I'm looking to have a deck installed, approx 10'x10'. Whats the pricing diffrence between PT, Cedar and Composite?
$300 difference between PT to Cedar and about $2000 difference between composite.
Hi Frank,
That's almost a trick question! I say that because there's so many different grades to choose from.
I have had disappointing results with PT wood 100% of the time, usually around the 3rd or 4th year in service. Typically most people recognize the sudden rapid aging and try to save the deck by sanding it and applying expensive coatings. This inevitably becomes an annual or bi-annual ritual and drives the "life cycle costing" of a PT deck much higher than cedar and even higher than composite.
I have a lot of experience with cedar and have developed a true appreciation for "good quality" cedar in all aspects - cedar shakes, shingles, siding, timbers, and decking. Cedar is available in many different qualities and obviously price is relative, but like the PT deck if you cheap out initially then the life cycle costing will catch up with you.
I have very little experience with composite plank decking, I do know there's many choices and degrees of quality, colors, installations etc. and price is relative once again. I consider this more of a personal choice, I would likely go with a known brand has been on the market for a long time and is tried and true, I call this the "Levis Jeans" approach.
I have had a lot of experience with outdoor flooring products, they really tend to turn your deck into "outdoor living space". They are also a waterproofing product so the space under the deck can be used for anything from storage to living space depending on the design. My favorite brand is DecTec and they have a great website. You can expect the membrane with accessories to cost anywhere from $4 to $6 per sf but remember the cost savings of non-pressure treated joists, beams, and posts and plywood decking instead of dimensional. I have decks, balconies, and boathouse roofs in service for 20 years and still in great condition....considering a traditional boathouse flat roof would have cost $5 per sf and lasted 10 to 15 years in most cases.
PT $20.00 sq. ft. Cedar 28.00 sq. ft. Trex 40.00 sq. ft. Railings, skirting and planters extra.
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