DECK BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS BRIGHTON MICHIGAN ( MI )
A TrexPro Platinum builder for Brighton, MI and surrounding areas.
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Building a Deck – What is the Best Decking Material?
Thinking about replacing the deck you have or building a brand-new one? Then it helps to know which products are out there and what your contractor is able to do with each of them.
Great decks begin with thoughtful planning and design. Often the best-looking ones borrow architectural details from the house and carry them into the deck. Does your home have more than one deck? Consider matching the handrails and decking material so everything looks uniform. Your builder or designer can walk you through the many options available today.
How much does a deck cost overall? Expect somewhere in the $15-$45 per square foot range, depending on how high the deck sits and how complex it is to build. Pressure treated pine is probably the least expensive decking material you can buy, while the priciest are exotic hardwoods and top-end composite decking with a coating. Here's a quick look at some of the decking materials out there:
Decking Materials:
Redwood – You should know redwood is a soft wood that hail can easily damage, and harvesting it means removing old growth forests that need centuries to recover. Since the trees take hundreds of years to mature, redwood isn't a sustainable wood source. Pricing runs roughly $3-4 a linear foot, varying with the quality you order.
IPE – A very dense (hard), durable lumber from the Brazilian rainforest. It's dark in color, and fasteners need pre-drilled holes. I'm not aware of any IPE that's grown or harvested sustainably. Figure on about $4 per linear foot, with the thickness you choose affecting the final number.
Tigerwood – Another very dense (hard) and durable rainforest lumber, this one from Brazil or Africa. Its color shifts between light and dark in a tiger-stripe pattern, and you'll need to pre-drill for fasteners. As far as I know, none of it is sustainably grown or harvested. Tigerwood runs about $4 per linear foot, based on the thickness used.
Cedar – Because cedar is a soft wood that hail can damage, ask for better grades and tight knot or higher. It can be ordered rough sawn, which suits beams or trimmers, and it makes good handrails. Tight knot cedar costs about $2 per linear foot, while clear cedar runs nearly twice that.
Pressure treated pine: Usually this is southern yellow pine that has been pressure treated, meaning chemicals are forced into the wood to help it resist rot and insect damage. Those treatments generally include copper compounds & other chemicals, and these are very corrosive to metal, so galvanized fasteners with extra zinc treatment are recommended to prevent rust. Treated wood made before 2004 often contains arsenic & chromium, which can easily be released if the wood is burned. Let the wood dry out before you stain or seal it. Pressure treated lumber tends to warp, split and twist, and dry climates seem to make those problems worse. In my view, staining & sealing can improve both how this wood looks and how it performs. Fasten P.T. pine with screws or with 16d ring shank nails, and use hot dipped galvanized fasteners throughout.
Composite:
Which is better for your deck, real wood or composite? Composite decking (plastic and wood particles glued together) has taken hold of the market over the last ten years and now goes into more than half of the decks being built. Some companies put 90% recycled plastics into their products, which helps cut down on waste. Still, I'm not aware of any composite that can be recycled once it needs replacing. A decking product that could be recycled again and again would be truly sustainable, but as far as I know, nobody has made one yet. Every composite relies on some kind of adhesive or glue to bind together the plastic and wood particles. The adhesives may be any of a number of polymers (resin), and some of them raise environmental concerns if released, particularly when burned. A composite deck lasts about as long as a well-maintained wood deck, roughly 25 years. In the end, every kind of decking winds up in a landfill.
About ten different companies in the U.S. make composite deck materials, and Trex was one of the first and is widely known. Their offerings include both handrail systems and decking, and most of them sell several product lines that differ in color and consistency. One company in California even makes BamDeck, a bamboo composite made of 70% recycled plastic and 30% bamboo.
Composite decking boards cost $2-$4 a linear foot. Boards usually come in 12’, 16’ and 18’ lengths, and certain manufacturers offer some 24’ lengths as well. If you can, design the deck so it doesn't need any butt joints. With composite boards, butt joints have to be spaced 1/8”-1/4” apart to allow for expansion, and that gap can look unsightly.
THE GOOD
- Composite decking does not require as much maintenance as natural wood products.
- Does not splinter or split.
- Have built in slip resistance.
- Are consistent in color, shape, and texture.
- Grooved boards can utilize hidden fastener systems which are attractive.
- Boards can be heated and bent into circular patterns.
- Boards are often made with recycled plastic materials up to 90%, which make it more sustainable.
THE BAD
- Without a PVC treatment, boards can pick up stains from many different sources. Expect PVC treatments to add roughly $1 to the cost of each linear foot of board.
- Material holds heat and can reach temperatures that will burn bare feet in the summer.
- Material is not structural and typically requires a maximum joist spacing of 16 inches, which also limits what can be done with handrails.
