What Are the Different Types of Composite Decking?
There are different types of composite decking. There is grooved and ungrooved composite decking as well as capped and uncapped composite decking.
Composite decking is a decking that is made of more than one material. The materials, in this case, referred to wood fibre, wood peel, or wood dust, and plastics. This plastic is unused plastics that have been shredded.
The two materials are then mixed with one another, under high temperature, and with a substance that binds them together.
When the end product is cooled, it will be cut into different sizes. You will get a decking that is a combination of wood and plastic.
The Usefulness of Wood-Plastic Decking
You can use a composite decking to decking your lawn, or the side of your house if you want it to look beautiful.
This is because they are finished with different pigments that make them attractive.
Also, composite decking is durable in that they can withstand insect attacks, and weather conditions, without getting damaged. This makes you use them for a long time.
Some even come with a lifetime warranty.
In addition, wood-plastic decking requires low maintenance, unlike the wood decking, and do not get stained easily.
You don’t have to seal the wood-plastic decking like you will seal the wood decking.
Types of Plastic-Wood Decking
There are several types of composite decking made by different makers. They are the uncapped and the capped wood plastics composite decking.
1 Uncapped and Capped Composite Decking
Uncapped composite decking, as the name suggests, is a decking that is not capped or covered with plastics.
This is the first type of composite decking to be made. Some folks even call it the first generation composite decking.
The decking are useful, because like other composite decking, they will survive for a long time without getting destroyed.
Capped composite decking, on the other hand, are wood-fiber decking, that have the outer surface coated with plastics.
The essence of coating the outer layer with plastics is so that the decks will not absorb moisture.
This makes the capped composite decking more durable.
The difference between the capped and uncapped composite decking can best be discerned by considering their uses.
Capped composite decking are good if you want to install them in an area that will make them exposed to water.
This means that you can install the wood-fiber decking around your swimming pool, and it will be perfect for that environment.
Also, you can install capped composite decks close to a dock where you dock your boat or in a place that is exposed to water from rainfall.
Uncapped composite decking is good for places that are covered or under a shade.
2 Grooved and Ungrooved Composite Decking
Other types of composite decking are the grooved and ungrooved composite decking.
A grooved composite decking is one that has a trench or hollow at the sides. What this means is that a groove composite decking doesn’t have a smooth side.
The center of the sides is pushed inward so that it creates a trench that runs down the length of the deck’s side. The ungrooved composite decking don’t have trenches at their side like the grooved.
Grooved composite decking are useful because you can use hidden fasteners to install the decking.
Hidden or concealed fasteners are fasteners that are not visible. This method of fixing composite decking to the joist is prevalent today.
It is because it creates a finish that is not distorted by the head of the screw or nails. The ungrooved composite decking are installed using surface installation method.
They are being fixed to the frame below them using either nails or screws. The problem with ungrooved composite decking is that the screws appear on the surface. This distort the appearance of your decking.
3 Solid and Hollow Composite Decking
Hollow composite decking are decking that have holes inside them.
What this means is that when you place a hollow composite decking on the ground and look at it from the front, you will notice that there are holes in it.
This hollow helps to reduce the weight of the composite decking.
Also, the hollow in the decking helps it to expand and contract easily. In addition, the hollow decking is cheaper than the solid composite deck.
Conclusion
There are different types of composite decking available in the market. They include the capped and uncapped composite decking, the grooved and ungrooved composite decking, and the solid and hollow decking.