Ask the Readers | wood vs. composite deck
Reader April wrote in with a question about a deck, which she wanted me to ask you all. I have no personal experience with composite decking, so I'm hoping some of you do!
Here's what April wrote:
Our house is 20 years old. Our backyard is only accessible via deck off our kitchen. The deck is 12X14. It needs sanding, staining, and a few boards replaced in addition to replacing a support beam because of a safety issue.
Replacement cost for a bigger deck —12 X 20 — is $15,000 for wood and $19,000 for composite. This is going rate here for a decking company. We have the cash available because of selling a home for profit. We would enjoy a larger deck.
It still seems like a huge waste of money and I wish we had the skills and tools.
Is composite slippery? Our deck gets snow and ice and is on the north side of our home.
Does composite really hold up well? How often does a wood deck need maintenance in the real world?
Our home doesn’t get the sun it should due to weird features, but the deck does get sun. We’d love to be able to sit in the sun on a bigger deck.
Our house has appreciated 100K since we purchased it. Due to my husband’s career in the military we’re unlikely to live here more than 5 more years and possibly could only be here another year. We’re in an extremely unique situation where we may stay 5 years.
Which type of deck should we choose?
Thanks!
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April, I'll just share my opinion on the cost issue: if I were in your shoes, I'd likely choose the wood deck over the composite and invest the $4000.
A $4000 price difference is pretty huge, and the wood will still be in great shape when you move, even if it's in five years.
If this was your forever home, I might spring for the composite; otherwise it doesn't seem to make as much sense.
One thing I wonder: how much would it cost to have someone do the necessary work on your existing deck? That might be a helpful number to assist you in deciding if you do want to spring for the new deck or not.
I agree with Kristen and suggest you just fix the existing deck. If you're a military family, you never know when your living circumstances could change, and adding a slightly larger deck won't add much to the resale value.
I am also in this camp -- save/invest the $4k. When we replaced our wood deck planks about 10 years ago, we applied a sealing product called One Time Wood which states it will last something like 7-10 years without any reapplying. It really works -- especially if you really follow the directions. It's not inexpensive for a jug (you might need 2), but way less than $4k, and your wood deck will look great for years.
One Time Wood sounds like a great option. I will look further into that if needed in future projects.
Thank you for the product recommendation.
Becca,
I know the military reality. I need to de-clutter again even if we don't move in a year! I typically do a great move purge!
Both my decks and front porch are composite. I love them for their low maintenance. Issues: slightly more slippery than wood, but I don’t think that is significant. Still have to be power washed once a year, especially the shady spots. I haven’t noticed fading and my oldest one is 6 years. This winter my daughter caught an edge with the metal snow shovel and scraped it. Lesson learned as we have never had this with the plastic shovel. If you can afford it, I highly recommend for the low maintenance. Haven’t done a true analysis, but I feel like it would be a break even over time as it’s lifespan is considerably longer. My other house had a traditional wood deck - what a pain every couple years.
Carol,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
I have a composite deck on the north side of my home, too! The previous owners of our house installed it, so I can’t claim to have *chosen* composite over wood. My experience is that it does get very slippery when wet. Cleaning it is pretty easy—we have used a pressure washer on it each Spring for the last five years.
Not knowing what real estate market you’re in, to me it seems unlikely that you would get $19,000 back from the sale of your house if you invested in a big composite deck. Since you know that you’re going to move relatively soon, I would suggest a less expensive option.
We're in Colorado, and 19K is possible. It's pretty insane here. Our new neighbors bid 25K over the asking because they'd already lost 3 homes. They were a local move. It's crazy.
I agree with fixing or upgrading the existing deck. I don't know the specifics of what's wrong with your deck, but $15,000 sounds - forgive me - insane. My father, brother, and grandfather have built two (very nice, solid, high-quality) decks on two different homes and it's just not that hard.
Since there's a safety issue, could you get a decking company to replace the existing beam and pull whatever permits are necessary, then get a less-expensive handy-man-type to replace any boards that need it? That would certainly be a savings, and the beam is the hard part, for sure.
