Reputable brand of decking for upper deck?
Comments (7)
PROMark Bischak, Architect
last year
User
last yearlast modified: last yearUnless there's some new product out there, it seems like Timber Tech (Azek) is the absolute best. Leaps and bounds more realistic looking than Trex or other brands. It's also pretty expensive.
Whatever you choose, get a whole box of it and lay it out in the area where it's going. Colors can vary wildly depending on the light. I chose Vintage English Walnut, and it turned out a little bit paler than how it seemed in the store. I wish I had chosen Vintage Mahogany since it's warmer.
As for performance: it's very grippy, even when wet! And it cleans up so easily.
This is the photo I took of a store display, under fluorescent light (the Walnut sample is by that lady's feet):
Note: the grey tones were the most realistic looking of all the colors, but I just didn't want grey for my front porch. I could see it looking fabulous for a lakeside deck though!
Below is my porch. As you can see, the color varies wildly. It's seriously like this IRL, sometimes it looks a bit warmer or cooler in tone (I didn't filter these photos).Again, no regrets, just wish I had gone with something that had a warmer tone.
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Comments (15)A concrete pad would cost far more than building a nice deck, so I'm not sure what you are comparing that too. Thank you for your suggestion, but it, as I've said, makes no sense for our home and our needs. You buy a fixer upper as you pay less than market value and spend the money you "save" to make the necessary repairs to make it equivalent to those in the neighborhood. The point of putting expensive wood in a fixer upper is this is our home. We hope to live here for at least another 50-60 years and it will look very nice next to the $$$ DIY kitchen we just installed, which will complement the $$$ Marvin windows we are now buying which will some day look very nice with new siding, a second story, completely redone interior and new driveway as we plan to DIE in this house as it is our home. I am not looking to go cheap doing DIY. I am looking to spend the money on quality materials and to be honest, if I could pay someone to put in this deck I would as I don't feel like doing it. We called a few places and got blown off as no one wants a small job. We had the same problem moving duct work and doing other minor things so, we learn to do them ourselves, just like we will the deck. I am not looking at cheap or to flip this house, I am making this house my home and lovingly restoring it, which the support of my neighbors and the original owners family. Even if I flipped the house, I can get what I put into this home back given the area we live in. This isn't about money - this is about the best quality materials in a dark "wood" color. Thank you very much John for your help - you've been really helpful!...See Moreanj_p
last yearEmily R.
last yearWe used TimberTech PRO Reserve in Driftwood for our beach house deck. It's *gorgeous.* Taupe-grey with bluish striations. It doesn't look like 'real' wood (at least, not any real wood I've ever seen! ha) but I love it, and it should hold up well to salty air. Just FYI: this material is much heavier than wood, so you need more joists. Make sure you take that into consideration, esp on an upper deck.
vinmarks
last yearWe used Fiberon Symmetry in Cinnabar. I use a spin mop and water to clean it a few times a year. It gets the nastiest in the spring due to heavy pollen. Other then that there is no other maintenance.
H D
last year
HALLETT & Co.