As winter starts to melt away and signs of spring pop up, it can only mean one thing—yardwork season. It’s time once again for weed-pulling, mulching, power washing your deck, and other miscellaneous maintenance. As dreadful as all of that sounds, what if we told you cleaning your deck could be made much easier with two simple words? Vinyl decking.
Whether you’re replacing an old wood deck or are looking to install a new one this spring, you have a lot of decking options to consider. We’ve gone over some of this before in our Ultimate Guide to Deck Design, but we want to specifically review the benefits of vinyl decking.
Resistant to Stains
If you already have a wood deck, you know that it requires annual maintenance in order to look nice. And while composite decking has slightly less maintenance, vinyl decking is king when it comes to resisting stains or fading. You can say goodbye to unsightly water stains or faded spots from sun exposure!
Won’t Warp or Splinter
Over time, you may notice that boards in your wood decking are beginning to warp or splinter. This is due to moisture seeping into the wood over time. While some of this can be avoided or postponed with proper annual maintenance, it can be a real hassle to do every year. Even composite decking can sometimes get water damage. Vinyl, on the other hand, won’t make you worry about warping or splintering due to how water resistant it is.
Completely Water Resistant
Moisture is the downfall of most decking material, but not vinyl! Where wood (and even composite) will warp, splinter, or rot, vinyl will not. The material is initially more costly, but it will save you so much money in the long run since you won’t have to replace boards. As a result, you’ll have less to clean off of it every year since it’s resistant to mold!
Minimal Maintenance and Upkeep
Speaking of water resistance, vinyl decking also requires much less power washing or maintenance. Most of the time, a simple wash to get rid of any residue or mildew will do the trick. There are several types of vinyl deck cleaners, but it will be much easier than the maintenance you end up doing on wood or composite decking.
No Painting or Staining Required
While it’s true that you have fewer color options with vinyl decking, this limitation has other benefits. Unlike wood or composite, you don’t have to stain, paint, or re-stain your vinyl deck. The color you pick won’t fade over time and will look as new as the day it was installed! The best part is that there are even some styles made to mimic wood grain if you like a more authentic look.
Longest Lifespan
We won’t lie to you—vinyl decking is an investment, but it’s well worth it in the end. With the longest lifespan of all decking materials, vinyl is the clear choice when it comes to how long it will last versus wood or composite decking. So while you may save money up front with other decking material options, those choices will likely cost you more in the end.
Ready to Get Started on Your Vinyl Decking Project?
By now, you probably understand which is the superior material for your decking project. At Elite Outdoor Expressions, we believe in the phrase “buy it once and use it for life.” And we really do mean it when it comes to vinyl decking.
If you’re ready to start your decking project, reach out to us and see how we can help.
