Which Decking is Right for me? Pressure Treated or Composite?

Living in the Berkshires, we are blessed with amazing weather and beautiful views. Throughout the county there are rolling hills, lakes, and charming valleys in every direction. With so many sights sitting in our backyard, it only makes sense to invest in your outdoor living space. Decks are a great way to start! From Sunbathing, family cookouts, or even moving the tv outside to enjoy the game and the weather, there are a plethora of ways to use your deck. Outdoor living spaces allow you to take advantage of this sweet middle ground of enjoying nature while simultaneously enjoying the comforts of your home! There are many decisions that come along with deck designs: How much will it cost, what is a good size, what materials should I use, etc. This article will discuss two different decking materials: pressure treated (or PT, for short.) and composite, so that by the end, you will be able to decide which is best for you and your family.

Pressure treated pros

Lifespan

Most familiar of the two options is pressure treated decking. Just about everyone has had or seen a pressure treated deck. Simply put, pressure treated is wood that has had several chemicals pumped into it, increasing resistance to rot and insects. Because of the chemical process it endures, pressure treated decking can last anywhere from ten to fifteen years. Of course, this depends on a few key factors such as climate and how well it’s maintained. Because of its relative longevity, it is a great option for any structures that will be exposed to the elements. For many people, this is a no-brainer. We all know that being a homeowner is expensive, so none of us want to spend money on something that will continually need to be replaced every few years. The longevity of pressure treated decking has kept it on the forefront of the decking market for decades.

Money talks!

Similarly, pressure treated decking’s low-price range is enticing for many homeowners. Compared to other decking options, pressure treated has the lowest price up front. Most standard pressure treated decking costs between $15 and $25 per square foot. While at one point, decks were a considered luxury additions to high-end homes, now they can be affordable and available to most homeowners. This has contributed to the long-lasting popularity of pressure treated decking. Low up-front costs paired with its long-life expectancy makes pressure treated decking an easy choice for many homeowners as they won’t be spending an arm and a leg to pay for their deck.

Make it your own!

Another aspect of pressure treated decking than needs to be considered is its maintenance. Another pro of PT is that it can be more customizable compared to its competitors. Part of the maintenance process is to seal, stain, or paint the decking to prolong its life. Because of this, there are endless possibilities when it comes to making your deck your own. You can paint it to match your home or give it a vibrant contrast. Some people will stain their decks to look like cedar or other higher value woods. With PT decking you can make it what you want it. If you’re the kind of person that likes to change things up every few years, this is a practical option as a quick sanding and a new coat will give you a whole new deck!

There are several reasons why a pressure treated deck would be a good option for you. Its durability and long lifespan will save you some money. What homeowner isn’t concerned about getting their money’s worth with anything they invest in their homes? The ability to customize PT decking is also appealing to many homeowners, allowing them to express themselves in their outdoor living spaces. You might be thinking that based on these options that pressure treated fits your needs, wants, and wallet. Before making any decisions for your home, let’s consider some of the cons associated with pressure treated decking.

Pressure treated Cons

Pressure treated decking has a lot of things in its favor that would cause most people to consider it for their own outdoor living space. Now that some of the pros have been established in the case of pressure treated decking, here are some of the cons.

Money Talks!

Let’s start this list in the same vein as the pros list: let’s talk about money. While the low price is tempting, most people don’t consider the cost to own a pressure treated deck. You might be asking yourself what the difference is? Aren’t the price and the cost the same thing? Well, no. Here is a brief breakdown of what the difference is. The price to build a PT deck may be a one-time payment of $10,000.00. However, you will need to maintain your deck to increase its longevity. Let’s assume that to keep up with maintenance, you get your deck repainted every two years. So even though the price of the deck was $10,000.00 it still will cost you roughly $700.00 every two years to maintain (depending on size, paint prices, etc.) Assuming prices stay the same for ten years (which is very unlikely), by the time you’ve had your deck for ten years, you will have paid $3,500.00 to maintain it, on top of the $10,000.00 it cost to build it originally. That number will only go up. By the end of your time using the deck, whatever money you saved by using the cheaper material, will have been spent maintaining it over the next few years. This is the ugly truth about Pressure treated decking.