It sounds insane to me too. It might be cheaper for me to fly my BIL to town to repair it even if I also have to buy tools. He works every other week, so it might even work in his schedule.
We redid our cedar deck and put in composite. Best decision we ever made! We bought the material and did it ourselves (well, husband did). If we had been moving soon, though, I woulda slapped some stain or deck paint on it and moved on. For me, that's the deciding factor. I wouldn't spend the extra money when you know you will not be there longer than 5 years.
That being said, did you get a couple quotes. When I priced decks out 10 years ago, the difference between a well recommended local 2 guy outfit vs some bigger corporate place was HUGE. We went with the local guy and I'm so glad we did. I am in a HCOL area and that does seems high for wood replacement, but is it a full tear off? I'd imagine it's cedar and not pressure treated lumber. If you decide to go the wood route, don't use pressure treated lumber. They tell you it won't, but it twists and turns and isn't worth the hassle.
For TREX, that price doesn't surprise me. TREX is expensive, end of story.
Thank you for reminding me to ask if they are local or not. I thought our quote was from a local person until he mentioned "regional office."
I have experience in this area. Our wood deck was old and dangerous. We finally had to replace it. We decided on composite because of maintenance issues. We plan to stay here forever though. We get a ton of sun and some snow. It is not slippery. We have had it for 4 years and I highly recommended it. Although, if I was moving in 5 years then I may recommend you install a wood deck and save the money. I actually think good quote sounds accurate. $4000 more than a wood deck is about what I found. I’m Sure it’s regional too
Thanks, Sara. It's a tough decision.
I don't have deck experience. I do have home selling experience. What I would tell you is to try to fix your existing deck and save any money you can, since you KNOW you are moving. The housing market in five years may not be so agreeable as it is now. And certain cosmetic things don't always add value like they should. Your home price is primarily based on square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms. A nice deck is lovely but in five years may not be a deciding factor. Just my opinion. We can't guess what the housing market will look like, or what trends will be. That money could help you update say, your kitchen, which is highly scrutinized by buyers.
Yes, my kitchen needs at the TLC. I'm not sure my husband will let me paint kitchen cabinets again because I didn't finish the last project in a timely manner. We lived without the cabinet faces for a long time. Blush.
We did treated lumber on everything we could and composite on top layer and railings to save a little money. So far so good! 11 years later.
Thank you!
We replaced a small entry way on the side of our house with composite. I am not a fan at all. It is much more slippery than wood. We had to put down nonskid strips on all the stairs to reduce falling hazards for older family when they visit. The composite boards are also much hotter than the wood, so not suited for barefeet. We won't be using it when we rebuild our back deck where the kids play and have a table. My husband can do the work himself, so it is much cheaper to do wood for us.
On your time scale, I would still replace it, but with the cheaper material. Outdoor living spaces have a huge return on investment in my world.
Thank you. I'm disappointed to hear how hot it is.
I don’t have any advice regarding the decking except to say I read the heading as ‘dark’ decision and was quite alarmed!!! I think I need reading glasses lol ....
lol
🙂
The price of wood has gone way up, and people who build decks have been in high demand because people are staying home. I don't think those prices are unreasonable for that size deck. We used a faux-Trex product for our deck remodel, and it's not as great as I expected (it gets hot in the sun, which I was told wouldn't happen; it needs scrubbing a couple times a year) it's a lot less maintenance, and looks nicer, than wood. I think that "low-maintenance composite deck" will be worth the extra four thousand bucks at resale time.
Thank you, Nancy.
I live in Florida, where the heat and humidity eat wood decks. Our contractor, who moved here from New Jersey, said he was astonished to be pulling out pressure treated decks here in Florida that were rotted and ruined, completely unsalvageable, in less than 10 years. He recommended composite for our open porch flooring, and that's what we have. We have a lot of wet weather, and I agree that it can be a tiny bit slippery at wet times, (it's Trex, for what it's worth), but wood gets incredibly slippery here, what with mold and wet combined on them. I have fallen on wet, slippery wood, at church, while wearing a dress, which was a memorable occasion that I'd like to forget.
