We opted to go with concrete. I didn't stamp it since most other decks/patios I've seen that were stamped collect and hold dirt in the grooves. We also didn't stain it since that option tends to need to be repeated once traffic areas wear through. You also have to keep the surface of the concrete clean from spills and stains during the build. Everywhere something spills is a spot where the stain may not adhere. Instead of all of that we worked with the concrete company and had our concrete colored. They added color dye to the entire batch of concrete and when it was poured it had a nice mellow brown tone. This blended in nicely with the house. Almost all of the synthetic wood decks I've seen have their issues. Some can be simply keeping them cleaned and free from mold, others I've seen suffered from sagging and swelling. All of them require some type of maintenance. We're going on two years and I've done absolutely nothing to our suspended concrete deck, patio, or covered concrete patio below. They are solid and sound. Not sure if you can utilize concrete or not, but look into seeing if your concrete company will add dye, maybe another option for you. FWIW - I would never install a wood deck - way too much maintenance.

cooper boston, First both products are virturally maintainance free. Soon, with the cost of oil rising, vinyl/PVC will be going up in price as well. Its really a matter of what you like and what you want to see. Some vinyl/PVC look fake and, in my opinion, lack structural integrity. Some have large sleeve type mounting brackets for the rails that really look fake. My choice is fiberal. I just installed them on a small porch landing and stariway last week. They really look nice. I've been using them for about six years now and they hold up real well. You know Cooper, take a look at my album and you'll come across a complete M/Free porch. I used fiberail on it. See what you think. www.fibercomposites.com Good Luck The PorchGuy Here is a link that might be useful: My Album

Biggest difference is price, both of materials and labor. Thin vinyl soffit is basically the same as vinyl siding. There are two kinds that are intermingled when installing. The solid and the vented. Vinyl is probably the least expensive to buy and install. It does expand/contract with temperature extremes and has to be installed using J and F channel. Vinyl soffits on a house with vinyl siding looks soso. It does look cheap on houses with other types of siding, IMHO. I have installed a lot of vinyl soffit. Composite like decking material composite? No way. PVC like Azek is really good---but so expensive as to be prohibitive. To use Azek as soffit material on the average 3 bedroom home would cost several thousand dollars in material alone. It would be virtually maintenance free, needing a good power washing once a year or so to clean any mildew/mold. Just for an example of cost, my better half wanted a white picket fence around the flower garden---about 100 feet. 36" high with 3" wide pickets spaced 4" apart, 3" wide top rail and a 2&1/2" wide bottom rail and 48" posts in the ground cost over $450 in just material. And that includes no labor making each picket from longer stock and dog earing each one. A cedar fence, primer, and white paint would have been less money.

I just wanted to add quickly that I have experience with both white vinyl and wood (stained). My neighbor's white vinyl fence (solid) makes up one fourth of our backyard fence. The other three sides are what we installed (basic wood fence, stained gray to match my siding). In my backyard on sunny days, it's very, very hard to see with that very white vinyl right there in your eyes. And (sorry, this is gross!) bird waste really shows on white vinyl. My gray stained wood fence has held up great over the past six years. I've only had to stain it twice (six years ago, and this past summer), and powerwashed it only two times, and it has stayed beautiful. I know it might seem silly, but the bird issue, the glare, and the grass that sticks to the bottom of the vinyl after mowing would be turn-offs for me. Good luck with what you decide! I hope this helps.