There are so many kinds of deck boards we can choose from, this article will introduce 7 common used materials, and recommend 3 best decking materials from a general view.
Pressure-Treated Wood
It is the most widely used deck wood. The wood is natural, strong, and easy to install. Pressure-treated wood, some pesticides, and antiseptic chemicals are usually infiltrated to enhance its durability. It has the durability and visual similarity of natural wood. And it is easy to cut. It can be dyed but needs to be polished and maintained.
It requires annual cleaning. If properly maintained, the average lifespan is 15 years. You can prolong its lifespan by strong cleaning, sanding, and regular re-staining. The price is about $3-6 per square foot. It is the cheapest wood. But it faces problems such as decay, chipping, or deformation. The difficulty of maintenance is relatively high.
Plastic Lumber - HDPE
HDPE is one of the few materials that are truly completely waterproof. Therefore, the problem of rot caused by moisture can be avoided. However, it is greatly affected by temperature, and under high-temperature conditions, the temperature rises significantly. This material is easy to install and has almost no maintenance costs. Material and installation costs range from US$5 to $9 per square foot, and recycled HDPE plastic flooring averages $7. For more price information, please refer to epa.gov.
Cedar & Redwood
Cedar deck board is better than pressure-treated wood in quality. It is relatively light and easier to use, and can effectively prevent rotten. Like pressure-treated wood, cedar decking requires a lot of regular maintenance. The higher the density, the better the corrosion resistance. The price of cedar flooring is about $9-11.5 per square foot. It is three times that of pressure-treated wood.
The lighter Port Orford cedar is the hardest and hardest cedar. Cedar and redwood share similar characteristics. Cedar forest is more abundant than redwood forest, so from the perspective of environmental protection, cedar is a more environmentally-friendly choice. It is worth noting that cedar and redwood also require annual cleaning and maintenance.
PVC Deck Boards
The decking board made of PVC material has strong elasticity. And requires nearly no maintenance. Compared with natural wood, PVC provides more choices in color. In the past 20 years, the performance of PVC has been continuously improved, becoming lighter and easier to carry.
The price of PVC deck board depends on the quality and design of the material, but it is usually more expensive than composite materials. Its average price is $10-15 per square foot.
An obvious disadvantage of PVC material is that it has very few recyclable components, which is not ideal for the environment. Moreover, it cannot avoid the influence of temperature on it, and the sound absorption effect is not that great.
Composite Deck Boards
There are many types of composite decking, here is the wood-plastic composite flooring material. Unifloor wood-plastic composite flooring looks like real wood and has various natural texture patterns. Made of a mixture of plastic and waste wood fibers, it is durable and easy to clean and maintain.
Moreover, the wood-plastic composite floor provides a unique fastening system, which enables the floor to achieve a smoother surface and a more beautiful effect.
Unifloor provides co-extrusion, deep embossing, and the combination of the two and other techniques, which can be selected according to your needs. Compared with many advantages such as high performance and low maintenance, the only concern may be the price, which is more expensive than ordinary wood, which is a factor that you need to consider carefully.
Aluminum Decking
Although it is not as popular as other options, aluminum is actually an ideal decorative material. It is lighter and stronger than wood and composite materials and is resistant to mold, weather, and insects. It is even recyclable, so the aluminum deck can be used permanently.
All these qualities make aluminum the most expensive decoration choice among them. The aluminum deck is the most expensive of deck materials, and has the longest service life, with a service life of more than 30 years.
Tropical Hardwood
The best feature of hardwood is its hardness. The extremely strong density can effectively avoid the problems of insects and rot. The second characteristic is its unique appearance. Each type of hardwood has its own unique appearance.
Hardwood materials are durable and have a service life of about 25 years. They can effectively prevent moths and are rich in colors, but they are relatively expensive and heavier. But if it is recyclable is still controversial.
There are the above seven common deck board materials, and the one that best meets your needs is the best. From the perspective of environmental protection, recommend cedar & redwood and composite deck boards. From the perspective of cost-effective performance, recommend composite deck boards and aluminum decking.
From the perspective of ease of installation and maintenance, recommend plastic lumber – HDPE, PVC deck boards, and composite deck boards. From an aesthetic point of view, recommend pressure-treated wood, cedar & redwood, composite deck boards, and tropical hardwood. From the perspective of price, pressure-treated wood, plastic lumber – HDPE, cedar & redwood, PVC deck boards are recommended.
Find solutions in Unifloor
As a one-stop composite decking manufacturer and supply chain. The composite decking is shipped directly from the factory at wholesale price. You will find your decoration solutions in Unifloor.
