Pros & Cons of Decking and Railing Materials
To help you decide which materials/products will best suit your needs, we have included the chart below to compare the different materials available for your deck and railings. Remember the old saying "You Get What You Pay For". A low initial cost may get quite costly over the life of your deck. For overall customer satisfaction, longevity of your deck and low maintenance costs, Mike Lincoln Custom Decks recommends considering an AZEK vinyl deck or a composite deck.
Please view the Decking and Railing pages for more information, color options and profile options for decks and railings. If you have any questions regarding and materials or products, feel free to contact us.
Copyright © 2010 Mike Lincoln Custom Decks. All Rights Reserved.
Disadvantages
Advantages
Material / Product
- High Maintenance (requires regular cleaning & sealing)
- Will warp, crack, splinter and check as wood dries (which will require replacing some decking and railing boards occasionally)
- Stains
- Scratches
- Life expectancy of only 10-15 years with proper maintenance
- No warranty on decking or railing (only structural warranty)
- High Maintenance (requires regular cleaning & sealing)
- New growth wood is more sap wood, which will rot faster than old growth heartwood (15-20 years)
- Stains
- Scratches
- May crack and splinter if not properly maintained
- Moderate Maintenance (periodic cleaning & sealing is recommended)
- Costly
- Requires pre-drilling which will be reflected in the overall labor cost
- More expensive than pressure treated and cedar
- More prone to mold growth
- Screw holes may swell with moisture
- Fades
- Scratches easily
- Stains
- More expensive than pressure treated, cedar and some composites
- Low initial cost / Least expensive
- Naturally resistant to rot and insects (old growth heart wood)
- Less expensive than hardwoods, composites and vinyl
- 30 day limited cosmetic warranty
- Naturally resistant to decay and insects
- Twice as hard as oak
- Denser than cedar and redwood
- Virtually knot free
- Life expectancy of 40+ years
- Low maintenance
- Rot and insect resistant
- Will not splinter
- Manufacturer's warranty (depends on manufacturer)
- VERY Low maintenance
- Rot and insect resistant
- Stain resistant
- Scratch resistant
- Mold resistant
- Will not splinter
- Will not fade
- Lifetime Limited Manufacturer's Warranty
Pressure Treated
Cedar
&
Redwood
IPE
(Ironwood)
Composite
AZEK Vinyl
PVC Railings
- Low maintenance
- Rot and insect resistant
- Manufacturer's Warranty (depends on manufacturer)
- More expensive than pressure treated and cedar railings
- Minimal color selection
- Flexes more than wood, AZEK and composite railings
- Will contract and expand more than wood, AZEK and composite railings.
