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Q. Can we look at your past work?
A. Seeing a builder’s work should be the ABSOLUTE #1 thing to do on your check list. Our clients are usually happy to show you their projects, given enough advance notice.
Q. Among treated wood, cedar and composite, which has the least maintenance?
A. Nothing outdoors is “no maintenance”, but composite decking has the least maintenance of the three. (See the Manufacturers and Technical Specs page for more on deck maintenance.)
Q. What is composite decking and what are the benefits to using it?
A. Made from recycled wood and plastic, composite decking is an environmentally friendly, cost efficient alternative to natural wood, with advantages such as reduced maintenance, color retention and durability. Composite decking does not require painting, staining or weatherproofing. The maintenance that your composite deck will require is periodic washing (1-3 times yearly) to avoid mold and mildew build-up. The added cost of 40%-50% of composite decking over natural wood will pay off in the long run as it eliminates the need of yearly staining, sealing, weatherproofing and the need to replace rotting and splintering boards. Composite decking will never sliver or splinter, which makes it more comfortable for walking on in bare feet and a safe choice for families with small children.
Q. What are the environmental benefits of using composite or plastic decking?
A. Made of recycled plastic and wood, they are a high quality product that is both an environmentally friendly and economically viable alternative to traditional lumber, which is often times injected with chemicals to ward off impending insect attacks. Composite lumber, on the other hand, contains no hazardous chemicals and cannot leak or contaminate the soil. Additionally, serious worries about deforestation and the role trees play in helping prevent global warming, are issues of concern for both the consumer and the building industry. Therefore, using composite lumber rather than wood has remarkable practical advantages as well as these significant environmental advantages. (source - plasticresource.org)
Q. How much more expensive is composite than cedar?
A. Due to the fact that composite is an engineered, low maintenance product, the materials are usually about 50% higher than natural wood.
Q. Is there any advantage to using cedar over composites?
A. The only advantage to using cedar over composites is that economically, cedar is less expensive in the short term and it has the natural wood beauty that you can't get from any other material. However, the cost of maintenance over a 7 - 10 year period can add up to roughly the cost of composites.
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