Glad I checked Trex on internet before having my Taos, NM, south-facing deck replaced with it. But I'm totally confused about which way to go, not only for it but also for a full-sun-exposure observation deck on top of a carport that will be built next spring. I hate the feel of Pergo underfoot, so I'm thinking I might not like synthetic. Anyone have anything to say about TimberTech or Moisture Shield, which one blogger elsewhere recommends? Would ipe or ironwood really be better than cedar or redwood in a sometimes-snowy, sometimes-rainy low-humidity environment? We're kind of lackadaisical about maintenance, so what's a decent level that we can get away with and have the deck last 8-10 years?

Every house is different. The loose paint on your house can be a result of a dirty substrate or moisture problem. Both cause peeling paint. Both must be fixed before painting. When paint is peeling, primer will not stop the process. The loosely adhered paint must be scraped and then it should be feather sanded to break down the edges so that bridging doesn't happen when you repaint. Bridging is the edge of the old paint where it meets the undercoat or wood. When a sharp edge is left there,the paint on that edge is super thin and will crack and peel off in time. You can read the label on Peel Stop and decide if that fits your need. Other than that, removing loose paint is mandatory for a professional, long lasting finish. Power washing cedar and other wood products can be detrimental if done by inexperienced persons. Damaged wood is ugly when painted. Ask your choice of contractor if they know how to power wash wood surfaces. Most pro's do not use the "power" in a wash, just the soak and rinse feature. If he is using the power wash to remove the paint, he's damaging the wood surface and pushing water deep inside so that the paint will peel again in the near future. I've seen that a hundred times right here in my own development. Peeling paint; power washed house; same schmuck doing it. It sure keeps him busy though. LOL Michael

Thank you, we are pleased with how our home came out. And it is a smaller home. It's fundamentally a 2 bedroom ranch with a finished walk out basement. We did not use insulating panels on the back as we built a green home. The living space in the house is sealed in an envelope of closed cell insulation. We also have 5kw of solar panels on the roof, geothermal heating and cooling, and passive solar design with only a few windows on the north side, many windows on the back, southern side. We have quite a few other green elements, but those are the main ones. This is our retirement home, so we built for low maintenance. All of the trim work is azek. The only wood that will need maintaining on the outside is the beadboard ceiling used in the front entry and the mahogany front door. And we installed a 50 year roof...which keeps shingles out of the landfill longer and it means we won't have to rip off the solar panels and reinstall just to replace the roof.

I must say, the aged look of the shingles is quite beautiful to me. Sounds like (from the above) that doing your spot repairs as needed could be the way to go, both esthetically and financially. May I ask pros for more detail about how you would prep either for clear finish or paint if thats the route someone wanted to go? If wood is dark do you assume that its mildew (prob use deck clearner type product?) or is it just some natural aging (patina) of the wood that could take a clear finish over it? Just curious - dont have a shingle house at the moment but almost did once. If the damage is limited conceivably OP could use an epoxy-base d wood hardener + wood fill product on it? Generally my experience with 100 yr old wood is :-) and not :-( This is likely still old growth timber and as such was hard as nails very unlike the farmed wood of today (and still is, if its not too rotted) Was so shocked when I got some cedar trim milled for my old porch at how soft and splintery it was - nothing like the existing wood. And I would reiterate about trying to find someone local who is old house friendly and has wood restoration in his/her repertoire - either to do the actual work or you pay them for a consultation. Your plastic guys - siding, windows, etc. - have their own business model and ways of doing things so you really cant expect them to be knowledgeable in other methods. Its fine with me if thats what they want to do, but where I have a problem is when they dont recognize their limitations and make these pronouncements about how the old siding or windows have to go .... like its some kind of ulitimate truth. Consequently, a lot of people dont look any further and the end result is ... at least in my neck of the woods.... a lot of plastic-clad houses.