I have a two story home with a great view, but for some reason the builder didn't include a deck off the back of the house. How do I go about adding a deck that is "green". My home is not the epitome of a green home, but I don't want to add bad to bad here.

Are the composite lumbers better than real dimensional lumber? What are the green concerns of adding a deck to a home?

The issue you might have with standard lumber is the added cost of FSC certified wood and finding non-toxic pressure treated lumber. You could go with cedar which doesn't require the chemical treatment.

My recommendation though is that if you are not opposed to the look of composite material "lumber" or the increased cost, that you go with one of these materials. I can't stand behind one product or another as I use so many in my practice, but they all require trained installers. You get the benefit of longer life, low maintenance and a solid deck.

I really can't say that I care for the composite materials. I know some of them are made from post consumer content but I just don't like the look or the feel under my feet. Wood is a different story. Cedar sounds nice, but REALLY expensive. Does the composite stuff perform as well as wood over time? If its going to be a sound investment then I think I might be able to get over the looks.

Composite decking is a great alternative to wood, even though it is more expensive, you need to look at it as an investment. The up front cost of composites is fairly high when compared to wood, probably 2-3 times more expensive. However, the money you save from not painting/staining your composite deck & the time spent doing it, in the long run you will have saved substantial dollars.

One current known issue with some(not all) composite decking is rot. In some cases, composite decks will require a cleaning from time to time to prevent this rot/fungus from happening.

If you can afford the up front cost of a composite deck, I would definitely look into it, it will be worth it down the line. Make sure that you study the different types of composites. I would stay away from composites made with saw dust/wood fiber, those are the ones with rot/fungus issues.

Most of the composite decks are made with recycled content. From one company to the next it varies...from 50-100%

A couple of other benefits to the composite materials are that you won't get splinters from them. No matter how well you maintain a wooden deck, they will weather and walking on them barefoot or running your hand along a rail become invitations to splinters. The other is that composite materials don't tend to heat up in the sun like wood does, so they stay cooler on your bare feet longer.

So whats the period it takes to recoup the added expense of a composite material deck over a wood deck? Isn't there real wood underneath the decking to begin with? Is the life of the deck then dependent on the underlying structure?

Most composite decking will be attached over traditional pressure treated lumber and requires the use of certain types of screws (nails won't work here). Your installer should have experience with composite decking because there is a higher risk of stripping screws or breaking them. This is due to the higher density in these materials.

There is also the possibility for curved shapes and unique decking solutions with composite decking products. Not all products have curved pieces, but some do.

All in all I would recommend composite decking, but you should really find the product that you like the best and that you can find a good installer for. If you plan to install yourself, make sure to ask lots of questions and be patient until you are familiar with the product and how to install it.

using a composite material is definitely a green step, especially if created from post consumer products. Now another great step would be to stay in that home for a long period of time. It sounds like you are doing this just by making an investment in the future of the home.

good luck

I am a big fan of cedar. I know that its still wood, but it resists decay, insects and smells so so nice. I think a wise choice would be to use FSC certified cedar. It may not meet with what other people think is "green" but it still is.