Why Composite Decking Makes Sense for Deck Rebuilds

The first house I rented had a wooden deck. Neither the landlord nor the previous tenants had done any maintenance on it. As a result, the wood was badly checked and nails were protruding (watch out, bare feet!). It was also a bit creaky, and there was moss growing on the east side. I never forgot that. So when it came time to put a new deck on my house, it was a simple decision to go with composite decking.

Is Composite Better Than Wood?

It’s not that I’m opposed to wood decks, I’m just not willing to put the time and effort into continually maintaining them. Plus, with today’s composites, there are so many great colors, each with texture and grain that looks natural.

Color Variety of Composite Decking

We decided on Trex Transcend Spiced Rum. We looked at other colors, but Spiced Rum looked the best with our brown roof and beige siding. Why Trex? They developed the world’s first composite decking, and their name is practically synonymous with the category. Unlike wood, their composites resist fading, scratching and mold. I like that Trex materials are made of 95 percent recycled plastic. I really like that my maintenance duties will be minimal. Instead of annual pressure-washing and semi-annual staining, all I have to do is a simple soap-and-water cleaning once or twice a year.

Learn more here about how to select Trex decking colors.

Costs of Composite Decking

Composite decking costs more than natural wood decking, but durability and the savings in maintenance are definite considerations. Trex offers a deck cost calculator to help you estimate your costs.

To see the full transformation and get the how-to steps for building this deck, click here.