Take Your Pick Although wood-plastic composites are similar to wood and to one another, it takes time to learn how to work with each. “Be sure you understand the material,” advises Ed Repak, responsible for construction and drafting at Archadeck headquarters in Virginia. “How much is it going to grow if you’re installing in the winter, or shrink if you’re installing in summer? Follow the installation instructions.” If the material is going to lighten or fade, “it’s important for the contractor to show the consumer what it is going to look like, not just the new stuff,” Repak adds.
Because each composite has its own characteristics, manufacturers and contractors advise the same thing: Get familiar with a few and stick with them. Learn about many, says Paul Bizzarri, director of marketing for TimberTech. “But at some point you need to select a few you can be comfortable with and that you can confidently and consistently build with,” he says. “And expect continuing improvements and enhancements to these products.”
Exotic Growth Of the so-called exotic hardwoods, Ipe is the one getting the most attention from deck builders. It’s an ideal product for building a quality deck, they say. Ipe is rated for 25-plus years by the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. It has a fire rating similar to steel or concrete and natural resistance to insects, moisture, and movement. It can be sealed to retain its natural color or allowed to weather to silver gray.
However, it’s not cheap. Ipe is roughly double the cost of pressure-treated lumber and is somewhat higher than premium composite materials. And it’s demanding to work with.
“The rule of thumb is that when you start an Ipe project, you start with all new [carbide] blades and plan on consuming them because this stuff is very dense,” says Phil Brown, owner of Archadeck of Central Connecticut, in Berlin.
“You’ve got to pre-drill and put it down with stainless steel screws,” says John Hyatt, owner of Deck Masters, Oklahoma City. “Not that the Ipe is going to hurt other fasteners, but eventually they’ll wear out and the Ipe is going to outlast them.”