After a Year of Living With My Decision, See Why I’ll Never Choose Wood Decking Again

Last summer, we knew we had to do something about our two backyard decks. The decking was over 30 years old, showing signs of age, and more than a few boards needed to be replaced. Fortunately, the overall structure and foundation of both decks were rock solid. The question was whether we should resurface the decks using traditional wooden boards or upgrade to low-maintenance composite decking. With the price of wood soaring, it felt like the perfect time to make the switch to composite.

After a few weeks of tearing down and rebuilding both decks, and nearly a full year of testing the quality of the materials, was switching to composite worth it? Read on for my honest opinion, along with my thoughts on the overall building process using these materials.

Choosing the Right Decking Products

After researching the major names in composite decking and reviewing the various features of available products, we quickly settled on Deckorators Voyage decking with Surestone Technology. Our house has a rustic farmhouse look with plenty of wood accents, and what drew us to Deckorators was the realistic appearance of the Voyage deck boards, along with the added traction for pool and wet areas. We paired the decking with cable railings to allow our mountain view to remain a focal point when looking through the back door or spending time on the deck. For the pool deck, we chose to add Deckorators’ new privacy screens to give us a bit of added seclusion.

Rebuilding Our Deck

Once all of our decking arrived, we started by removing the old deck boards and railings. We opted for a picture-frame design with a breaker board, which made installation easier, as we didn’t have to cut a variety of board lengths like you would with traditional decking. I think the breaker board and picture-frame outline made our deck appear slightly larger and gave it a clean, finished look.

We had to cut each board to the correct halfway length to make the breaker board work, but the material was very easy to work with. We did go through a few saw blades, but that’s to be expected on a project of this size. We used hidden fasteners, which worked great overall. However, we found that the Deckorators brand fastener screws tended to strip easily, but this was a simple fix by switching to other screws. Working with the Voyage Surestone material was similar to working with traditional wood. It’s important to keep in mind to cut a bit slower when cutting anything composite, as the material can melt from the saw’s heat. We had no issues cutting through it and were able to achieve straight, clean cuts by taking our time.

Cable Railings

Once the decking surface was installed on both decks, we moved on to the cable railings. I have to admit, I was initially on the fence about using cable railings, as I’m typically a traditionalist. However, it turned out to be our favorite decision of the entire project. If you’re familiar with cable railings, you know that stringing the wire through each hole can be a bit of a hassle. It did take some time, but it was well worth the effort. The finished result was both sturdy and beautiful.

Privacy Screen 

I knew I didn’t want to install a large privacy fence, as it wouldn’t match our neighborhood or the style of our house. But I still wanted a bit of extra privacy near the pool area. Deckorators’ privacy screen solved that problem perfectly. The installation was a breeze and very straightforward. Once the frame was in place, all we had to do was slide in each panel. I couldn’t be happier with the result. The screens are always a talking point when people visit. They add a unique touch and truly elevate the look of the deck.

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Testing Through the Seasons

Possibly the biggest selling point of the Voyage decking is that it does not retain heat. To test its heat retention, we placed a scrap piece of a competitor’s decking and a piece of Voyage decking side by side and left them in the sun for 10 hours. The competitor’s decking registered 98 degrees, while the Voyage decking stayed cool at 67 degrees. After enjoying the newly resurfaced deck throughout much of August, I can say this may be one of my favorite features. Being able to walk onto the deck without worrying about burning my feet or getting a splinter is something I never realized I needed.

Living in Upstate New York, I knew the new materials would face a harsh winter, and I was eager to see how the decking surface, railings, and privacy screen would hold up against high winds, ice, sleet, and snow. We use the deck regularly in the winter to access our woodpile, and the only noticeable change was that the material became slippery when coated with light frost. While traditional wood absorbs moisture, the composite decking remained a bit slick. Despite that, the railings and privacy screen proved to be extremely sturdy, even in strong winds and heavy snowfall.

Once spring hit and it was time to start spending more time outdoors, we had to pressure wash the deck. The deck was naturally dirty from snow melt and rain. We were really interested to see how difficult the composite material would be to clean with all of the wood-grain accents. To our surprise, every speck of dirt and even a rust spot easily came off with our pressure washer. A high-pressure hose nozzle would clean this material as well. We’ve been able to keep the deck clean with a simple broom and sponge for spot cleaning grease or pollen. I also really appreciate that I can scrub stubborn grease spots without worrying about lifting wood stain.

Cost

Composite decking is known to be more expensive than traditional wood, so the real question is, do the benefits of composite decking outweigh the cost? I was skeptical at first, but after almost a year of using our composite deck, I would absolutely choose composite again. Deckorator’s Voyage decking with Surestone technology ranges in price depending on color and length, but roughly lands around  $ 5 to $12 per linear foot, which is about $10 to $25 per square foot, while traditional pressure-treated lumber will range drastically based on quality. You can buy pressure-treated boards for as low as $9.98 at a local big box hardware store, but to compare apples to apples, we received a quote from a local lumber yard, which priced its highest quality deck boards at $52 per 12-foot board. When we factored in that this is our forever home and we will not have to stain the deck every 1-3 years or replace damaged boards, we felt confident in our investment. You can also save money by tackling the project yourself with the right tools.

My Final Thoughts

Overall, this has been my favorite home upgrade in almost 20 years of owning a home. While the upfront cost was a bit higher, the overall look, feel, and low maintenance of Deckorators Voyage decking have proven to be well worth it. Every time I step out onto either deck, I appreciate the upgraded appearance and comfort. We no longer have to worry about splinters, rotting wood, restaining every other year, or wood bees burrowing into the deck, which were issues that were not only annoying but also annual concerns. I do not doubt that the Voyage decking will last a lifetime. Will it fade over time? Maybe. But so far, after a full year of sun, rain, snow, and ice, there’s been no fading, chipping, or other defects. It has been hard to find any negative aspects. I’m already looking forward to replacing my front porch with composite materials.

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