Wood Decks vs. Aluminum and Composite Materials



Posted: Sunday, May 31, 2009

by Edward Villarreal
TexDecks.com

Building decks create outdoor spaces used for entertaining and relaxing. It involves a selection of different building materials to work with and this impacts the level of maintenance required not to mention the upkeep and building costs. It also determines durability and the general appearance. In the past, the choice of materials was limited to redwood, cedar and pressure-treated wood. Presently the options are quite broad. The common materials used for deck building include wood, aluminum and composite materials. These materials vary widely in their use and features. The choice of one is largely determined by the purpose of the deck. This choice is also determined by the deck structure, color, shape and size.

Wooden decks are generally made from wood that is generally pressure treated and is created when chemicals penetrate the lumber under intense pressure. These chemicals play the role of preservatives and aid the wood by preventing rot and pest damage. Composite decking on the other hand is made through a mixture of sawdust/wood and plastic chemicals. Composite decking is usually incorporated with wood grain to give it the exterior appearance of wood. It comprises an additional texture that offers slip resistance with a cedar-brown finish on the gray wood grains. Aluminum decks are normally available in 6 inch wide planks, with a height of 1 inch, and 12-30 feet in length. The basic concept behind aluminum decks is the gasket seal that is fixed between portions to ward water off and drain properly from the surface. As a result, they do not require staining or painting because they do not rust and are available in white or tan.

Pressure treated wooden decks are particularly recommended in certain applications where the ground comes into close contact with the wood. Due to the slip and water resistance surface of composite decking, this deck material is ideal for all types of boat docks. Composite decks are also commonly seen on playgrounds and benches relatively due to the UV inhibitors used in protecting its maintenance finish to ensure that its color is long lasting. It is also used on Vinyl PVC decking due to its ability to resist stains, mould, and scratches, fading, moisture and cracking. Aluminum decking material is popular with drainage systems because of its ability to create waterproof surfaces that keep the desired area dry. Aluminum decking material offers a dry and resistant area beneath the deck. This can be used for storage purposes or as an alternative place for relaxing whenever the weather conditions are unfavorable..

Wood decks are generally the least expensive in regard to the initial price. Pine is the least expensive variety available. The step-up in wood decks is actually attributed to pressure treating of the lumber. Despite composite decks being primarily more costly than wood decks, their overall cost and value appreciates with time with durability and maintenance. Aluminum decks are relatively more expensive than wood and composite due to the attributed features including being a great alternative for adding style and color to the home.

Installation is an important factor to consider when choosing a deck material because it is easy to use. Composite decking comes across as the ideal decking material in regard to ease of installation. This is especially attributed to the feature of permitting installation with unseen fasteners meaning that the screw heads are not visible on the boards. However, making a choice on the most excellent composite material for the deck is dependent on its availability in the area as well as the style and color desired.

Visit: http://www.TexDecks.com
This Article has been viewed 1,069 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.