Composite deck can get burn spots, let me mention that. My son-in-law grilled for us one day, on the open porch - oops, a coal popped out.
Having said all that, no longer than you are going to be there, I would see about repair. If that's out of the picture, I would use wood. Composite decking is for when you know you'll stay, in my opinion. Another thing to do, if no one has mentioned this already, is ask a couple of realtors for their opinions on resale value.
JD, thank you.
I'm still not sure what to do after all these replies.
I'm a realtor in the midwest (five years), and while this question can be somewhat regionally specific, it sounds like you might be in similar weather with some ice and snow. If you think there's even a possibility that you'll move in a year, I would absolutely fix what you have now and not invest in a new deck of any kind.
If you end up moving in five years, you may have wished you'd had the bigger deck to use in that time. However, really think about how much you'll use it. If you have cold winters, you won't be using it for at least half the year. Then add a hot/humid summer-- you probably won't sit out on it much in the sun in a very hot summer. So that leaves spring and fall. Look at your cost per use. It would be astronomical if it weren't a home you're going to stay in long term.
Decks do not add much, if any, appraised value to a home. It might help it sell a little better, but in this market, you do not need that boost. You do need to make it safe, both for yourselves band because that would show up on a future buyer's inspection, and I would also seal it as that really increases visual appeal. If you move in a year or two, though, you're throwing money out the window.
My husband and I flip houses that we live in. We've done four like this and just recently bought our "forever" (whatever that means!) home. We plan to put in a new composite deck in the next couple of years because we plan to live here 20 more years at least until we need to downsize. It makes sense if you'll be there long term so you can avoid the resealing hassle and expense. However, if you're planning to move, you should do the least amount possible because if you're not doing the work yourself, you don't get dollar for dollar back on most renovations. You do get that return on paint, some flooring, some bathroom and kitchen stuff, but usually even in the kitchen you don't get dollar for dollar back unless you're not paying someone else the labor cost. If it were a slow seller's market, then these things will absolutely help you, but there's a housing shortage all across the country, and I really don't see things changing anytime soon.
If you build a new deck, realize that you're spending that money for your own enjoyment over the next 1-5 years. You may decide that's worth it to you, but if we're talking money for enjoyment, $14k-$19k would pay for a lot of awesome vacations! I would assume the repair costs would be significantly cheaper, and I assume it's not so small you couldn't still sit out on it....so after all that rambling, I'd definitely just repair the one you have and congratulate yourself on selling your last house for so much profit!
Thank you so much for your expertise. The Colorado market is absolutely insane. And, I'd really like to stay where I am. I am hoping the military lets us. 🙂
This is a really tough decision.
Perhaps talk to a realtor and see if adding the larger deck will be a good return on your investment. Is a larger deck going to add that much in value to the sale of your house?
I don't have experience with composite but we need to replace our deck and do some repairs to our screened in porch. We live where it is rainy and wet but our deck is quite old and still "OK", so we would probably just go for wood and do better upkeep (we bought the house almost 5 years ago, and the deck is probably at least 10 years old if not older).
Is the current deck so small that you can't enjoy it at all? I would personally lean toward repairing the current deck. Our deck is relatively small, but we use our screened porch more than our deck.
No, the current deck is a tolerable size. My neighbors put up a 10 X 32 deck, and I think it's small because it's so narrow. I prefer 14 X 28. Dreams!
I don’t have a deck per se, but a platform area off the slider, with stairs to a patio. I had it replaced with composite a few months ago & am not sorry. It looks great, isn’t slippery, won’t fade. There are many shades to select from. I had the railing replaced with cedar, as the carpenter recommended. Yes, it was more expensive, but as this is our “forever home” I thought it was worth the investment.
I think the more expensive composite is less slippery....at least the deck guy indicated that. I need to research this more. TY.
I was reading that improving outdoor spaces is likely going to be more and more important in home values due to people's experiences with Covid. Outdoor gathering and entertaining will hold on for a while and features like a large deck would be appealing.
I agree with Kristin that a wood deck is probably a good choice since you plan to move in 5 years, not worth spending for composite.
My area didn't have much covid. Wonder how much that will factor in here. Hmmm.
