The Evolution of Composite Decking

from Fence News April 2023

UNDERSTANDING HOW BUSINESS CREDIT OPERATES

Where It All Began

In 1988, a chemist who possessed an innate curiosity about ways to recycle used materials into new products, was the first to combine sawdust with plastic bags to create a material that looked like wood but lasted much longer. This led the earliest innovators of wood plastic composite decking — Trex® and AERT, Inc. (now MoistureShield®) — to manufacture the first composite decking products, giving rise to a new decking option that touted lower maintenance and increased durability over traditional pressuretreated wood.

Not to be confused with PVC or vinyl decking, which is made from 100% plastic, composite decking is a blend of recycled wood and plastic that is combined and blended into a compound and then further compressed and compacted before being extruded into solid boards. A sustainable and eco-friendly product from its inception, composite decking is made from a high percentage of materials that would otherwise end up in landfills.

While early composite decking products stirred interest among homeowners, the initial excitement quickly waned as the new material presented several challenges including a tendency to stain, fade, warp and crack. And limited colors and nonexistent grain patterns only accentuated the fake plastic aesthetic of the boards. This caused many homeowners to feel the new decking option was not worth its expensive price tag.

Composite Decking Today

After a challenging start, manufacturers invested substantial time, research and testing to bring composite decking to where it is today — with capped composite boards now the industry standard. The plastic cap that covers composite boards helps to keep it from breaking down over time — maintaining the integrity of the board to prevent warping, cracking, staining and helping to seal out moisture to prevent rot and decay.

Some manufacturers even figured out a way to take capped composite decking to a whole other level — creating a product that can be used underwater as well as above ground. MoistureShield® composite deck boards feature a proprietary Solid Core — an impermeable barrier doesn’t just provide an outer cap; it encapsulates each wood fiber to deliver protection from the inside out on all four sides. Meaning MoistureShield products can be installed on the ground, in the ground or underwater without any structural performance issues.

“Because of our Solid Core, our composite boards absorb virtually no moisture and can be used in places that were once challenging to maintain for extended periods, like docks that sit on the water or lead directly into the water, or decks that sit directly on the ground,” says Matthew Bruce, vice president of sales at MoistureShield. “We are proud of our innovation which has resulted in our products standing up to the elements for more than 30 years with no structural field failures.”

In addition, composite decking now features a wide range of enhanced ingenuities that allow for greater pricing flexibility along with varying degrees of stain- and scratch-resistance, heat absorption, slip-resistance and general aesthetic distinctions. Available in a myriad of natural wood tone colors with a wide selection of texturization and grain variegations, today’s composite decking is nearly indistinguishable from real wood.

Outdoor Living Trends Lead to Increased Decking Demand

With the trend over the past few years to create larger, non-traditional outdoor spaces — like outdoor offices, kitchens and grander entertaining areas — the demand for decking products has skyrocketed.

With the increased demand for low maintenance and durable composite decking, contractors are noticing that homeowners are more willing to invest in higher quality products when it comes to their outdoor living spaces.

“We’ve been seeing a ‘do it once and do it right mentality’ emerging,” says John Lea, owner and founder of Decksouth in Atlanta, Georgia. “People are taking the time and making the investment to build something that will last for years to come.”

This has pushed manufacturers to not only develop technologies that take composite decking to a higher performance level, but also to expand color and wood grain variegation options that more accurately represent true wood tones. This aligns with a rise in biophilic design — a trend being seen in both the building industry and exterior/landscape design that works to incorporate more natural elements to increase a person’s connection to their natural surroundings.

With the multitude of products available on the market today, homeowners can get more creative with their decking projects — in some cases, turning deck projects into an art form. “We’ve noticed an increase in the number of requests for two-tone deck designs that create a distinctive, strong visual interest,” says Lea. Two-tone designs often use darker accent boards to picture frame the perimeter of a lighter-colored deck, as breaker boards to divide sections of a large deck or to frame out stair treads on a grand staircase.

New Installation Alternatives

While typical deck construction uses in-ground support posts and elevated joists, new ways to build a deck are starting to appear on the market. For example, the InstaDeck® Outdoor Flooring System by DuraLife® Decking features a locking tile foundation and an integrated Step-Clip® fastening system. This system allows for a freestanding, ground-level composite deck to be assembled on any flat surface in minimal time with few tools. InstaDeck is one solution that is good for both a DIYer and for a contractor who may want to easily add a lower-level deck onto a larger project.

The demand for larger, grander outdoor living spaces has increased substantially resulting in decks being used to create distinct outdoor areas for entertaining, cooking, relaxing and even working. A multi-use deck using DuraLife® Decking Hardwoods CollectionTM is shown here in Golden Teak.