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..... depends installation methods and what species of wood is used. I am using Cypress deck boards,
a neighbor just used Black Locust for his deck boards....with a lifespan of 50 years, I suspect his will outlast 25-30 year composite deck boards.
I’m pretty sure that I mentioned pressure treated wood in my original post. Using cypress or cedar, or some other pricier wood is not an option here. It’s far too difficult to get, and the cost is prohibitive.
Mine was over 30 years. Most of the deck joist wood was in great shape.
It IS possible to set new posts into (many) old frames. It's worth investigating that.
Mine did too. The left corner at wall needed 4 big Simpson fasteners to get the band board level
and secure and the corners used up another $30 of Simpson T40's to suck everything back up to square.
Added some blocking and replaced the cross rail underneath too (not shown in first pic).
But all real basic tasks when taken on one at a time. ... Ya know?
Actually we went under the house and the joists are all perfectly straight (one of the first estimators had told me that they were sagging - he didn't even go under there so that was just a bunch of B.S.). There should be no need to replace those. There may be a few posts that have to be replaced though. I have finally started to get estimates from those that will work with the existing framing, if it is solid. It's still high (way over the annual value increase % of my home) but it's closer to something I can wrap my head around.
It's not "garbage". It outlasts a PT deck today. You may not care for it, but it's the better product for a deck today.
You didn’t understand my description- but you clearly got the sarcasm!
It literally is garbage- recycled plastic, wood fibers/flower (which would otherwise be burned, or buried in a landfill.
Composites are bottom line decking materials- I’ve seen enough over the last 25+yrs. to know! The biggest issues with composites is the framing that supports is wrong. And probably even a bigger issue is LACK OF MAINTENANCE! Contrary to popular believe, composite decking does require maintenance. And if you want it to last as long as PT and look as good as the day it went down- there is maintenance.
Every client that I have dealt with when speaking about decking, I have strongly urged them to consider PVC over composite. It’s just flat-out better than composite.
You didn’t understand my description- but you clearly got the sarcasm!
It literally is garbage- recycled plastic, wood fibers/flower (which would otherwise be burned, or buried in a landfill.
Composites are bottom line decking materials- I’ve seen enough over the last 25+yrs. to know! The biggest issues with composites is the framing that supports is wrong. And probably even a bigger issue is LACK OF MAINTENANCE! Contrary to popular believe, composite decking does require maintenance. And if you want it to last as long as PT and look as good as the day it went down- there is maintenance.
Every client that I have dealt with when speaking about decking, I have strongly urged them to consider PVC over composite. It’s just flat-out better than composite.
We have 20-year old composite decks in my 'hood that look nearly as good as the day they were built. Of course there is *some* maintenance, but not NEAR the maintenance as there is with PT wood, and the PT wood today is nothing like it was 20 years ago either. PVC is better, I agree, but the cost is prohibitive for me, and many others too. I have done enough research to feel good about my choices.
SO NOW that my BF has looked though all my estimates that I have so far, he seems to think that he can build this himself. To give him some credit, he has built many wood decks, and several years ago he did build a composite deck (before the modern hidden fastening systems came along). He wants us to make up a materials list and price it out at the materials place (where he has a contractors account). I'm not doubting that he is capable, but he is a cut-corners/it-will-do kind of guy and I am a I-want-it-done-right kind of girl. I've had more than one of his projects go sideways because he hates details and just wants to get it done as fast as possible. So, while I might not agree for him to build it, I do think it will be interesting to see the pricing for myself.
Last edited by ChessieMom; 08-31-2023 at 02:06 PM..
We bought a vacation trailer a couple years ago that has a massive 43' deck on the front of it. We noticed a couple of the boards had split and were rotting, but the majority of the deck was still in good shape (it is 18 years old at this point). I asked a friend to help me rip out the old rotten boards and replace it with new ones. Turns out the joists were fine and we were able to replace all the rotten sections for around $325 CDN. Hopefully we can stay ahead of the inevitable rot and replace any boards we need to as they require it.
**Update** I've contracted for the new deck. It will be Trex/Wolf composite, and all the wood supports underneath will be new as well. Work will start in January - I can't wait!
I redid my tri-level deck in 2020 with Fiberon PVC. Since I was doing the railings in the same material and the edges would be visible, I didn't want the wavy bottom of the Trex. Was $6500 for the decking and railing, which I bought from a relatively local wholesaler (and they delivered it for $200). I was lucky in that I could replace the old PT myself.
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To give him some credit, he has built many wood decks, and several years ago he did build a composite deck (before the modern hidden fastening systems came along). He wants us to make up a materials list and price it out at the materials place (where he has a contractors account). I'm not doubting that he is capable, but he is a cut-corners/it-will-do kind of guy and I am a I-want-it-done-right kind of girl. I've had more than one of his projects go sideways because he hates details and just wants to get it done as fast as possible. 
So, while I might not agree for him to build it, I do think it will be interesting to see the pricing for myself.
