. Long wear, appearance and low maintenance are among the reasons that some homeowners and builders choose composite materials rather than wooden. If you’d like to learn more about how you can resolve your slippery decking problem, please give us a call or send us an email.

Some face-screwing systems, like the Cortex system from FastenMaster, allow you to countersink the screws and fill the holes with plugs made out of the same material as the decking. Installing the plugs is time consuming, but the fastener locations are almost invisible. Build it from something other than wood like PVC decking boards. This is perhaps the most important step in preventing a slippery deck surface. A thorough cleaning each year, ideally with a pressure washer, will allow the natural wood grain to provide extra traction and slip-resistance.

Another quick and easy way to make decking non slip is to use specially-made abrasive strips or non-slip decking tape. Abrasive, non-slip decking strips are the more permanent solution, as they need to be screwed into the surface of your decking . Non-slip tape is a cheaper and much faster way to stop decking being slippery, but isn’t necessarily a long-term solution.

Composite decking, regardless of the anti-slip treatment done, could become slippery at some point. Some can become slippery easily than others, and different conditions could influence this from happening. It is then important to understand how composite decking becomes slippery and how to prevent it from happening. Unfortunately, composite or conglomerate decking usually leads to slippery surfaces, especially when wet.

Trex

Should Decking Be Ribbed Side Down?

If you are building a deck that will be in direct sunlight all day you may want to choose a lighter composite finish so that it won’t absorb as much of the sun’s heat. Composite decking does not typically get hotter than pressure treated wood. On a hot summer day with the sun beating down, nearly any surface will get hot however composite decking is more UV resistant and helps resist fading from the sun’s rays.