Quality Check!

And speaking of ugly, we need to talk about the quality of pressure treated wood. In short – you get what you pay for. First, pressure treated wood typically comes with a series of knots and other defects throughout a single board. Most of the time, these defects are unavoidable and will be featured throughout your new deck. Second, because pressure treated is pumped full of chemicals, it is extremely wet. As it dries out over the next few months, it will shrink, split, crack, bend, twist, and any other movements you can think of! Perfectly straight gaps between deck boards will soon be wavy and inconsistent. I have seen some PT decks less than a year old where the board warps up on either end causing it to look like a banana. Because the decking warps and pulls up away from the framing, it will creak and squeak every time you walk in those spots. On top of the low-quality aesthetic, if a board starts to stick up away from the framing, that creates a tripping hazard for anyone, but especially those who may not have great balance, or general difficulties walking. Lastly, pressure treated decking splinters horribly. If you like to walk around without shoes on, pressure treated will change that quickly. Nobody wants to worry about getting splinters wedged under their toenails, but that exactly what you will have to deal with if you have a pressure treated deck.

Let's Paint the Town?

Many people decide to paint their pressure treated decks. As mentioned above that can be a reason that someone would choose to use pressure treated for their deck. This is also one option for deck maintenance. However, because of the high moisture content in the wood, paint will often peel or crack, leaving the deck look sad. How disappointing would it be to spend thousands of dollars on a deck, just for it to end up looking horrendous after only a few months? Unfortunately, this is the reality for countless people who choose pressure treated for their decks.

Composite decking pros

Composite decking is not as familiar to most homeowners. If you have heard of it, you probably heard it referred to as “Trex” decking. “Trex” is just a manufacturer of composite decking. So, what is composite decking? Simply put, composite decking is decking made either from 100% synthetic materials, or a combination of wood flakes and plastics. There are options for composite deck boards to be partially or completely encapsulated with a structural layer of protection. Pressure treated decking has been the most popular option for nearly 80 years! That is an impressive run! However, this long reign is attributed to the fact that there weren’t many other options to compete with. For context, Pressure treated came onto the scene around the 1940’s whereas composite decking didn’t show up on the market until the 1990’s. Here is the case for composite.

Low maintenance!

One of the biggest selling points for composite decking is that it requires minimal maintenance – especially compared to pressure treated. Traditional wood decks need extensive upkeep every one to three years and will need to be replaced around every 10-15 years depending on how well they are maintained. As stated above, the regular maintenance of these decks can get costly over time. Now, compare that to composite deck boards which are easy to maintain. Choosing this material will save you time, effort, and money! Composite decks do not need to be sealed, stained, or painted, and many manufacturers offer 25 to 50 year no fade warrantees. Which means that guarantee that the color of your composite deck will not change or fade for at least 25 years! That’s a huge deal compared to PT decks which turn grey by the time they turn a year old.

Quality check!

Some people might be concerned that going with an inorganic decking option means that your deck will look and feel fake. Manufacturers have done an excellent job creating a product that looks and feels real – without many of the drawbacks that come with using real wood. Most composite decking options are designed with realistic grain patterns and hues, but they don’t split, warp, or crack like PT decking will. This is the answer to the quality issue that comes with pressure treated decking. Because composite decking is a man-made product, its quality is more consistent than PT, and depending on which brand you buy, you can expect high quality (not all composite decking is equal!).

Sustainability.

For many years, wood was the only option if you wanted an outdoor oasis. unfortunately this meant that millions of trees would be cut down for the production and maintenance of wood decks. Composite decking has provided a solution for the needless waste. Timbertech boast that they have converted nearly 500 million pounds of landfill waste into their composite decking in 2021! Their process and product have also helped to save about 3 million trees since 2001. Using composite decking is a guilt-free way of enhancing your outdoor living space. You can enjoy the great outdoors and simultaneously do you part to help preserve it!

