You use vinyl siding for the exterior. It's pretty easy to install, but is not maintenance free as mold & mildew will get on it if conditions are right that have to be powerwashed off occasionally. There are a few companies that make composite decking that also make thinner boards that can be used for trim or lap siding if you want to go that route. I suggest calling Fernando @ Austin Wholesale as they carry a good varity of different composites. Their number is 512-834-1200. Al

Deckbarn, 1)There is no way ONE 'painter' stained ALL the WHITE and ALL the TAN on that deck w two coats(one done before install) in one week.. NOT with a brush...Were you there? Do you see brush marks? I'm calling BS on that....and as I said before, I painted for quite a few years and yes sir I was the 'trim &detail girl' so whether your hand is good or not.... whether you are a fast OR slow brusher- didn't no ONE MAN done do ALL that trim in one week.... PERIOD...... 2)Please post CLOSE UPS of your deck so I can see the seams and how all deck components marry together...neatly?? Gapping?? Any big messy caulk beads? Pine is soft and wet......so ummmm... I'd love CLOSE UP PICS Mr. Puffy. And would love to see your RED Trex decking,top rail,etc. up close so I can see if it's blotchy like it looks in the pics...and I want to see the red Trex top rail and what I assume is face screwed decking.. just to see how what the overall look is.UP CLOSE 3)yeah Deckbarn, i know painters use ladders...I don't know any PAINTER that would want to work on the top of your gazebo. It's an awkward reach.... and on a crazy pitch. 3)My deck cost is $20,000..(thevinyl fence surround on the second floor will put it over $20,000.The RDI Novalign PVC railing is a HUGGGE part of the cost.... I don't want your wood railings.I'm sure you could do my deck for $15,000, but NOT with the material I want to use and YOU ain't doing it anyway.. You would give the job to whoever is the hungriest for work.... PERIOD 4)brace yourself for this Puffy... I live five miles outside Manhattan...People who do 'labor' here get paid more bc it costs more to live here...Are you 30 miles out of Detroit???? Go closer toward the city and it's different.....My house is 120 years old...I am essentially the 'contractor' for all renovations...I research materials before a project starts and then get recommendations from each guy within his specialty. I oversee a master electrician,plumber,and a carpenter.(all three have minimum 30 years experience) I'm sure I could find a guy who only does decks,but it's NJ and what some people call 'straight and finished' is not what I call 's and f'... My carpenter building the deck is highly skilled and you know what??? Money isn't everything... I would rather blow an extra $4000 to be able to sleep at night and know I can make modifications or change materials as we go along....... It's worth it to me... THERE IS NOTHING on my house that is plumb,straight,cookie cutter....I don't want to stain friggin ANYTHING anymore.... I don't want to paint ANYTHING anymore.... PRETEND I'm your customer. You aren't even listening to me.. You are still stuck on promoting a deck the way that is the most profit for you... I know it sux that synthetic railings dip into your profit.....That's life.. But my dear, synthetics are the future on decks.... You should embrace it instead of promoting your BOTTOM line number on building a deck...Someone always pays...and your middle class customer w 3 kids and both working doesn't want to stain or Good Golly have to find someone to stain it in 4 years.....staining railings is a pain in the bum.. YOU know it.. admit it... Have you ever looked at a roof when they smacked it on with a large crew??? The more hands that drop shingles the worse it looks.. I like one hand on my projects... Just a matter of preference....

Nothing clear will hold up. Heat and polymer wont last. Even semi solid finishes are dubious. Sanding and UV modified varnish is about the best I know of, IPE is stabilized, but its basically just dense as all get out, so it gets hot as hades also. It would be nice to cut and go, but later its ratty. And yes, for a wood like product smartside is modern, but it would need a paint finish. If it is a small area, perhaps some exotic wood might be better. For Paint? Polyurethane modified Acrylic paint with all the goodies mixed in. UV control is big, Mildewcide etc. Basically buy the best from a major paint store. Just remember they still have some even better that can be ordered only from the factory. My house paint is amazing..20 years now. And it was 40 bucks a gallon then. Soo much labor saved. Had a tree smash 7 years ago. New paint matched the old paint. Could not be happier. This was a Pittsburg paint. The siding is highly designed, borate infused, Pressed and stressed so it has a fastener schedule. Surprisingly repellent of water, more than the cement board I used. It needs a good paint, comes primed, but prime the cut spots and have at it.

I just saw that I was mentioned re: metal roofs and yes I do try to talk my clients out of them because we had one on a house we bought. We hated it. If not carefully designed with proper snow guards and heating they can be a serious safety risk. Google "killed by falling snow". With my rant about metal roofs over it appears the design is with flat roofs. Metal roofing is not recommended for that application and would be a total waste of money since it wouldn't be visible. I love the look of the weathered IPE above. I also use a lot of Alura and Hardie. You have to be really close to either product to tell it's not painted wood. It's reasonable trade off since they're much more durable, require less maintenance and are fire resistant.