Awesome. Thank you for sharing your two cents. In the process of figuring out which direction to go and glad I found your channel. Always great to get advice that's based and backed with experience!
I just did my first deck staining job. It took a couple days just to get the rotten boards replaced and wood rot holes filled in and for the filler to set up. Then I had to wash it to get it clean and let it dry. Then there was a big bbq grill to deal with. Then the forecast kept calling for rain. That’s all before I even got to the staining part.
Our front porch was made of wood, It was first built back in the late 1800's when the building was first built. That front porch was strudy enough to place a lot of weight on it and I do mean a whole lot of weight. Beams made of 2 X 10's were under the porch and once removed was still in good condition to mainatin a whole lot of weight for being over 150 yrs old. I plan on building an electric guitar from one of those old beams as it is in that good of condition and un-stained or painted. Just bare wood. The landlord just ripped out this old porch just days ago, and plans on installing a Composite porch in it's place which will be a great deal weaker thatn the old porch it is replacing. All the wooden porch needed was a bit of TLC and up-grades to make it back in perfect usable condition again, but the dumby took the whole thing out. Any history this old building may have had since it was built, is now lost and the new Composite styled deck will remove that historical value from the building. Composite bends and warps easily, where wood doesn't warp if the structure is built properly and strong enough. A composite is also very slippery in winter weather. Makes falling a true problem if snow and ice gets on it. I'd stick to a wooden deck over a Composite deck any day. Sure a Composite looks great, but the fact of the matter is, you can use and enjoy it as much as a wooden deck. Sorry I dis agree with you completely.
Whatever you go with be sure to make sure it’s physically in stock and put a line on your contract about current availability issues. I’ve been running into a ton of supply issues lately especially in decking lumber. Good luck in the heat!!!
I'd ask the customer what they want and give them the option. Either way you are charging for whichever one they want and in the end does not affect you. If they want the higher end then by all means go for it, if they are satisfied with wood then its on them! Cheers.
what do you think about South American Hardwood (SAH) like Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood? I hear composite is not good for many reasons - one of which you named (heat and walking on it barefoot); but others you didn't mention are: mold, mildew, fading and chipping from sun requiring extremely costly repairs. SAH requires very little maintenance and lasts a lifetime. The wood disadvantages you mentioned apply to pressure treated pine, cedar or redwood - Not SAH.
I built a 20 x 25 eon deck in 2003 at $4,000. my brother in law built a cedar same size at $2,000. My eon (with life time warranty) has paid for itself in maintenance cost savings alone, on top of labor and time power washing letting dry for a day and then staining and replacing deck boards. It's bearable when your young, but getting older with physical or health issues you just want to enjoy a nice deck. Bro law wishes he went with composite. Carpenter bees have a feast at his house. Yes the boards get hot( in direct sun light), just wear slippers, old gym shoes whatever. If you walk barefoot on wood splinters are lurking.
Our old porch was over 100 yrs. old and we had no splinter issues at all. Wood is far stronger than composite board and won't warp as easy as composite board.
Don’t build a composite deck. I have had a wooden deck for 31 years. my wife put 2 coats of paint on it 15 years ago and it still has not rotted away. I just stripped. It down and all the boards are sound except for 2 which I am about to replace and then repaint. The trex decking has its own set of problems. At a cost of 4 times more this is a no brainer since you use the same wooden joists no matter what decking you use. The trex even scratches easily and you can’t sand it out as on a wood deck.
Wood is better. Composite expand and contract a lot and they move in the fastening system (small brackets that slide in the grooves). After a few years they are offset and have to be realigned. I've seen some 8-10 years old composite deck and they look dated. It's very likely that 2020 boards will look dated the same way in 2030 when new products will come on the market. It's the same for tile, appliances, kitchen cabinets, cars, etc... These kind of products evolve over time and one can tell which decade they were manufactured, even if they were top quality at the time. A guy on another channel says "god made material" vs "man made material". Wood and stone are timeless.
I've read a lot about how hot composite decking gets and that people and pets can't walk on it without protection. Couple questions: 1) Can you put a piece of carpet down in the hottest months without damaging the composite boards or getting them moldy or something like that? 2) What about radiant heat? If the composite boards get hotter than wood boards, does that heat radiate up to make it uncomfortable to relax in a nice rocker, especially if the deck is fully enclosed on 3 sides?