Composite decking cons

Composite decking has come a long way since bursting on the scene in the 90’s. The product has improved by leaps and bounds, but still is not the perfect solution for everyone. Here are a few cons that might steer you away from using composite decking.

` Money Talks!

Again, let’s stick to the order established already and talk about money first. Often, the main reason homeowners decided not to use composite decking is because of the up-front cost. This is understandable, as composite decking can cost anywhere from $15 to $35 per square foot. Compared to pressure treated decking, which will cost $25 per square foot at most. That lump sum can be daunting, leaving many to choose pressure treated to save their bank accounts. Not only does the decking cost more money, but composite decks also feature synthetic trim and handrails which can drive up the overall price of the deck quickly. You may think that you are planning on a simple deck and are shocked to find out that it can cost $30k or more. Because of the high costs associated with composite decking, this may not be a realistic option for everyone.

Turn up the heat!

One of the disadvantages of composite decking is that it absorbs and retains heat – especially when exposed to direct sunlight. Homeowners often complain about the temperature of their composite decks. The deck boards can take hours to cool down before you can comfortably walk on them with your bare feet. If you like to walk around without shoes on, this may be a deterrent for you. On top of potentially keeping you from fully enjoying your new outdoor living space, overheated decking can put children and pets at risk as well. This problem can be dealt with by choosing lighter color decking. Another solution that some manufacturers offer is that some of their decking options retain less heat than others due to which materials are used to make the decking.

What about strength?

Another downfall of composite decking is that it is not as strong as wood decking. Because of this, you may encounter decking that dips or sags when weight is placed on this. This can be concerning but can be avoided by installing the proper framing required by the manufacturer. Therefore, hiring a qualified deck builder is crucial! I can’t count how many decks I have walked on where every time I take a step the board sags. Who wants a deck that constantly makes them wonder if it’s time to start a diet? More than that, perhaps you intend to keep some heavy-duty patio furniture on your deck. You want to ensure that your deck, furniture, and family will be safe on the deck. This is a reason why knowing how you intend to use your deck is crucial to the initial planning stage.

This can be a lot to digest! Building a deck is an investment that you don’t want to rush into. There are many decisions to make, and you don’t want to choose something that you will regret. I will give a very brief synopsis of the pros and cons of each option, and what I suggest you do with this information.

Pressure Treated Pros	Pressure Treated Cons
Low up-front price	Maintenance costs over time
Product lifespan (10 to 15+ years)	Low quality material
Customizable (paint or stain)	paint often splits or peels off

Composite Pros	Composite Cons
High Quality material	Can get very hot to the touch
Low maintenance needs (cost & time)	High up-front price
Eco Friendly	Can bow if not properly supported

Conclusion: My Professional Opinion

I hope that this isn't too overwhelming for you! There are so many things to consider when designing your outdoor living space! In hopes of helping with this decision I want to offer the advice that I woud offer to my own clients. Here it is: stay away from pressure treated decks. I believe that the pros of composite decking outweigh the pros of PT that it doesn't make sense to spend money on pressure treated decking. What if Composite is out of your budget? This is a very real circumstance - I understand not everyone has tens of thousands of dollars to spend on a deck. My advice for anyone in this situation would be to wait if possible and save up the money for composite. As stated above, whatever money you save up-front with PT, will be spent maintaining it over the years and you probably wont be happy with its qualiy anyway. I will say there is a caveat with this - if you have an existing deck / porch / or ramp that is a safety hazard address that as soon as possible with whatever you can afford. You don't want someone you love to get injured because you had an unsafe structure but wanted to save up money for something nice.

If you do find yourself overwhelmed at all of these different aspects of decking options, find a qualified and reputable deck builder who can guide you through this process. If you aren't sure how to find a qualified contractor, head over to this blog to help you get started: https://www.renaissancebuildingco.com/post/a-contractor-s-guide-to-surviving-a-remodel-while-working-from-home