Composite Decking

[Boatboy24]

I agree composite is way more expensive but a far superior product. The only caution I would like to add is to watch your joist spacing. Composite doesn't span as well as wood. The absolute maximum spacing for composite is 16" o.c. but I would recommend less then that. Diagonal placement requires shorter centers since it increases the bearing distance.

Good point, Fred. Our spacing is currently 16" and we have diagonal placement. One guy told us we'd have to go perpendicular to the joists. Two others have said their price includes shoring up the framing to 12".

 

[Boatboy24]

First quote for 452 sq. ft = $35K($25K TimberTech Legacy) + $4k flashing fix + $6K 2ft extension).

Holy puckered a$$holes batman!

Opus

That's sounds really high to me. While we don't have formal pricing yet, we've been told by one decking company to expect $20-25/sf, including shoring up the framing (depending upon the final choice of material/color). We have a quote from another company (decking isn't their primary business) that is in line with that per SF cost.

 

[Boatboy24]

This is a very timely thread. I just got a letter from our association and have to replace my porch supports and railings (it does look awful), but then it turns 25 next month. We are only planning on staying in our house until our youngest graduates from High School (she's 10 now), so I'm going with the PT lumber and some white paint...just can't afford the fancy stuff (only have $500 set aside for materials, will find out how far that gets me this afternoon when I go-a-pricing lumber). One great thing is I have a construction business owner who lives right next door and he's been coaching me and answering all my questions. He also is going to let me borrow his compressor and nail gun, which should really speed up the process.

If we had just 8 years left, I'd strongly consider wood. I did our old deck with solid stain and it held up really well - full sun all day. In your situation, you're only looking at refinishing it a couple times if its just the railing and supports - especially if they are under some cover.

 

[ceeaton]

If we had just 8 years left, I'd strongly consider wood. I did our old deck with solid stain and it held up really well - full sun all day. In your situation, you're only looking at refinishing it a couple times if its just the railing and supports - especially if they are under some cover.

Ordered the wood for the porch and it came in at around $250 + $30 for a case of beer for my neighbor who will pick it up with his truck some night on his way home from work. He's also letting us borrow his compressor/nail gun and jack, so there might be another case of beer thrown in after we're done, but still under budget.

 

[Stressbaby]

First quote for 452 sq. ft = $35K($25K TimberTech Legacy) + $4k flashing fix + $6K 2ft extension).

Holy puckered a$$holes batman!

Opus

This seems really high to me too. Last year we replaced wood with composite on 480 sf of deck, two levels. The work included post cladding and custom made powder coated steel deck railings. Total, including cladding, railings, decking, and labor, came in under $10K.

 

[Mismost]

First quote for 452 sq. ft = $35K($25K TimberTech Legacy) + $4k flashing fix + $6K 2ft extension).

Holy puckered a$$holes batman!

Opus

I hate to second guess a good contractor without having seen the job. But, man! That's $77 bucks a square foot. Does a swimming pool, hot tub, or wine cellar come with price? Are you lifetime fries with that order?

That sounds like a "I'll do it but I want a lotta cash to do it".....that's a go away number in my book.

 

[Redbird1]

Holy smokes! That includes labor Stressbaby?!? :< My brain is having trouble processing that. Labor must be cheap where you are. Even the tear down and haul away out here would have cost several thousand dollars probably.

What kind of composite did you use? Did it fall off the back of a truck?

 

[Stressbaby]

Holy smokes! That includes labor Stressbaby?!? :< My brain is having trouble processing that. Labor must be cheap where you are. Even the tear down and haul away out here would have cost several thousand dollars probably.

What kind of composite did you use? Did it fall off the back of a truck?

I forgot there might have been a few hundred bucks for the dumpster. But yes, labor is cheap here. It was around $7K in decking/cladding, $1600 for the railings, and about $1200 in labor. We are fortunate to know a guy who is inexpensive but does high quality work. We did not have to replace the joists.

I believe it is Timbertech but don't quote me on that. It uses the hidden fasteners.

 

[Redbird1]

Man, I'd pay to have someone do all my jobs if labor was that cheap. That's like yard maintenance prices out here! The material costs seem reasonable. I just never imagined labor would be that cheap! Consider yourself very lucky!!

Did they put up some sort of "ceiling" too? I don't see any joists, except what looks to be the bottom of the rim joists. My wife would love that look. Maybe that is why it was so cheap! No joists!

