Wood Decks vs. Composite Decks

Maryland homeowners now look towards maintenance free alternatives!

┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á Most new homeowners throughout Bowie, Clinton, Temple Hills, Ft. Washington, Brandywine and Bethesda all share a common problem. WhatÔÇÖs with these builders installing sliding glass doors that lead to nowhere? So, now, we are almost forced to build a deck because we canÔÇÖt bear to have this unusable entryway in our homes. When looking at what type of deck to create, your personal budget will be of the most importance. Use the chart below to get the creative juices flowing.

 Wood Pros:

-          Inexpensive

-          Attractive in a rustic way

-          1 yr. labor warranty (typical of most companies)

-          Infinite varieties of stain colors to choose

-┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á Can be built with joists 16ÔÇØ o.c.

-┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á Make sure to use galvanized screws because they wonÔÇÖt rust.

 Wood Cons:

-          Must re-seal every 2-3 years.

-          Wood must be pressure treated or insects will eat through it.

-          You save money on materials but you still need permits.

 Composite Pros:

-          Attractive in a modern way

-          Lifetime material warranty (typical of most manufacturers)

-┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á Depending on board strength, can be built on joists 16ÔÇØ o.c.

-          Hidden screw system     

-┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á WonÔÇÖt fade, splinter, rust or crack

-          Maintenance free

 Composite Cons:

-          Costs about 1 › times wood

-┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á If you are doing a diagonal cut, joists must be 12ÔÇØ o.c.

-          Labor warranty is still 1 year. (typical of most companies)

-          The composite boards are still supported by wood

 

When thinking about the best deck for your family: decide how long you plan on living in your current home, your budget for the project, and how important maintenance free products will be to you in the future (age being a factor).

 

P.S. Discuss ideas amongst your family before bringing in a contractor. Remember, if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.

Gregory Stotts

Sr. Designer

Ground Up Home Solutions, LLC.

grellisconstruction.com

Ofc. 301-780-3792
Cell 202-215-7516
Fax. 301-780-3793
Email. Gu.homesolutions@gmail.com

5302 East Court Drive.suite 201, Upper Marlboro, MD. 20772