Publication date: 04/16/2010

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Low-maintenance deck boards pay off later

In today's economy, tearing down an old deck just isn't practical. But with the ability to use your old substructure and resurface the deck with wood, composite or PVC, it provides homeowners with a cost-effective alternative that will still have you bragging about the results for a lot less money.

Because stripping and staining a deck is so time intensive, many people are turning to lower-maintenance deck alternatives. But these materials are expensive, and with the tough economy, many homeowners can't afford to tear down their old wood deck and put in a new composite or PVC deck. However, there is a happy medium -- keeping your wood substructure and resurfacing the top boards with composite or PVC decking.

Dave Stoutenger, marketing manager for John's Lumber, (586) 791-1200, www.johnslumber.com, says using the old substructure and re-skinning the deck boards can save homeowners a lot of money.

"Many decks that were built in the '80s or '90s still have good substructures that may require just a little prep to make sure the understructure supports are up to code before homeowners peel off the top boards and replace them," he said.

And today, those replacement boards are often composite or PVC deck materials rather than wood or cedar. However, there is a big cost difference. Stoutenger said treated lumber runs around $1.25 per square foot, while cedar is around $2.75. In contrast, low-end composite is around $5 per square foot and low-end PVC is around $7.50.

Doug Mans of NA Mans, (734) 714-5800, www.namans.com, says resurfacing the deck with composite or PVC deck boards can save money in the long run.

"Replacing the top boards with low-maintenance composite or PVC has about a five- to six-year payback," Mans said.

Mans added that PVC is really hot right now because it is maintenance free and often comes with a 20-year warranty. He also sees people adding on additional segments to their original deck substructure when they resurface to add more space, such as a grilling area or an octagon area for entertaining.

Azek ( www.azek.com), Timber Tech ( www.timbertech.com) and Trex ( www.trex.com) are among the leaders in composite or PVC decking products.

While using new composite or PVC decking materials is a great way to lower maintenance, many people like wood decks or don't have the budget to buy these high-end products. For those who plan to resurface the deck with new wood or cedar boards, making sure you use the right stain to protect it is vital.

Brian Eisbrenner of Shelby Paint and Decorating, (586) 739-0240, www.shelbypaint.com, said Benjamin Moore offers a line of solid-color deck stains that are fade resistant, and the company also has a new deck system called Arborcoat that features both a stain and finish coat.

"With this Arborcoat deck system, you can apply the stain and finish coat on a new deck and may not have to stain it again as long as you continue to maintain it with the finish coat every two to four years," Eisbrenner said.

Another long-lasting deck coating product is GacoShield from Gaco, (866) 422-6489, www.gacoretail.com. This low-maintenance, highly durable product eliminates the chore of having to re-coat your deck every other year. It features an elastomeric coating fortified with urethane and silicone, is available in more than 60 colors and has a 50-year limited product warranty. You can find it locally at Hansen Marketing, (800) 552-4877.

When resurfacing a deck today, one major improvement is the option of using hidden fasteners instead of nails to enhance the look of the deck. Tiger Claw, (800) 928-4437, www.deckfastener.com, is one company that makes a variety of hidden deck fasteners for wood, composite and PVC deck boards.

For many years, you've heard me say that a deck is a four-letter word that lives in your backyard. In fact, a wood or cedar deck is such a maintenance monster that I have written an entire book on deck maintenance, "Deck Care Fast and Easy," that you can download from my Web site at www.masterhandyman.com.

Note: This article was accurate at the date of publication. However, information contained in it may have changed. If you plan to use the information contained herein for any purpose, verification of its continued accuracy is your responsibility.

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