What is Composite Decking?

Composite decking is a synthetic outdoor flooring option made from a composite of recycled wood/bamboo, plastic, and glue. This combination makes composite decking eco-friendly, durable, and easy to maintain. For these reasons, it has become a popular alternative to real wood decking.

Composite Decking vs. Wood Decking

More and more people are choosing composite decking over wood. You might be wondering why that is since wood has been so popular for so long. Here are just a few reasons:

• Maintenance: Wood decks are pretty high-maintenance, requiring regular refinishing and resealing to stay in good shape. Composite decks don’t need any of that extra work, and they still maintain a brand new appearance.
• Durability: Real wood can splinter and rot if it’s not properly maintained, and it can start looking weathered over time. Compare that to composite, which is built to last with mold-resistance, fade-resistance, and durable design.
• Installation: Interlocking deck tiles are designed for easy DIY installation. Meanwhile, it can take a lot of time and effort to install real wood decking, and you might even need to hire a contractor.
• Price: When you consider how much it costs to maintain real wood decking, including regularly refinishing and resealing, the price for wood is way higher than composite. With composite decking, you just have to pay the initial cost, and you’re done! No surprise expenses later on.

Types of Composite Decking

More and more people are choosing composite decking over wood. You might be wondering why that is since wood has been so popular for so long. Here are just a few reasons:

Composite Deck Tiles

Composite deck tiles are by far the easiest flooring option to install. They interlock and snap together for a secure fit.

Deck tiles are great as flooring for any outdoor deck, patio, and they’re even light enough to use on balconies. However, those aren’t the only places you can use them.

Composite deck tiles can be installed indoors as well. Our composite tiles feature several slatted designs and come in a multitude of colors, so you can literally deck out your sunroom with gorgeous flooring to match your style.

Composite Deck Boards

Composite deck boards are a great solution if you want to build a classic style wood deck. 

Deck Boards usually require professional installation, as you need to build and anchor a wooden sub frame to secure them to. 

Composite Decking Material

Composite decking is a mixture of recycled wood fibers and recycled plastic. The wood fibers are often sourced from bamboo (though technically bamboo is categorized as a kind of grass), or other wood chips or particles.

This composition comes with a lot of benefits including water-resistance, sustainability, and durability. However, one downside to this material is that plastic gets hot in the sun. To combat the heat, you can choose a lighter color for your decking, and make sure there’s plenty of shade.
 

Benefits of Composite Decking

Eco-Friendly

It’s made from sustainable materials: recycled bamboo/wood and plastic. This makes composite decking a great option for environmentally-conscious buyers. The planet benefits, and so do you! As a plus, the decking itself is recyclable, too.

Easy to Install

Who wants to spend money hiring a contractor to install decking? Nobody, that’s who. Composite deck tiles are designed to snap together for a quick and simple installation. You can do it yourself in a matter of hours.

Weather Resistant

If you live in a place with harsh weather, durability is a must-have for any outdoor flooring. Fortunately, composite decks can withstand the elements without getting damaged. They’re fade-resistant and weather-resistant, so they won’t break down in the rain, snow, or sun.

Water-Resistant

Because composite decking is made from plastic, it doesn’t easily absorb water. Instead, it is designed to drain moisture and maintain a slip-resistant surface. It won’t swell up or warp after rain or snow.

Mold- and Mildew-Resistant

Since composite decking doesn’t absorb water, it resists mold and mildew growth. Have you ever noticed how untreated wood can get kind of mildewy after a long time outside? That doesn’t happen with composite. You can count on a hygienic, mold-free deck.

Composite Deck Tile Installation

You already know that it’s easy to install this decking, but how easy exactly? To get a better idea of how little effort it takes to DIY install composite deck tiles, check out the step-by-step instructions:

• Start with a clean, level subfloor made from concrete, asphalt, wood, grass, compacted gravel, or crushed granite.
• Place the first tile in the front left corner of the installation area. Make sure the looped sides face away from the edge. Align the pegs of one tile with the loops of the adjacent tile and set them in.
• Work your way around the perimeter of the deck, before filling in the rest of the space.
  To cut tiles to fit, use a table saw, jigsaw, or tile cutter with a composite material blade. When making cuts, add a ¾” space between the tile and all edges to allow for expansion and contraction.
• If your product comes with edge pieces, snap these onto the tiles to complete the installation.

After that, all that’s left to do is sit back on your favorite deck chair and relax!

Composite Decking Maintenance

Another great thing about this flooring is that it requires minimal maintenance – it practically takes care of itself. No sealing, sanding, or refinishing is required. To keep your deck in top shape, here’s is what you should do:

• Vacuum or sweep away loose crumbs, dust, or debris when necessary.
• If you encounter tough or caked on dirt and/or stains, hose off or mop the tiles with a mild soap and water mixture.

That’s it, seriously! You can spend the rest of your time enjoying your low-maintenance deck in peace.

Ready to get started?