- Material shrinks and swells more that wood which requires spacing at butt joints if used.
- Material requires pre-drilling in many circumstances for fasteners.
- Catastrophic failure, rapid deterioration is possible and almost all manufacturers have had to warranty their product for this reason at one time.
- Material is not recyclable.
- Polymers used to glue product together can be harmful if released into the environment, i.e. burning.
What's the best composite to use? People ask me that all the time, and honestly, I don't know. That's because nearly every company making composite materials has put out products that failed and had to be replaced.
Back in 2009, Louisiana Pacific recalled roughly 48 million linear feet of decking marketed under three brand names: WeatherBest®, Veranda®, and ABTCo. Plenty of other companies have faced warranty claims on products under five years old. A common sign of failed composite decking is color that rubs off like chalk under your finger.
When composite boards begin to fail, they may just rot, or you might see flaking, bubbling, splits or other abnormalities. In extreme cases, boards can even break between joists and cause injuries. Warranties differ by company, but most offer a limited 20 year warranty. Keep in mind that a manufacturer's warranty only covers replacement material, not the labor to tear out and replace the old boards, and that can be a substantial cost. So do your homework and base your decision on each company's track record.
Some things you should consider if you are planning to use composite decking:
- Texture (slip resistance) especially in frost prone areas.
- Color – choose a shade that complements your home's color. Most composite decking fades 30% during the first year before it stabilizes. Some products even shift color, so whenever you can, look at weathered samples.
- Cost – almost everyone is on a budget so pick the best material you can afford.
- Warranty – because products have failed in the past, research the company behind any product you're considering, learn its track record, and read the warranty's fine print.
- Maintenance – consult manufacturer’s suggestions but most can be cleaned with mild soaps and water.
Building or replacing a deck involves a lot of decisions. A new deck can carry the same price tag as a new car, so weigh your options carefully and hire a builder who is competent. My advice: don't just talk with a builder's past clients, take the time to go see one of their finished projects too.
The truth is, no decking is fully sustainable or environmentally friendly. Many natural wood decking products come from slow-growing softwoods or hardwoods, and that generally makes them less sustainable. Southern yellow pine that's pressure treated grows faster and is more sustainable, but it depends on chemicals to resist rot and insects. Should the composite decking industry come up with a product that performs consistently and can be recycled, it will earn the number one spot on the sustainability chart, and on my “A” list.
Deck building and construction is what we specialize in for Brighton Michigan
Thinking about taking your living space outdoors? Homeowners in Brighton, MI know that doing so is an investment: it raises the value of the home and creates a place for relaxation, leisure and entertaining. That's exactly what a deck does. With a decision this important, you want to work with someone you can trust to get the most value out of your home. That's why Supreme Deck is committed to giving you the best service possible. Homeowners starting a deck project have many materials to choose from, including Trex, Azek, Fiberon, Ipe, Cumaru, cedar, redwood, composite, PVC, pressure-treated lumber plus other low-maintenance options. Whichever material you pick works together with the design to create the deck of your dreams. To help narrow things down, Supreme Deck, Inc. offers three specific choices, and YOU decide the level of service: Builder Series decks, custom decks, or composite deck packages.
BUILDER SERIES IN BRIGHTON MICHIGAN
Want a standard deck that's simple, good-looking, built from quality materials and packed with value? This option is for you. You choose one of four sizes, the most popular ones we build. Size and material choices are limited, but since these decks are in such high demand and we build so many of them, we're able to pass along our builder pricing at an exceptional price.
RE-DECK BRIGHTON MICHIGAN
Is your deck solid underneath but starting to feel dated? Maybe you like it but you're worn out from all the upkeep, or the floor boards or railing have begun to rot. If that sounds familiar, this package was made for you. First, we check the structure of the existing deck. Then we tear off the old boards and railing and put down new ones in composite or another low-maintenance product, or in whatever other material you prefer.
A COMPOSITE OR LOW MAINTENANCE DECK NEAR BRIGHTON MICHIGAN
What would your dream deck look like? With a fully custom project, the design options and choices really are endless, and the finished deck, crafted with excellence, is proof that those dreams came true. We build every custom deck around you and your home, so how you plan to use it matters a great deal while we design. Do you host often? Would lighting help draw guests from inside out onto the deck and keep the fun going later? Do you like several tiers, or one wide open level? Is there a time of day when you'll want shade? And, most personal of all, would you like a blend of natural materials and low-maintenance ones? Your answers to questions like these guide us to a deck design you'll be sure to love. Give us a call and let's get your dream started…
Brighton is a suburb in metro Detroit located in the southeast portion of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area. It is one of two incorporated cities in Livingston County, and incorporates land that was once part of Brighton, Green Oak and Genoa townships.