It costs more upfront and less over its life. You don't oil it, treat it or stain it — you wash it. It won't rot, warp or splinter, and it holds its colour far better than timber. If you want a deck you can largely ignore, composite is the answer. If you want the look and feel of real wood and you don't mind maintaining it, timber still wins on character.
Composite can get warm underfoot in direct summer sun, more so in darker colours — worth thinking about if you're barefoot or have a dog. Most modern boards have a textured or grooved surface that grips well in the wet, and composite is generally less prone to going green than untreated timber. We'll show you samples so you can judge the texture for yourself.
Modern capped composite boards hold their colour well, though most lighten slightly in the first few months of UV exposure and then settle. That's normal, and it happens evenly. Cheaper uncapped boards fade and stain far more. We'll tell you which range we're quoting for and what the manufacturer's own warranty covers.
