How to Build a Composite Deck

Composite decking is material that is made from recycled or pure plastic and recycled wood. The recycled wood used to make the composit material is usually wood fiber or sawdust. Some manufacturers use recycled pop bottles as part of the plastic component for this kind of decking material. Even though the prices of composite material are high, using composite decking as your choice of material for your deck has advantages that far outweigh the use of wood.

Composite Decking Planks

The composite decking material looks just like a plank of wood in size and shape. You can work with the planks of composite decking just as you can with wood decking, by sawing and fitting the ends together. You can cut the ends in any shape you wish, such as rounded, or you can use your router to give the composit decking a decorative appearance. If you check out the composite decking prices, you should also ask if the decking is suitable for this type of styling. Some of the brands of composite material for decking will develop air bubbles if you rip a piece of the plank and expose the surface.

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Composite Material

Composite decking planks are colored all the way through. The type of composite decking material you buy will determine how much the material will fade over time. In the first 10 to 12 weeks, you should expect to see some fading of color from the composite decking material, but this is a natural process as the decking becomes acclimatized to the temperature and humidity. If you purchase some of the composit decking that has hollowed edges, you need to pay attention to how the exposed ends are treated. Some of them have individual caps, while others just have a square end. In order to add a decorative edge to some of the composite planks, you may have to use a skirt edge on the decking.

Building the Wooden Frame

When you use composite decking, you still have to build a wooden frame. You also have to look at the spanning ability of the composite decking material you want to purchase. This means reading about the ability of the composit decking to carry a specific load across a specific joist spacing. You should also compare different composite decking prices among retailers because one retailer may offer a cheaper price than another for the same brand of decking.

How to Install Composite Decking

Installing composite decking material to the wooden frame is not a difficult process. The typical method of fastening composite decking is to use a nail or a screw. You can use galvanized nails, decking screws or stainless steel screws. Most experts recommend that you bury the screw below the surface of the deck. If you use hollow planks in your composit decking, the most common method of installation is by inserting the screws in oversized holes that you drill through the composite decking. Then you can fill in the holes with plugs of the same color as the decking.

Author & Source: Peter Leigh

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