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Forum Thread

Nice deck

70,256 5,366 March 21, 2018 at 03:58 PM in Finance
laugh out loud

Ok now that I got that out of the way...

Composite vs wood decks discuss.

The builder who made this little neighborhood of home has added decks to most and I can pay to have one added to mine but they are plain wood.. looks like just pine, I will assume treated wood but it's pretty basic. And their quote sounds pricey to me...

I will wait until I move in and shop around for someone to add a deck. I'll have to get stupid HOA approval but think I can get better than what I see on the other homes by doing my own deck shopping.

I am thinking about a composite deck (trex or maybe not)...but have read some bad reviews in that the cold weather makes them contract and break free of the "hidden" bolt things and then it's all warped and unusable.

Does anyone have experience with trex or any other composite decking in cold climates?
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Joined Dec 2004
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> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
03-22-2018 at 08:28 AM.
03-22-2018 at 08:28 AM.
Some of you really need to post outside of the lounge once in a while.. laugh out loud Couldn't rep some for the helpful advice.. so .. Thanks Smilie
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Joined Jul 2003
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> bubble2 35,473 Posts
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DC
03-22-2018 at 08:31 AM.
03-22-2018 at 08:31 AM.
Quote from Schooby :
Some of you really need to post outside of the lounge once in a while.. laugh out loud Couldn't rep some for the helpful advice.. so .. Thanks Smilie
Some of us do! laugh out loud
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Joined Sep 2006
IVIodel citizen
> bubble2 19,431 Posts
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Fallacy
03-22-2018 at 08:46 AM.
03-22-2018 at 08:46 AM.
Quote from Schooby :
Some of you really need to post outside of the lounge once in a while.. Couldn't rep some for the helpful advice.. so .. Thanks
What is this "outside" the lounge you speak of?
Quote from Schooby :
Thanks, yeah I have a feeling Trex will be higher just for the name.

I should be closing on the house on the 4th
They also offer different "designs". I like the look of Fiberon better. It's more acid washed (or whatever you want to call it) giving each board a unique look vs. Trex which is more stamped and the boards will have repeating patterns on a big enough deck.

Azek is great too, but it's even less "composite" and more "plastic", and more pricey.
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Joined Dec 2007
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> bubble2 3,619 Posts
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Kabn
03-22-2018 at 08:48 AM.
03-22-2018 at 08:48 AM.
My parents' retirement home has two decks (smaller one out front, larger on back). Both are built with composite and covered by the roof, and there have been had zero issues with them in 10 years. I don't even think they power wash since everything is covered. The house gets a lot of humidity in the summer, then the temps routinely get down in the single digits in the winter. My parents went with a lighter color (and, again, both are covered), so I can't remember a time it was too hot to walk on barefooted.

The railing top pieces look a little cheesy since they're obviously not wood, but I assume the current ones have made strides in that department.
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Joined Dec 2004
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> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
03-22-2018 at 09:08 AM.
03-22-2018 at 09:08 AM.
Quote from Fallacy :
What is this "outside" the lounge you speak of?

They also offer different "designs". I like the look of Fiberon better. It's more acid washed (or whatever you want to call it) giving each board a unique look vs. Trex which is more stamped and the boards will have repeating patterns on a big enough deck.

Azek is great too, but it's even less "composite" and more "plastic", and more pricey.
Thanks

Quote from Kabn :
My parents' retirement home has two decks (smaller one out front, larger on back). Both are built with composite and covered by the roof, and there have been had zero issues with them in 10 years. I don't even think they power wash since everything is covered. The house gets a lot of humidity in the summer, then the temps routinely get down in the single digits in the winter. My parents went with a lighter color (and, again, both are covered), so I can't remember a time it was too hot to walk on barefooted.

The railing top pieces look a little cheesy since they're obviously not wood, but I assume the current ones have made strides in that department.
Yeah I kind of have something like this in mind..

Click image for larger version Name: FH10MAY_COMPDE_01-2.jpg Views: 8 Size: 75.0 KB ID: 6746331
which wouldn't need rails.. or this


Click image for larger version Name: composite-decks-cleveland-ohio.jpg Views: 7 Size: 120.0 KB ID: 6746335


minus the rails and only the 2 levels.
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Joined Feb 2010
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idkist
03-22-2018 at 09:21 AM.
03-22-2018 at 09:21 AM.
Pics of my old deck are still on zillow...




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Joined Jul 2003
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> bubble2 35,473 Posts
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DC
03-22-2018 at 09:28 AM.
03-22-2018 at 09:28 AM.
Quote from idkist :
Pics of my old deck are still on zillow...
Nice looking deck you had there.
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Joined Jan 2004
Here's to the future
> bubble2 25,141 Posts
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Iaaaiws
03-22-2018 at 10:53 AM.
03-22-2018 at 10:53 AM.
Quote from idkist :
Pics of my old deck are still on zillow...
Once pictures of your deck get out there they never seem to go away.
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Joined Aug 2005
Baldilocks
> bubble2 41,172 Posts
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emelvee
03-22-2018 at 10:57 AM.
03-22-2018 at 10:57 AM.
Quote from Schooby :
minus the rails and only the 2 levels.
At your age, shouldn't any steps or change in elevation over 1" have rails?

Hide
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Joined Sep 2006
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> bubble2 19,431 Posts
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Fallacy
03-22-2018 at 11:00 AM.
03-22-2018 at 11:00 AM.
Quote from emelvee :
At your age, shouldn't any steps or change in elevation over 1" have rails?
Don't be silly.


She can get one of those powered wheelchair lifts.
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Joined Aug 2005
Baldilocks
> bubble2 41,172 Posts
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emelvee
03-22-2018 at 11:11 AM.
03-22-2018 at 11:11 AM.
Quote from Fallacy :
Don't be silly.


She can get one of those powered wheelchair lifts.
I was thinking in case I come over to visit.

You don't think she already has one of those?
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Joined Jun 2006
Jambi-rific in Seattle!
> bubble2 31,436 Posts
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Zoe Moon
03-22-2018 at 11:20 AM.
03-22-2018 at 11:20 AM.
Quote from Schooby :





I had thought about pavers too.. my brother had a nice paver patio at a former house.. he did have to deal with chipmunks burrowing under them and him needed to realign them and reseat them laugh out loud But it was sharp. Prob more than I want or can put into it for a long time. And as Iaaaiws points out.. I'll be Zombie by then.
How do you feel about snakes? On our low slung wooden deck that came with the house, the snakes loved it and raised their babies under it.
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Joined Jan 2004
Here's to the future
> bubble2 25,141 Posts
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Iaaaiws
03-22-2018 at 11:59 AM.
03-22-2018 at 11:59 AM.
Quote from Zoe Moon :
How do you feel about snakes? On our low slung wooden deck that came with the house, the snakes loved it and raised their babies under it.
If you don't have a nice deck for them to live under then they move into the house.
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fsyowad
03-22-2018 at 12:14 PM.
03-22-2018 at 12:14 PM.
Quote from Iaaaiws :
If you don't have a nice deck for them to live under then they move into the house.
My black snakes. disappear under my foundation . There must be a whole nest of those guys under my house. Never saw one in the house yet though.
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Joined Dec 2004
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Original Poster
Schooby
03-22-2018 at 12:17 PM.
03-22-2018 at 12:17 PM.
Quote from idkist :
Pics of my old deck are still on zillow...

Very nice Thumbup

I like the woods right behind it too Smilie
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