I heard Cedar is extremely durable and doesn’t even require staining. It sounds like you’re describing pressure treated pine. I am about to have a new deck built and was decided on a mineral based composite, but after talking to a deck builder he recommended Cedar instead. The Cedar is 1/4 the price.
Thanks for sharing. I am in San Francisco and we get fog. I have to redo a pressure treated deck. Going to bite bullet and build composite deck. Well not me, I am going to hire real men to do the work 😂
What fascinates me is how this is all a very important aspect of the conversation and thank you for taking the time but the environment is never part of the conversation. It fascinates me how still today the environment is never part of the conversation The cost of getting the lumber to us environmentally is a comparison that's extremely important to making the choice along with personal financial cost. How about a conversation about a cost to our community for the conservation or destruction of the environment in the processing of straight cedar boards compared to treated boards compared to composite boards?
Started a trex repair recently, never again, I’d say 4x price for material, 3x time to install time and everything has to be perfect under that “dumb tech” or your Guna have a wavy ass deck, oh lol…. And let’s not forget the time you spend plugging holes…. If a costumer wats trex everyone over quote so we can all go back to using wood like God intended
Awesome. Thank you for sharing your two cents. In the process of figuring out which direction to go and glad I found your channel. Always great to get advice that's based and backed with experience!
Good luck walking bare foot on a composite deck in the middle of summer lol. Just installed one literally burning my hands as I was installing
I just did my first deck staining job. It took a couple days just to get the rotten boards replaced and wood rot holes filled in and for the filler to set up. Then I had to wash it to get it clean and let it dry. Then there was a big bbq grill to deal with. Then the forecast kept calling for rain. That’s all before I even got to the staining part.
Good job on this video. I just had one installed using Trex, no exposed wood, for the exact reasons you mentioned.
My step dad will stain a deck for $100 and a case of natural light.
Our front porch was made of wood, It was first built back in the late 1800's when the building was first built. That front porch was strudy enough to place a lot of weight on it and I do mean a whole lot of weight. Beams made of 2 X 10's were under the porch and once removed was still in good condition to mainatin a whole lot of weight for being over 150 yrs old. I plan on building an electric guitar from one of those old beams as it is in that good of condition and un-stained or painted. Just bare wood. The landlord just ripped out this old porch just days ago, and plans on installing a Composite porch in it's place which will be a great deal weaker thatn the old porch it is replacing. All the wooden porch needed was a bit of TLC and up-grades to make it back in perfect usable condition again, but the dumby took the whole thing out. Any history this old building may have had since it was built, is now lost and the new Composite styled deck will remove that historical value from the building. Composite bends and warps easily, where wood doesn't warp if the structure is built properly and strong enough. A composite is also very slippery in winter weather. Makes falling a true problem if snow and ice gets on it. I'd stick to a wooden deck over a Composite deck any day. Sure a Composite looks great, but the fact of the matter is, you can use and enjoy it as much as a wooden deck. Sorry I dis agree with you completely.
They just don’t get it. Totally agree with you. A sucker born ever minute.
Whatever you go with be sure to make sure it’s physically in stock and put a line on your contract about current availability issues. I’ve been running into a ton of supply issues lately especially in decking lumber. Good luck in the heat!!!
Yeah me too. 6 weeks seems to be the magic number
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.
Thanks for your info dude. Keep up the good work.
Will do! Thanks!
Is a bamboo deck considered wood? Would you still choose composite over bamboo? I live in Northern CA. It does get hot in the summer, but no humidity.
I'd ask the customer what they want and give them the option. Either way you are charging for whichever one they want and in the end does not affect you. If they want the higher end then by all means go for it, if they are satisfied with wood then its on them! Cheers.
thank you so much for this post, just what I was looking for to make a decision.
what do you think about South American Hardwood (SAH) like Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood? I hear composite is not good for many reasons - one of which you named (heat and walking on it barefoot); but others you didn't mention are: mold, mildew, fading and chipping from sun requiring extremely costly repairs. SAH requires very little maintenance and lasts a lifetime. The wood disadvantages you mentioned apply to pressure treated pine, cedar or redwood - Not SAH.
