More Deck Colors

The small upper deck, 80 SF, is projected to need $1,400 worth of composite decking. The lower deck is about 120 SF. I'm looking at $3,500 in composite decking alone. What color is kind of important.

There are a lot of brands out there, and they each have different lines, but Trex Transcend and TimberTech AZEK stand out. They're about the same price, $5/LF (roughly $10/SF), and they have similar colors.

Dark woods, like Ipe
Medium woods, like walnut
Gray

Update: Composite deck market. I talked to a guy at North City Lumber who said it best: "Ranges from $3/LF to $6/LF." What I didn't realize is that some colors are more expensive--like Toyota charges more for white.

Composite deck is some sort of filler wrapped in an HDPE (plastic) shell. Some are wrapped 3 sides, some 4 sides. The cheaper lines have a scalloped (ribbed) bottom that makes them lighter, but hopefully just as strong. PVC (plastic) deck is better than composite in some ways.

The major brands have Good, Better, Best lines. The inexpensive end of the spectrum is a solid color with some embossed grain. In the middle, we get some variegated color, and at the high end, the embossing is more pronounced, with color streaks. Most have 25- or 30-year warranties, and some have 50-year. PVC decking often has a lifetime warranty.

Because Spiced Rum and Lava Rock are at the top of the Trex spectrum, the samples look better. $5.83/LF for them. I'm wondering, though, if a solid color, scalloped bottom might not work for me. I'm okay with it looking like composite, not wood.

To see samples at the site, see my blog post on the subject.

Trex Transcend

In the blog post, Spiced Rum is #3 and Lava Rock is #4.

TimberTech AZEK
I didn't realize that Azek has more colors than Trex. Arbor is one of several collections:

In the blog post, Brazilian Walnut is #7 and Morado is #5.

The other color question is whether the frame is a different color than the field.