I forgot to add-- wood prices and materials prices are sky high right now due to pandemic (both from shipping issues and factory closures). I would do everything I can to avoid building something new this year. I don't think your prices are unreasonable, especially with wood prices right now, but that is all the more reason I'd fix what you have.
I absolutely agree with this 100%. We were supposed to replace our deck this year too but are holding off for now. We will just replace the parts that can’t wait.
I agree 100%!
I appreciate this reminder. TY.
Our previous house had a wraparound porch and a sun deck. We lived there twelve years and had to do some repairs the first year because the original owners had not maintained it. I stained it twice in those years. We used a colored stain, which takes more upkeep, but it was beautiful.
Considering you would be spending thousands to gain only a few more square feet if you built a new deck, I would say get the existing deck repaired and nicely refinished. Then spend a little of your money on deck furniture to make it a nicer place to hang out.
We just bought deck furniture. It took the kids 3 hours to put it together, but it does make the old deck more appealing. I wish the beam were in better shape.
Trying to think outside the box: Can you clean up and repair the existing deck, and then add a second deck "room"? This could give you another level, like a trendy add on, or a space at the same level but with a railing in between for interest.
6x12' might not be very much, so you might go a bit bigger, but still not the price of a full new 20x12'.
What do you use, or wish to use, the deck for? Seating, planters, grilling, toys and playing?
My kids love to homeschool on the deck. My toddler likes to play on it. I love to sit in the sunshine on it. The puppy loves to sit by the slider to see us when we're inside working in the kitchen. It's heavily used. We have a large backyard. My husband is an introvert and loves his privacy in the backyard.
I'll throw in my 2 cent's worth, My pressure treated west facing 10x60 covered porch needs new water seal every year. Right now I'm regretting the choice I made.
Oh, wow, that's a huge deck. Do you you like it's size?
I'm with some of the readers who are suggesting to repair your existing deck, especially since you MAY move in 1 year and definitely will move in 5 years. Our wooden deck is over 20 years old. Every few years we pressure wash and re-stain it and so far we have not had to even replace any boards (atho there is one that I am eye-balling). Personally, I am not a fan of composite or fake wood decks-- I think they look artificial and are more slippery than real wood, which is versatile and can be sanded and/or replaced more easily. Also, wood "breathes" and expands and contracts with the cold and heat and seems to adapt better to various temperature and environmental changes.
Millicent, I didn't even think about how wood "breathes." Very interesting thought. TY.
We just had our deck defaced and repaired. We chose composite decking because we don't have plans to move, had the money to pay cash and do not have the desire to refinish a huge deck every few years. Power washing is so much easier. To me, that alone is worth the higher price. (My time is valuable and a lot of my time would be sucked up refinishing/sealing a deck) It holds up really well and I don't find it slippery. The deck we replaced was probably built in the 80s. I make improvements on my house to make it a place I want to live now, not to sell in the future. You are in a different place in your life, so it is absolutely reasonable to just make the deck safe and contract for the least complicated ( and less expensive) option. That's what I'd probably do, anyway.
LPT,
We'd actually enjoy staying where we are, but my husband has to serve another 5 years. Our home is perfect for the 5 of us and has plenty of room for the 8 grandchildren my oldest assures me she's having. (She's a young teen. I suspect she'll change her mind!)
We just ripped a multi-level deck and brick patio off the back of our house last summer, and replaced it with a 14'x28' single-level deck. Because of how our backyard is set up and local building requirements, we didn't have to have a railing installed, which definitely impacted the cost.
We chose pressure-treated wood that will need to be sealed every couple of years.
For us, this was completely worth it. The old deck had several sets of stairs (it included 3 different levels!) that were rotting out, a skirting that had a hole large enough for a racoon to crawl under the deck and die and stink the entire back yard up (and we couldn't remove it because we couldn't get to it), and rickety railings on the highest level, which was more than 15' off the ground (so really unsafe for our two kids).
Redoing the deck meant our backyard went from being nearly unusable because of the smell and the damage. We had repairs priced out, and it was more than 50% the cost of a new deck, and wouldn't solve the safety issues associated with the upper level opening directly into my son's bedroom via a door to the outside.
