We assess those samples yearly for three years, evaluating their appearance and retesting for all the attributes above, to see how age and exposure to the elements affect overall performance. And we send more than a dozen samples of each material to two areas with extreme climates: hot and dry Arizona, and Florida, where the humidity presents a different challenge to certain materials. We drop weights of various sizes on the surface of each board to see which samples dent on impact.

We also evaluate each sample’s slip resistance, which is very important if you’re installing a deck near a pool. Next, we size up which materials resist staining from spilled ketchup, mustard, and other common items you might use while eating outside.

That ensures that boards won’t bow or bend if you’re entertaining a crowd or if you park a heavy grill in a particular spot all summer long. We use specialized instruments to test each decking sample for resistance to flexing. Consumer Reports’ performance tests address these factors. Ideally, the composite decking you choose will last, look good, and remain safe for years. (But based on current recycling technology, that product’s destination after a typical life span of 25 years is still likely to be a landfill.) The manufacturers claim that many of the products we tested are made primarily from recycled materials-recycled plastic grocery bags, for instance. “Manufacturers usually use a few different molds to make their composites, so there’s some pattern variety,” he says. That doesn’t mean composite decking looks boring, says Rich Handel, the engineer who tests decking for Consumer Reports. The woodlike grain lacks irregularities like knots that can show up in the real thing. That would be expensive to duplicate in solid wood decking.Īesthetics are a factor, too, especially if you like a uniform look. For instance, some planks are flexible enough to be heated and shaped, allowing you to create, say, rounded corners, railings, or a border for a kidney-shaped pool. Upgraded composite options will still cost considerably more than real wood.Ĭomposite decking has other advantages. A single 16-foot pine decking board was selling for nearly $26, only $6 less than you’d pay for a board of Trex Enhance. We compared the two options at a Lowe’s near our headquarters in Yonkers, N.Y.

Lowes trex decking