I built a 20 x 25 eon deck in 2003 at $4,000. my brother in law built a cedar same size at $2,000. My eon (with life time warranty) has paid for itself in maintenance cost savings alone, on top of labor and time power washing letting dry for a day and then staining and replacing deck boards. It's bearable when your young, but getting older with physical or health issues you just want to enjoy a nice deck. Bro law wishes he went with composite. Carpenter bees have a feast at his house. Yes the boards get hot( in direct sun light), just wear slippers, old gym shoes whatever. If you walk barefoot on wood splinters are lurking.
Our old porch was over 100 yrs. old and we had no splinter issues at all. Wood is far stronger than composite board and won't warp as easy as composite board.
Thank you for your video and recommending composite.
I think the low maintenence and longer life span is worth it
Thanks! I agree. It’s a one and done for sure
Don’t build a composite deck. I have had a wooden deck for 31 years. my wife put 2 coats of paint on it 15 years ago and it still has not rotted away. I just stripped. It down and all the boards are sound except for 2 which I am about to replace and then repaint. The trex decking has its own set of problems. At a cost of 4 times more this is a no brainer since you use the same wooden joists no matter what decking you use. The trex even scratches easily and you can’t sand it out as on a wood deck.
Wood is better. Composite expand and contract a lot and they move in the fastening system (small brackets that slide in the grooves). After a few years they are offset and have to be realigned. I've seen some 8-10 years old composite deck and they look dated. It's very likely that 2020 boards will look dated the same way in 2030 when new products will come on the market. It's the same for tile, appliances, kitchen cabinets, cars, etc... These kind of products evolve over time and one can tell which decade they were manufactured, even if they were top quality at the time. A guy on another channel says "god made material" vs "man made material". Wood and stone are timeless.
I can agree to some extent but you lost me when you said wood is timeless. 🤣🤣🤣
I enjoyed this quality exchange.
I've read a lot about how hot composite decking gets and that people and pets can't walk on it without protection. Couple questions: 1) Can you put a piece of carpet down in the hottest months without damaging the composite boards or getting them moldy or something like that? 2) What about radiant heat? If the composite boards get hotter than wood boards, does that heat radiate up to make it uncomfortable to relax in a nice rocker, especially if the deck is fully enclosed on 3 sides?
Basically, you would need a carpet on it all year round. It's either that or you burn your feet or slip and fall if it gets ice or snow on it.
Thank you for your sincere opinion.
I heard Cedar is extremely durable and doesn’t even require staining. It sounds like you’re describing pressure treated pine. I am about to have a new deck built and was decided on a mineral based composite, but after talking to a deck builder he recommended Cedar instead. The Cedar is 1/4 the price.
You hit the nail in the head! You really don’t pay for what you get for some times!
Thank you
It also depends how long you plan to live in the house. If you plan to move in 5 years, wood may be a better option.
Why would anyone want to build a composite deck that your dog can't even walk on in August?
Thanks for sharing. I am in San Francisco and we get fog. I have to redo a pressure treated deck. Going to bite bullet and build composite deck. Well not me, I am going to hire real men to do the work 😂
Would like to get your opinion on heat-resistant composites they have out .They say it can run 40 or fifty degres cooler.
What about treated 2x6 boards vs deck boards? Wouldn’t the 2x6’s be more durable and last longer than wooden deck boards?
What fascinates me is how this is all a very important aspect of the conversation and thank you for taking the time but the environment is never part of the conversation. It fascinates me how still today the environment is never part of the conversation The cost of getting the lumber to us environmentally is a comparison that's extremely important to making the choice along with personal financial cost. How about a conversation about a cost to our community for the conservation or destruction of the environment in the processing of straight cedar boards compared to treated boards compared to composite boards?
I’d really like to move to SC someday, but you seem to always talk me out of it...too hot!
It burns in the summer and like glass in winter
This aged poorly
Why?
@@marmantoledisregard composite decking still expensive as hell
Started a trex repair recently, never again, I’d say 4x price for material, 3x time to install time and everything has to be perfect under that “dumb tech” or your Guna have a wavy ass deck, oh lol…. And let’s not forget the time you spend plugging holes…. If a costumer wats trex everyone over quote so we can all go back to using wood like God intended