That said, in your particular case, I would also get repairs priced out. If your foundations and support beams are fine, and you're ok with the size of the deck, you might even be able to just get the decking itself replaced for a lot less.
I agree about just replacing the decking if possible. We did that and used composite. I like composite because I walk around in my bare feet and don't have to worry about splinters. Also if you only replace the decking, you may be able to do it yourself or find a handyman who works cheaper. That said, I'd be reluctant to do any replacement if you only plan to be there 5 years or less. If you spend $15k (or$19k) for 5 yrs, you're spending $3k-$4k per year. Is it really worth that to you? That's a lot of money for a few months of use per year. If it were me, I'd make the necessary repairs, enjoy the current deck as is and save the money for a nice composite deck on my forever home. Good luck with your decision.
One of the support beams is completely rotted. I'm scared to use the stairs. I'm disappointed our inspector didn't notice when we bought the house.
I'm going to see if I can find another repair person though. It's much easier to find a replacement company. Most refuse to do repairs.
Can you find a local person (not a decking company) to repair the deck you have? Keep your appreciation money in your bank account!
I agree.
Unfortunately, I accidentally got our handyman a job with the decking company as a foreman! I should have had him fix the deck first!
I wonder if composite would increase the selling price of the house when you move? Might be worth asking a real estate agent. Here, because of fire danger, we get more 'points' in the local fire code for having composite instead of wood, thus a little bit of a break on homeowners' insurance.
We have composite because the intense Colorado sun -- coupled with snow and ice in the winter -- destroys wood very quickly. Our wood deck was a constant maintenance hassle. Composite is not slippery, in our experience. The color will fade a little in intense sun, but not to the point I really notice.
Do any of your neighbors have composite? Ask them about their experience in your climate.
We're in Colorado. The deck will only get sun in the mornings. My neighbors are mostly retirees and all are replacing wood decks with composite.
Enjoy the sunshine!
I agree with Ruby. Replace/repair what you have to and invest in the better furniture. You can take that with you. We love our composite. We have 2 sets. One set that sits in full sun all year round and another that sits on a north side porch. They are really nice. Scrub and hose down as needed.
We did buy new furniture for the old deck. It arrived on Wednesday. It's glorious! We got a big 7 seater wicker sofa!
We purchased a house six years ago whose deck had been rebuilt with composite decking and we love it! It is more than 10 years old but looks new. We've not had a problem with slipping at all but, being in Colorado, we don't get daily rains only melting snow on occasion. It is textured and isn't slippery when we clean it with water in any case. No more deck maintenance suits me just fine after having wooden decks in the past! I highly recommend it!
We're actually in Colorado, so you understand the insane real estate market here. I think we'll enjoy it if we ever get on the decking co schedule!
I would do the composite. Our experience is with a wood deck, with lots of ice, snow, summer sun and lots of maintenance staining, etc. over the past 25 years. My brother is in the same area, has a composite about the same age, and enjoys his deck tremendously with only power washing, while we are constantly having thoughts that we need to stain ours soon! So much less work for composite and I think it looks great! It sounds like you would enjoy it for however long you will be there. I think composite over wood would be worth the extra cost.
Sue, I appreciate your opinion. Thank you for sharing.
I agree with the FG comment above. Our deck is almost thirty years old, and we just refinished it ourselves. I still wish we'd not built a deck - looking back I'd have preferred a nice patio to this deck (wood, not composite) which does require maintenance. But we have it now, and it's ours to maintain. Good Luck!
Thank you!
We bought a home with a composite deck and I am very thankful. If it were me, I'd go with composite because of how much I like not having to do any maintenance ever. I'm anti-maintenance because I'm getting close to 60 and just don't have the time, money, or physical ability to do a lot of maintenance now.
Denise, I haven't had the time, but I may be entering a new season soon. My youngest is 3. She's ready to be my big helper!
I am delighted that you put this question out for comment, because we are replacing our deck in the spring. After 30 years of Michigan winters, our wood deck is pretty shabby. My husband has spent many hours cleaning and maintaining it. I have convinced him to switch to composite to reduce the upkeep, even if it's more expensive. However, I don't think I'd make the switch if it were likely that we'd be selling the house within 5 years.
