BEST COMPOSITE DECKING FOR YOUR CALGARY PROJECT
When choosing your composite decking, the type of composite that best suits your project is important. Let's give you some information to make your composite deck board choice easier.
BEST COMPOSITE DECKING
COMPOSITE BOARDS WE SELL
COMPOSITE DECK COSTS
INSTALL COMPOSITE DECKING
COMPOSITE DECK PHOTOS
Let’s Talk Composite Decking for CALGARY & Surrounding Area
Composite Decking has rapidly grown in popularity since its inception in the early ‘90s. This can be attributed to its extreme low maintenance characteristics, its workability, and its ever increasing aesthetic appeal. Its hard to not find a composite deck board now that won’t meet a clients exact color and use specifications, where in the early ‘90s these things were very limiting.
Here at Mountain View we carry arguably the largest selection of composite decking in Calgary, with 19 different Deck Boards varying in colour. Our composite deck materials are sourced from top manufacturers like Fiberon, Azek, Timbertech, Deckorators, Trex, and other major brands suitable for use in Alberta’s climate.
Composite deck boards can be divided into 3 main categories, each with their own different benefits, including:
- Traditional Wood Fiber Composite Decking
- PVC Composite or High Density Cellular Composite Decking
- Mineral Based Composite Decking (Exclusive to the Deckorators Evovation boards)
Depending on the make up of the board, composite decking has some significantly unique features.
Composite Decking can be broken into 3 different categories, Traditional Composite Core, PVC or Cellular PVC Composite Core, and Mineral Based Composite Core. These materials refer to the types of materials used in the center or core of the board to give it it’s strength and unique characteristics. Let’s talk more about those…
Wood Fiber Composite Decking:
- Most common of all composite deck types
- Core is typically made of a high percentage of recycled materials such as:
- Single Use Plastics
- Wood By Products
- Vinyl wrap that surrounds the core is available in many different colors and color combinations across the many different manufacturers
- Has the largest price variance. Wood Fiber Composite Brands have entry level boards priced less than Cedar 2×6 Deck boards in 2021, and increase with price and features from there
PVC or High Density Cellular Composite Deck Boards:
- Core is made of Virgin Plastic material
- Wrap is made of the same material as the core, thus creating a board that acts as one piece. This is why PVC boards are the most common boards used when creating dramatic curves or radius’s in custom deck builds. By having the wrap, the same material as the core, both parts heat up uniformly, and you are able to bend these boards with ease
- Increased Durability
- Available in rich colour profiles
- Typically on the higher end of the composite price scale
Mineral Based Composite Deck Boards:
- Least common type of composite decking
- Consists of locally sourced (to the production site) materials
- Extreme durability
- Use minerals as binders instead of the traditional wood flour, thus creating a board with exceptional strength to weight ratio. These boards feel denser, and are substantially stronger than those found in the wood fiber composite family.
- Mineral based composite deck boards also have virtually no thermal expansion. Which means the boards are not effected by changes in climate. They do not expand and contract with heat fluctuations throughout the day/ seasons. Which in our area specifically with chinooks, is a huge bonus.
Hot or Not? – Where will your composite deck be located?
One Common question we get asked regarding composite decking is “does it get too hot to walk on in the summer?” Or “I hear the PVC Composite Decking is cool in the summer where Traditional Composite is Hot, is that true?”
To answer this question, friends of ours at The Ultimate Deck Shop in Regina Saskatchewan conducted an experiment. They laid out samples of all the composite decking they could get their hands on, in their parking lot, on a 30 degree Celsius day, and took regular surface temperature readings of all the Composite Deck Samples.
The results showed that although there was some variability in surface temperature readings between Traditional Composite, PVC, and Mineral Based Core Boards, there was a greater variability between Composite Board Colors. Regardless of the make up of the core of the board, darker colored boards were hotter and retained more heat longer than lighter colored boards.
When selecting your composite deck boards, keep in mind:
Areas with low exposure to the sun:
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- Any and all board you choose will perform well
Areas with high exposure to the sun:
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- Choose lighter colored boards if you want the decking to be “cooler” to walk on
- I say “cooler” as all composite boards get warm, but lighter colored boards will be less warm
Areas with large temperature swings:
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- Choose a lighter colored Mineral Based Composite Board due to its unique minimal thermal expansion properties
Features common between all composite deck boards:
We do our very best to source our products as locally and sustainably as possible, and ensure the highest-quality products to meet the demands of Alberta’s unique climate.
From design to choosing the building materials for your new deck, we’ll connect you with a contractor to complete your build and work with you every step of the way to ensure your deck is done right.
When we understand your location, budget, style, and maintenance needs, we will be able to help you make the best decisions for your decking project!