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General Forestry => General Board => Topic started by: samandothers on September 04, 2017, 12:15:53 PM

Title: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: samandothers on September 04, 2017, 12:15:53 PM
As we look to building a timberframe home we have started to consider several of the materials.  One area is the decking material. 

I am looking for feedback on experience with composite, PVC or wood such as IPE.  In particular I would like a low maintenance material.  I have been cleaning and restraining a pressure treated deck for the past 24 years.  I am leaning toward a capped PVC decking to eliminate wood fibers (present in composite) to reduce mold mildew and eliminate staining. 

While IPE is very hard it is still a wood and I assume would check, splinter and  would require not only cleaning but restraining for protection.

Thanks for input.

Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: Bruno of NH on September 04, 2017, 01:28:02 PM
The PVC is not what they all claim it to be.
I have sold and installed a lot .
I wouldn't use it on my own house
I like Ipe
I just installed some Siberian larch was some nice stuff this last week.
Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: wesdor on September 04, 2017, 01:34:57 PM
Our deck is 12 years old and we used Trex.  It has held up nicely but I do pressure wash it every couple years just to get off dirt. 

Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: Chop Shop on September 04, 2017, 01:58:08 PM
Its kinda ironic your asking about plastic decking on a sawmill forum.

I have nothing good to say about plastic decking products.  They look cheap/fake and most times age badly.   

Good ol Red Cedar or Redwood for decking out here on the west coast.
Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: Don P on September 04, 2017, 07:44:22 PM
The best thing you can do for a deck to make it and the building it would otherwise splash on last, and make it more user friendly is to build a porch.

One of the nicest looking materials I've seen locally is black locust on a porch floor but it can be tough to find enough good stock.

I did visit one house with a pvc deck where they had put the charcoal grill up on the deck. It had dropped some embers onto the decking and made quite a mess. I then started thinking about it in relation to a structure fire. I'm not sure that its a real good idea.
Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: samandothers on September 04, 2017, 11:41:10 PM
Thanks all for the feedback lots of options to consider. 

Chop Shop I agree with your observation on discussing non wood products on a wood forum.  We do plan a lot of wood use in the house. We have not made a decision yet and continue to explore options.



Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: Don_Papenburg on September 10, 2017, 10:29:11 PM
Ipe does not need stain ,  give it  a coat of dewaxed shellac,alcohol based then once a year wash, let dry and recoat with dewaxed shellac .  It melts into the old and no sanding is required.
Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: samandothers on September 11, 2017, 10:37:26 AM
Thanks for the feedback.  I want to reduce deck labor as I get older.  For 24 years I have pressure washed and stained the pressure treated deck and rail every 3 years.  Next time around this old deck will need to be replaced, but that is future project.

I may go the path of using IPE for the new house.  It looks good, is rugged and more resilient than composite or PVC.  I just gotta get comfortable with the reapplication of oil.  This will probably be easier than current deck. The most time consuming part now is the pressure treated railing.  Future railing will not be pressure treated.
Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: Bruno of NH on September 11, 2017, 07:32:23 PM
Use Ipe for the rail with the colored aluminum ballisters .
They look good and don't need at be finished.
Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: samandothers on September 12, 2017, 10:34:57 AM
Bruno

I was thinking that too.  I like the look of the 3/4 inch ballisters with the board around the top for a beverage rail.  Cable is nice to see through but man that stuff is expensive!
Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: Don P on September 12, 2017, 10:50:57 AM
4x4 galvanized sheep/goat panel is another fairly unobtrusive infill, I've painted it with brown rustoleum and inset it into 1/4" holes before.
Title: Re: Experience with different decking material?
Post by: DeerMeadowFarm on September 12, 2017, 02:09:29 PM
I used Ipe on my decks when I built our house 15 years ago. Still looks good!