Is Composite Decking Worth It?

Composite decking materials have bloomed left and right, aiming toward versatility and sturdiness with a touch of aesthetics. For some homeowners, these traits and qualities are enough reason to buy.

But for more homeowners looking to get the best out of their decking investment, this begs the question: is composite decking worth it? Sure, it’s aesthetic and low-maintenance, but is it really worth the hype, or is it just one of the fads in the decking industry?

In this guide, we’ll answer this pressing question among homeowners and offer you expertly curated insights so you can decide between composite decking and other decking options. Read on! 

What is Composite Decking?

Composite decking is an outdoor flooring system that uses “composites” or combinations of recycled plastic, wood fibers, and bonding agents such as polymers. This makes them stronger and more durable than other decking solutions.

Composite deck boards stand out because of their pristine aesthetics that rival actual wood decks, aside from their weather-proof, mold, and mildew-resistant properties. 

At Oakio, we offer the best composite decking solutions by providing you with not just two or three but four decking options: ProShield, Iniwood, MatShield, and ElaShield—all with different features suited for your various decking needs. 

Oakio’s WPC Decking Products 

All four of our decking products have the following qualities you’ll come to love and adore: 

Low-Maintenance 

Thanks to the combination of recycled plastics, reinforced wood fibers, and polymers holding everything together—our decking products are low-maintenance certified! 

UV Resistant

Other composite decking brands don’t usually come with a degree of UV resistance to prevent the material from fading over time. But at Oakio, even our cheapest offering has a certain degree of UV resistance you can count on. 

Anti-Slip

Composite wood is naturally anti-slip, thanks to its rough texture mimicking a wood plank’s grain. We took that up a notch and applied a specialized coating to make our composite deck boards more anti-slip. 

Less Absorption 

Our products are 55% made from wood fibers, but we ensure they don’t absorb too much liquid. That’s all thanks to the protective layer and polymer resins that plug the microscopic porous parts of our deck boards. 

Stain and Scratch-Resistant

Let’s face it: life happens, and you or someone else will stain or scratch your deck one way or the other. But with our stain and scratch-resistant deck boards, that would be a thing of the past.

Rot, Splinter, and Warp-Resistant

Say bye to rotting, warping, and splinters with our composite deck boards. Though our boards are more wood than they are plastic, our superior material quality and engineering make our boards resistant to all sorts of problems you might encounter. 

Available in Multiple Colors 

Our product offerings come in multiple colors you can choose from:

Why Should You Have Composite Decking?

We recommend composite decking instead of other options primarily because it’s aesthetically pleasing, low-maintenance, weather-resistant, and easy to install. And if that’s not enough to make you decide, no problem.

If you don’t have an idea of how composite decking looks and feels, we offer free product samples delivered straight to your doorstep! Yep, you’ve read that right, free samples!

But in case you already have an idea of composite decking solutions but can’t quite visualize how it would fit in your property, don’t worry because we have a tool for that. Head on over to our product visualizer tool!

Aside from not knowing what a composite deck is or how it would look on your property, one primary concern is not knowing how much it would cost. You’re lucky because we made a calculator just for that particular purpose. 

Benefits of Composite Decking 

Composite decking has many benefits and advantages over traditional decking options such as wood. But Oakio’s composite decking has more benefits than the average composite deck boards:

Long-Lasting Composite Decking

Composite deck boards can last for 25-30 years, depending on the level and regularity of maintenance. Most of our decking products have a 25-year maximum warranty, so you can have peace of mind if our products fail to exceed your expectations.

The great news is we’re confident that our products with a 25-year warranty are built to last for more than 30 years if taken care of. 

Reduced Maintenance Costs 

Not a fan of restoring wood decks? Us too! That’s why it’s best to go composite when you need a low-maintenance decking solution. Our products are weather-proof, mold and mildew-resistant, and UV-resistant—so you don’t have to spend too much on maintenance costs.

The best part? You don’t have to spend too much time and energy on maintenance too! 

Variety of Color and Texture Options

As highlighted earlier, all four decking products of Oakio come in a variety of colors you can choose from to customize your decking experience fully. Whether you need a touch of real wood or you’re keen to try a modernized look, the color options have you covered.

Aside from colors, we also offer texture options so you can really optimize the “wood” look of your deck. Whether you want your deck to look more natural or modern, our texture options give you the design flexibility you have in mind. 

Greener Choice For Your Home

Oakio is one with nature, and we’re committed to bringing you sustainable products. As an advocate of sustainability, we use 100% recycled wood fibers and plastics for our composite materials.

We also implement various manufacturing strategies to reduce our products’ carbon footprint, such as using a closed-loop water-cooling system to reduce clean water use in our factories and recycling waste products according to local and international standards. 

Potential Drawbacks of Composite Decking

Not every product is for everyone; we can fully attest to that. For some homeowners, there are potential drawbacks to keep in mind when you get a composite decking system: 

Costs May Be Higher Upfront

Composite decking is better than traditional wood, which comes with a naturally higher price tag due to production and manufacturing costs.

For homeowners with a limited budget, composite decking might seem like a bad choice when looking for a decking system. Though the investment is worth the long run, a constrained budget is a constrained budget.

May Not Increase Your Property Value

Adding a decking system to your property will increase its value. Unfortunately, the decking type doesn’t really matter. This means that if you add a wood deck, that deck increases the value, not really the kind of deck.

It might cost more money to increase your property value when you opt for a composite deck instead of a wood one. 

Permanent Decking Colors

Let’s face it: novelty is real, and we want a fresh change of atmosphere for certain times. For composite decks that come in factory-painted colors, their colors are permanent.

This means you can’t paint them over since the paint will just slide off, and you’re forced to see the exact color of your deck for years and decades to come. 

Is Composite Decking Worth It?

Yes, composite decking is worth it. With many benefits and pros against traditional decking options, it comes out as the “no-brainer” option. Though it comes with high upfront costs, the investment is really worth it.

What’s even worth it is that if you get your composite deck at Oakio, a leading innovator of composite wood production, your deck will be long-lasting. Thanks to our industry-leading manufacturing technologies. Now’s the time to go composite!