Marge, congrats on your new deck! I hope you enjoy!
My father and I rebuilt my deck using composite. I love it. Any chance you could do the work yourself? You just need a chop saw if I recall correctly. I have had to do zero maintenance in the past five years. Perhaps have someone do the support work underneath and then do the rest yourself?
That said, if you are only in your house another year, I might not bother.
Hadilly, I wish! I regret not having as many whiskers as Kristen!
lol
My husband is so busy, but it would be something he could purse in a few years. He doesn't have time in this season.
My husband and I just replaced our 30+ year old deck in November 2020. We did it with wood for $11,000 instead of composite. It took a long time to get the wood due to the pandemic. Hubs will stain it when it gets warmer out and we will have a gazebo attached. I didn't like composite as I went to my cousin's house a few years ago, in the summer, and the deck was white and hotter than heck.
We hired a company that does decks and put vinyl siding on our house 10 yrs ago.
Our deck will be in the shade in heat of the day. It just gets morning sun.
Thank you for your input.
My extended family owns a summer cottage on a lake in Vermont. Several years ago the deck was replaced with composite while the docks remained wood. I was shocked at how much hotter the composite is on bare feet versus the wood. Both areas get full sun during the day.
Oh, Libby, that's very interesting. What color is the composite?
If this were your forever home, I would definitely say go with composite. My parents have it and love it. Our deck has several years of life left, but we plan to replace with composite when the time comes. Even though my husband can do the necessary maintenance on a wood deck, his time has value too and I think the difference in cost will pay for itself over the years (at least when factoring in both money and time).
For a home that you will only be in for 1-5 years, I don't think it is worth the extra money. I would also want to know if replacing it with a wood deck would have any impact on your home value. Even the cost of the wood deck seems significant for a home you might only be in for another year. Of course, you cannot put a dollar value on the enjoyment you will get from a new deck compared to repairing your current deck.
If we manage to stay here for another 5 years for my husband's job, we'll probably stay in the home until we need a main floor master.
I appreciate your feedback!
We did a huge remodel on a foreclosure home we purchased. We opted and designed things so we could have cement for the front porch and cement for the back patio. I am so thankful we did. I hate maintenance. I can power wash it every so often and it's wonderful. Is your home situated so that you might be able to use cement?
Unfortunately, it is not. It's 12 feet from our slider to the ground!
A bigger deck is a want, not a need, so consider keeping it the same size. Before you do anything, fully inspect the support system. It's crucially important that your base is solid.
My suggestion is that you challenge yourself to complete this project as frugally as possible. Secure the footings, replace any damaged boards, and powerwash the existing surface. Then you can stain or even paint it and be done. From then on, every time you look at your restored deck, you can play a few ca-ching notes in your head for all the money you've saved.
Wood prices are through the roof and likely to stay that way for a while. Fires destroyed huge tracts of managed forests and sawmills. Canada is apparently charging a 20% tariff on lumber, possibly in retaliation for a past administration's policies. Demand is way up. 2x4's have nearly tripled in cost since the pandemic began, and good qualuty is harder to come by, even at those prices. This is not a good time to purchase raw materials, whether directly or through a contractor.
Also, there are environmental considerations. Composite is recycled plastic. Pressure treated wood is infused with chemicals and can never be recycled, nor should it be burned. Wood has its own issues, but is possibly a more environmentally friendly option.
It's not an easy decision at all.
Thank you so much for explaining the massive rise in supply cost. Our neighbors got this same deck from the same small company 3 years ago, and our quote is 10K more!
I would definitely take a look at resale value. How much would it go up if you had a bigger deck? Would it go up more if that was a composite deck vs a wood deck? Could be you would get all your money back when you sell. Since you're moving in 5 years or less, I'd base it on that almost completely.
We walk our puppy and notice how most people have a deck so small it's barely worthwhile. I think it will improve our value. We bought deck furniture and even on our old deck, it feels like a whole new room of our home.
Thanks for your input.