When contemplating a new deck most homeowners start at the same place: pressure treated lumber. Pressure treated lumber is the most popular choice for decking because it’s readily available, affordable and easy to work with. However, as it’s milled from yellow pine it will require regular maintenance to keep from splitting, warping or rotting and to prevent wood boring insects and various types of fungus from setting up shop. Because of the maintenance required of pressure treated lumber and other types of natural wood decking homeowners today are taking a serious look at low maintenance, vinyl or composite decking. In this post we’ll lay out the reasons why low maintenance custom decks is a gift that keeps on giving.
Building Custom Decks from Low Maintenance Materials
Low maintenance custom decks have come into their own in the last few years and are now virtually indistinguishable from their natural counterpart in the looks department. Where they differ is in the fact that you’ll be able to install it and pretty much forget about it. No more having to refinish or repaint the deck every year. No more having to pay to replace rotten or warped sections. Other benefits of low maintenance decking include:
- It impervious to the elements: Composite or vinyl decking doesn’t care if it’s snowing or raining or hailing or anything else. It’s not affected by the cold of the Toronto winter and it’s not impressed by UV rays from the sun. It’s also less slippery than natural wood when it gets wet and you’ll never be pulling a sliver out of your foot because you walked out onto the deck in bare feet.
- It will save you long-term: Yes, composite decking is more expensive to install than standard pressure treated lumber. But, over the course of just a few years you’ll make up the difference in what you don’t spend on paint or stains or replacing rotten or warped elements of your deck. And considering your low maintenance deck can easily last 20 years or more you stand to save big over the long-term.
- Increases your home’s value: Professionally installed custom decks add substantial bottom line value to your home. The fact that yours won’t require more than a light cleaning once in a while is a strong selling point to potential buyers. Some buyers will look at pressure treated lumber decks and think; “Nice but lots of upkeep”. With low maintenance decks their assessment will stop at “Nice!”
- Aesthetics: In the early days of composite, low maintenance decking homeowners often took issue with the fact that the material looked artificial. That’s no longer the case today as sophisticated methods of mimicking the colour and grain of real wood have been perfected. Your new low-maintenance deck will look as good 10 years after you install it as it does the day you first step onto it.
Low maintenance custom decks are quickly becoming one of the most popular types of deck and for good reason. Give most people a choice between a beautiful deck that will require regular maintenance and one that looks just as good but is virtually maintenance free and they’ll pick the latter almost every time (there will always be those purists that just won’t go for anything non-traditional and that’s fine).
Talk to the deck professionals at Toronto Custom Decks to learn more about the various types of low maintenance decking materials available and to determine which one would be right for your home. We can build you a low-maintenance deck for less than you might imagine. One that will add beauty, value and enjoyment to your home for years, no, decades to come.