 

[Boatboy24]

This seems really high to me too. Last year we replaced wood with composite on 480 sf of deck, two levels. The work included post cladding and custom made powder coated steel deck railings. Total, including cladding, railings, decking, and labor, came in under $10K.

Man, that looks great! Did they do the 'ceiling' under the deck/above the patio as well?

 

[Stressbaby]

Man, that looks great! Did they do the 'ceiling' under the deck/above the patio as well?

The ceiling and roof structure was all there when we bought the house in 1997. It's tongue in groove cedar.

From the top deck down, it is:

Decking
Screen (to keep out debris)
Top joist, tapered outside to inside
Copper "roof" sandwiched between upper and lower joists and draining into a concealed gutter at the outer edge; the downspout you can just barely see on the far left of pic
Bottom joist, tapered opposite way inside to outside
Cedar ceiling.

Works pretty well overall, though we'll get some water spots if it rains super hard from the east.

 

[mainshipfred]

That's sounds really high to me. While we don't have formal pricing yet, we've been told by one decking company to expect $20-25/sf, including shoring up the framing (depending upon the final choice of material/color). We have a quote from another company (decking isn't their primary business) that is in line with that per SF cost.

If your just replacing the decking you should consider doing it yourself. It's really no that hard. I have all the tools you may need and you can borrow them anytime you want. Heck, for a glass of wine I'll even help.

 

[Boatboy24]

If your just replacing the decking you should consider doing it yourself. It's really no that hard. I have all the tools you may need and you can borrow them anytime you want. Heck, for a glass of wine I'll even help.

You might not say that if you saw the deck.

 

[mainshipfred]

You might not say that if you saw the deck.

Alright 2 glasses then and that's my final offer!

 

[jswordy]

I just got a letter from our association.... We are only planning on staying in our house until our youngest graduates from High School (she's 10 now)...

And when you move get the hell away from HOAs! I could never live in an HOA area. I have seen cases down here where the HOAs have literally taken people's homes away from them! Never!

(Other than that, I have no strong feelings about it. :: )

 

[jswordy]

Also, here is my contribution to this thread. If you do a deck in pressure treated, you have to let the wood age in the weather before you seal it up. Some around here recommend it age as long as a full year before sealing, though I have seen it be OK with just six months. Aging allows rain and sun to remove some residual exterior preservative (that's why they say not to garden with PT wood) and to open up the wood pores so it will seal/stain a lot better and hold the stain better.

When you do seal it, use this product and only this product, and use it strictly according to label application directions.

http://onetimewood.com/

I have seen this used on decks that are around pools, on house decks and on decks in often wet spa and sauna areas. Seen it used in direct sunlight and indirect light. This stuff works!

Down South here, as was mentioned, the sun and the heat beat the heck out of exterior finishes. This stuff has held up and held up well in all these uses - even on decks formerly sealed with other brands that had been redone every other year and then were then rehabbed with this, strictly according to the directions. The product has a seven-year warranty, so there ya go right off the bat.

One more thing. Use dedicated decking screws made for the purpose to attach your floor planks, not nails. You can buy a hidden system or use them right through the planks.

 

[opus345]

Good point, Fred. Our spacing is currently 16" and we have diagonal placement. One guy told us we'd have to go perpendicular to the joists. Two others have said their price includes shoring up the framing to 12".

The contractor out today said exactly that, if you go diagonal, you will need to shorten to 12".

 

[opus345]

That's sounds really high to me. While we don't have formal pricing yet, we've been told by one decking company to expect $20-25/sf, including shoring up the framing (depending upon the final choice of material/color). We have a quote from another company (decking isn't their primary business) that is in line with that per SF cost.

Agree.

The first quote was from a smaller contractor who we have not used for anything. The 2 ft extension is off the board now as that would incur additional expenses.

I will update with the other two quotes we will be getting.

 

[opus345]

This seems really high to me too. Last year we replaced wood with composite on 480 sf of deck, two levels. The work included post cladding and custom made powder coated steel deck railings. Total, including cladding, railings, decking, and labor, came in under $10K.

Very nice!

 

[Boatboy24]

We got some samples in the mail yesterday from Timbertech and Azek (used to be two companies, but now one due to merger). Really liked the Azek. No wood particles in it at all - a polymer core w/ fully wrapped cap. Super light. I'm afraid to see what it costs though.

You can order free samples from their website of both decking and railing. Trex charges $7.