I'm in the process of designing and getting multiple quotes for a deck on
the back of my house.

Contractor A is pushing me towards pre-finished mahogany/cedar and says that
composite boards are too labor intensive and will cost too much $$$ to
install.

Contractor B is pushing me towards composite boards and says that mahogany
is an upkeep nightmare and loses it's appearance over time when exposed to
direct sunlight. He claims it's not that much more labor to install
composite and it's appearance and longevity are top notch.

I don't really want a PT deck as this is an expensive home and I think it
deserves a little more upscale material.

Does anyone have any suggestions for low maintenance yet great looking
decking material?

Thanks!

"GB" wrote in message
news:1146072518.102725@sj-nntpcache-5...

I'm in the process of designing and getting multiple quotes for a deck on
the back of my house.

Contractor A is pushing me towards pre-finished mahogany/cedar and says
that composite boards are too labor intensive and will cost too much $$$
to install.

Contractor B is pushing me towards composite boards and says that mahogany
is an upkeep nightmare and loses it's appearance over time when exposed to
direct sunlight. He claims it's not that much more labor to install
composite and it's appearance and longevity are top notch.

I have some outdoor furniture built with the same mahogany used for decks.
It is a few years old and was given a coat of Penofin oil. IMO, it sill
look beautiful and is not much upkeep. I may replace my deck with it in a
couple of more years. Penofin has UV inhibitors to keep the wood from
turning gray. I don't know how long it will last yet.

I only know of one deck of composite and it looks less natural than real
wood.

You want two things that really don't go together.

I'd be a bit hesistant on the mahogany.

When I had my deck built some 10 years and $9,870 ago, wife and I
argued about cedar vs. the "plastic wood," which was pretty much a
brand new product at the time.

Nope, the fake stuff doesn't look really classy, but I also don't think
it looks that bad. However wife won and we went with red cedar. Looks
nice, but really needs to be hand-scrubbed with oxygen bleach at least
every other year and then treated with some kind of deck product. Very
labor intensive, takes me two days and that's with a second person
helping (and occassionally one of the kids).

I had my way, I'd go with the plastic wood.

A long state park installed the fake stuff in one of their bog areas as
"bridge material."

It's been sitting in the "soup" for 10 years and has no care whatsoever
and still is perfectly fine and looks O.K.

It comes down to if you can live with the looks of the stuff. If not,
go with natural woods, but the upkeep is a bit of a pain.

If your looking at Mahogany, you might as well price out Ipe. Its maybe a
little more but much denser, darker and has even tighter grain.

Western red ceder if that is what he is using is often considered second to
Teak WRT standing up to a wet envoirnemnt.

Mahogany is also a fine choice as it is favored in shipbuilding.

Any wood will show surface color changes in the sunlight and rain unless
maintained with some kind of treatment.

I think the issue with composite is that it wears out blades faster. The
decks can look quite nice and maintenence is definately lower, its really an
issue of what do you want to look at.



"GB" wrote in message
news:1146072518.102725@sj-nntpcache-5...

I'm in the process of designing and getting multiple quotes for a deck on
the back of my house.

Contractor A is pushing me towards pre-finished mahogany/cedar and says
that composite boards are too labor intensive and will cost too much $$$
to install.

Contractor B is pushing me towards composite boards and says that mahogany
is an upkeep nightmare and loses it's appearance over time when exposed to
direct sunlight. He claims it's not that much more labor to install
composite and it's appearance and longevity are top notch.

I don't really want a PT deck as this is an expensive home and I think it
deserves a little more upscale material.

Does anyone have any suggestions for low maintenance yet great looking
decking material?

Thanks!

"ameijers" wrote in message
...

"GB" wrote in message
news:1146072518.102725@sj-nntpcache-5...

I'm in the process of designing and getting multiple quotes for a deck on
the back of my house.

Contractor A is pushing me towards pre-finished mahogany/cedar and says
that
composite boards are too labor intensive and will cost too much $$$ to
install.

Contractor B is pushing me towards composite boards and says that
mahogany
is an upkeep nightmare and loses it's appearance over time when exposed
to
direct sunlight. He claims it's not that much more labor to install
composite and it's appearance and longevity are top notch.

I don't really want a PT deck as this is an expensive home and I think it
deserves a little more upscale material.

Does anyone have any suggestions for low maintenance yet great looking
decking material?

Granite steps down to a bluestone patio? A wood deck makes sense on a
hill,
or for the upper floor of a walkout. I never have understood the sense in
a
wood deck closer than five feet or so to the ground. From your sig, can I
assume you fall in the hillside catergory?

aem sends....



While the front of the house has a granite landing and granite steps, the
back of the house falls into what is termed a "wetland buffer zone". In this
buffer zone, you're not allowed to do patios as they interfere with the
land's natural drainage.....or so the town's planning board tells me and
Lord knows you can't argue that point with them!

The yard in question does have a slope to it...not only away from the house
but also parallel to the house.

So...the deck needs to be supported on pylons.
I don't mind having it nearly down the to ground as the need for railings is
then diminished.

Not sure what my sig says as I didn't think I had one attached to the
message!
Good call though.

Thanks.

wrote in message
oups.com...
You want two things that really don't go together.

I'd be a bit hesistant on the mahogany.

When I had my deck built some 10 years and $9,870 ago, wife and I
argued about cedar vs. the "plastic wood," which was pretty much a
brand new product at the time.

Nope, the fake stuff doesn't look really classy, but I also don't think
it looks that bad. However wife won and we went with red cedar. Looks
nice, but really needs to be hand-scrubbed with oxygen bleach at least
every other year and then treated with some kind of deck product. Very
labor intensive, takes me two days and that's with a second person
helping (and occassionally one of the kids).

I had my way, I'd go with the plastic wood.

A long state park installed the fake stuff in one of their bog areas as
"bridge material."

It's been sitting in the "soup" for 10 years and has no care whatsoever
and still is perfectly fine and looks O.K.

It comes down to if you can live with the looks of the stuff. If not,
go with natural woods, but the upkeep is a bit of a pain.

I've got a contractor bringing a large amount of plastic wood samples in
many different colors and textures to me tomorrow for inspection. I agree
that real wood will probably always look the best, the maintenance factor
shys me away from it.
I've never been a fan of large expanses of pressure treated decking so it's
going to be either composite or a natural wood.....I think!
This project is in the zygote stage right now and I've no estimates yet.

GB, once you see the many varieties of synthetic material, I believe you'll
go that way. I suggest you require your installer use one of the
"invisible" fastener systems instead of nails / screws. I'm doing my own
deck right now and it does enhance the appearance. "Eb-Ty" and "TigerClaw"
are two that I have used successfully. Goggle is your friend.

"GB" wrote in message
news:1146072518.102725@sj-nntpcache-5...

I'm in the process of designing and getting multiple quotes for a deck on
the back of my house.

Contractor A is pushing me towards pre-finished mahogany/cedar and says
that composite boards are too labor intensive and will cost too much $$$
to install.

Contractor B is pushing me towards composite boards and says that mahogany
is an upkeep nightmare and loses it's appearance over time when exposed to
direct sunlight. He claims it's not that much more labor to install
composite and it's appearance and longevity are top notch.

I don't really want a PT deck as this is an expensive home and I think it
deserves a little more upscale material.

Does anyone have any suggestions for low maintenance yet great looking
decking material?

Thanks!