Building a new deck

I have been planning on adding a new deck to the back of my house and this spring is when I will start. It will be 16 foot wide, by 12-16 foot deep. I am agonizing over choices with deck boards and am looking for opinions. Doing some playing around with PVC decking (Cevn Brand) and the new generation Trex samples that I got from the lumber yard. I measured the PVC and Trex sample length at room temp, and then again after being in the freezer over night. The PVC decking grew .011 inches, and the Trex grew .005 inches, both are 4" samples. Since that is about a 45 degree temperature swing, and assuming that the expansion is linear with temperature, I think the PVC boards will "grow" about an inch when comparing a 0 degree day in NY to a 90 degree day in NY. The trex is less than half of that. Has anyone used this PVC decking and had it around a few years? What do you think?

I have read that TREX will support mold growth as well because of the wood fibers, and saw this first hand with my parents old deck. It looked great for a few years but was slowly getting spotted. The new generation has a PVC cap on the press board so no mold will show on the upper layer, but the bottom layer may be a different story!!

The only thing keeping me from going with good old fashioned wood is that I have stained a deck a few times in my life, and that is a pain in the ass. However, I am still considering that route, but going with cedar or redwood (heart wood if I can find it) and just dealing with it. I do like the look of wood the best, when it isn't splintered and needing stain badly.

Any opinions out there??

Thanks,
Joe

I used TimberTech's Tongue and Groove product for our 32' x 12' deck. It was a good choice, I would use it again. No maintenance required, just hose it off if it gets dirty. Easy on the bare feet too. No splinters for the kids who run around barefoot.
Its 12 years old and still going strong.
Easy to install. I used stainless steel screws.
Heres a pic....

http://www.austinwholesaledecking.com/scan6.jpg
http://www.timbertech.com/products/deck ... fault.aspx

Edit: Added video....
http://www.youtube.com/v/nWRmxYAkUYI?fs ... n_US&rel=0

Only one thought. Easier ain't never betterer. You will have to keep those plastic boards pressure cleaned & I've seen a couple that look like crap in a couple, three yrs in NYS. How about some pix of where you are contemplating this deck go. Did my back deck w/ 5/4 PT decking boards & no splintering or nails riseing after 15 yrs. Hell, staining or water proofing every 5 yrs. with a sprayer. Takes no time at all.

The only thing I know about the new man made decking is....follow directions! Some of it calls for 12" on center stringers, other 16".

Only shot I have for now, I can get more. You can see the header board bolted to the house already and the temp staircase setup by the previous owners. The header board is 16' long

Thanks,
Joe

No matter what you use, the deck will be a real nice addition to the house.

Freddy wrote:The only thing I know about the new man made decking is....follow directions! Some of it calls for 12" on center stringers, other 16".

I build a deck with 5/4 x 6 cedar and spaced the joists at 12" just because I did not like walking on a sponge, with man made decking, I would stick to 12".

My dad had a porch built 10 years ago with composite boards...looks brand new today. Never been pressure washed, scrubbed, etc. I guess like many things, your mileage may vary.

My deck is circa 1989 and really starting to show its age. Splinters, split boards, nails that creep up every winter...I am dealing with it but it drives me nuts. This spring I plan to give it the Freetown treatment...pressure wash to get the loose stuff off, and Thompson's Water Seal applied with a hand sprayer.

Lot's of things to consider -

steamup wrote:Lot's of things to consider -

Now thats funny !

JRDepew wrote:

You can see the header board bolted to the house

Thanks,
Joe

Just one thought, I would consider dropping the header one row of siding, aprox. 4''. It looks like it is tight to the bottom of the door threshold. This keeps the rain water from seeping under your door weather stripping and helps when having to clear snow and ice away from the door. I'm guessing you get snow, being on an alternate heating forum and not knowing your location.

All joking aside-

Check your local building codes. Some areas do not allow the deck to be attached to the house. You may have to have independant support at the house for structural and movement reasons.

For some reason I can't get your picture to enlarge, I agree with Michaelanthony you need to drop your ledger board down at least 4" 6 would be better. Also check and make sure there is flashing behind there, I use ice and water shield as well as copper. Aluminum will react with the chemicals in the P/T and be gone in a few years. If you are going out 14 to 16 feet I would go with 2X10 joists 16" On center with a carrying beam set 2 feet back from the decks edge. Even if you go with a composite deck there is no reason to place the joists any closer then that, any deflection you would get would be from under sized joists not the decking. At least that has not been my experience and I have worked with many different composites as well as most the woods. If you like the look and feel of wood then go with wood, if you don't mind the look of composites then you shouldn't have any problems with them either. They both have their pros and cons, just depends on what is acceptable to you.

My house had a small 12'x12' PVC deck on it when we bought it. It was "functional", but not very satisfying. First, it was a very light off-white color so it always looked dirty. Second, with the boards being a one-sided construction (top surface and open ribs underneath) it was very springy. Furthermore, the railings and stairs would squeak and groan when used. The deck was well built, it's just the nature of the material.

So, a few years ago I decided to rip off the decking on the original section and expand the deck overall. I'd dealt with treated lumber on a previous deck and with the size of the planned deck project, there was no way I was going to be staining every few years. I talked to my contractor about composite decking as well as looking at the stuff at Menard's. He said he has tried most of the brands and will only install TimberTech. Once I got over the price shock (2 to 3 times what a wood deck would cost), I went ahead with it. Since I was already blowing way too much money, I also installed the stair step and post mounted lighting system they sell. I have to say, it was definitely worth it. 3 years and it's holding up beautifully. It's easy on the bare feet, and since it's a fairly light grey color, stays cool in the summer sun.

Did a deck for the 'rents back in '91...
Engineer friend helped...
Needless to say it was slightly overbuilt...
Still standing, never flexed with a lot of party goers dancing on it...
Survived 3 weddings...
Used 5/4 white cedar decking...
The 'rents stained it about 10 years ago...
I think it worked out to a 175 lb/sq ft designed live load...
The proper care of real wood can make a deck last...
If you want to go modern...
Timbertech is my choice, nice 'system' they have with the rails and lights...