Forty years ago, pressure-treated deck boards were the greatest thing to hit the housing market since vinyl siding. But while treated lumber holds up well under most conditions, it still needs cleaning, stripping, sanding, and sealing.
Today, composite decking does even treated wood one better by taking away a bulk of the upkeep. These boards, made of a mix of waste wood or cellulose fiber and plastic, typically require just occasional cleanings. The same goes for new vinyl, glass, and metal railings.
Deck designs have evolved, too, as more homeowners want activity-specific spaces that mimic the spaces inside their homes. We’ll show you how one homeowner designed their composite deck and tell you what you need to know about the deck materials of the future.
The Benefits of Composite Decking
North Atlanta homeowner Dan Smith’s deck wraps the house with multiple activity zones, including a dining area, breakfast bar, and hearth. The spaces are delineated by the deck’s irregular footprint, steps that lead up and down, and the way the deck boards run in different directions. Designing around existing trees helps blend the deck into the landscape.
Design Features
Before pouring the first post footing for the deck at his Atlanta home (pictured), Dan Smith met with a local designer from Archadeck, a national deck-building firm, to develop a design based on how his family planned to use the space. Smith, the father of three social teenagers and a frequent party host, wanted many distinct areas on various levels for entertaining. “I also wanted to keep all the trees, so you’d feel like you’re in the woods,” he says.
While Smith’s deck is large, the same amount of thought should go into designing even a diminutive deck for a small backyard. “The days of the deck that’s just a plain, impersonal square are gone,” says Bill Bolton, owner of Deck Creations in Santa Barbara, California. “People want the space to be their own. They’re thinking in terms of outdoor rooms.”
More Design Features
The same variety of spaces that you have inside your house, such as a breakfast nook or a quiet area for reading, can be reproduced on your deck. To create a hearth for warding off an evening chill, for instance, place an inexpensive portable propane heater or ceramic chiminea in a cozy corner where you can set down all-weather cushions or pull up a couple of lounge chairs. And while elaborate outdoor kitchens stocked with stainless-steel appliances are popular with the well-heeled, a charcoal kettle on wheels and a prefab potting bench with shelves for stowing plates and glasses will certainly fill the bill.
Delineating those spaces on your deck can be done by adding steps to change elevations, varying the orientation of deck boards, or even putting up a lattice wall. You can also use what your yard has to offer by building around a large tree to create a shady area for lounging.
Deck Boards
Composite decking means you can forgo the annual staining and sealing rituals that go along with wood. Though composite makeups differ—various types of plastics and strengthening fillers such as wood flour or flax fiber are used—all require less follow-up work than wood. The Geodeck boards used for the deck shown here are made from a mix of polyethylene, purified wood fiber, and other minerals. They won’t rot, and they’ll never need refinishing. What they do require is occasional cleaning. “The oak leaves make black marks if they sit for a long time,” says homeowner Dan Smith. “But if I keep the deck swept and hit the occasional stain with a power washer, they come right off.”
More Deck Boards
Even in the Pacific Northwest—the land of plentiful cedar and redwood—Kim Katwijk, owner of Deck Builders Inc., uses composites for almost all the decks he builds. It costs as much as $3.90 per lineal foot for premium 2×4 cedar boards, plus about $1 per square foot annually to keep the deck in top shape, using quality stains and sealers, according to Katwijk.
But he can buy his favorite composite, called Evergrain, a compression-molded polyethylene and wood fiberboard, for between $2 and $3 per lineal foot, with virtually no upkeep costs attached. He also saves on overage. “When I use wood decking, I order about 15 to 20 percent more to allow for the inevitable split, checked, or warped boards.” Not so with composites. “If for some reason I get a bad board, I call the supplier and they send a replacement,” he says.
If you want to compare composites, start by reviewing technical specifications, color charts, and cleaning instructions on manufacturer websites. Be sure to look at how the boards will be attached to one another and to the joists. Most are fastened with regular deck screws, but some boards have channels along the edges for hidden fastening systems, such as those made by Eb-Ty, so no screws will be visible.
Another hidden fastener, Tiger Claw, holds boards together with clawlike spikes. Other boards go down like tongue-and-groove flooring, fastened to the joists with steel nails set at a 45-degree angle. Finally, you’ll need to decide whether you prefer the look of smooth or textured boards. An embossed grain pattern will provide a little extra traction, but smooth boards are also slip-resistant.
Boards: Composite
Here’s a showcase of some of the different kinds of composite deck boards you can buy.
1. These boards are designed to resemble rare hardwoods, but are actually made of polyethylene and waste wood.
2. This board is a mixture of virgin plastic and recycled wood flour. It’s textured on both sides, so if one side gets marred, all you have to do is flip it over.
3. This board is lightweight but exceedingly sturdy, since it has a hollow-core center patterned after a steel I-beam. Some decorative end caps conceal the open channels and make a seamless look.
Boards: PVC and Flax Fiber
4. Another unique board option from Azek Building Products combines PVC with flax fiber for high stain and scratch resistance. The textured surface provides excellent traction, while colors like slate gray and brownstone offer design versatility. Best of all, they don’t cost much different from the other varieties.
Railing Systems
It’s even more of a hassle to maintain a deck’s railing—with its posts, caps, and balusters—than it is to keep up flat boards. So the less wood the better. Non-wood railings generally cost more—a simple, square baluster style can run two-thirds more than a similar one in cedar. But there are more stock styles to choose from, and they save time and money over the long haul.
The only wood on Smith’s deck is the painted posts. The Deckorators balusters are powder-coated aluminum with matching cups at either end that conceal fasteners. The handrail (as well as the deck’s stair risers and fascia boards) is made of Azek, a paintable cellular PVC.
Alternative systems include composite balusters that resemble traditional 2x2s and metal handrails clad in white vinyl sleeves that evoke painted porch rails. Some companies offer turned balusters as well as handrails with curved profiles. Contemporary systems with tempered-glass panels or stainless-steel cables between metal or composite posts have the plus of preserving the view. Whatever style you choose, keep in mind that no other element does more to determine a deck’s look than its railing.
Railings: Wood in Vinyl
Metal is at the core of many new nonwood rail systems, ensuring their strength and stability.
This deck’s vinyl sleeves conceal 4×4 wood posts. The coordinating rails are composite, and the ornate balusters are powder-coated steel.
Railings: Composite Clad in PVC
This clean-lined gray railing looks like painted wood, but it’s actually a stiff composite clad in PVC. The various parts assemble so that all the fasteners are hidden.
Railings: Steel Sheathed in Composite Wood and Vinyl Sleeves
The steel posts in this traditional-looking Oxford railing system are wrapped in a layer of composite and then sheathed with white vinyl sleeves. The rails are aluminum with vinyl coverings—the balusters are composite.
Railings: Stainless-Steel Cables
For homeowners who prioritize unobstructed views, Atlantis Rail Systems offers this system that uses stainless-steel cables. Each cable is set between tubular steel rails and vinyl-clad wood posts. The result is a safe, nearly transparent barrier that doesn’t compromise on visibility.
Railings: Tempered Glass
These railings use 5/16-inch tempered glass anchored between composite rails and posts, some clad in faux stone veneer. They offer uninterrupted views, but you’ll need to clean them frequently.
Railings: Powder-Coated Steel
This custom powder-coated steel railing has industrial strength but a delicate look. Mesh panels between tubular posts and rails won’t block the view. Your local steel company may have slightly different styling from what’s pictured.