If we learned anything from the Three Little Pigs as kids, it’s that what you build with matters. The same is true for your deck – especially if you live in a place like Madison, WI where the weather has a flair for the dramatics. In a given year, our temps can swing 100 degrees and we’ll face a mix of hail, sun, humidity, rain, snow, and ice. Luckily, our Madison deck builders have had a chance to use a variety of composite decking materials over the years and we’ve compiled the best for you below!
TimberTech Decking
There are countless maintenance free decking manufacturers, but for us, TimberTech is a clear winner overall. Click here if you’d like the full breakdown. Want the SparkNotes version? Keep reading.
TimberTech Advanced PVC
Okay, we’re kind of cheating a little bit because our favorite product isn’t actually composite at all. It’s a deck board made completely of PVC. In case you’re new to this type of material, there are a few reasons it’s generally better for us here in Madison…
- With our beautiful lakes and stretch of trails, we want to do our part to be eco-friendly. This product is not only made up of mostly recycled materials, but can be recycled again. (Though they’re built to last with a 50 year fade & stain warranty, so it won’t be something you have to worry about.)
- Our city is growing quickly, which means there’s a lot of new neighborhoods popping up. Many of our clients have bare yards with little to no shade. According to TimberTech, their Advanced PVC stays up to 30 degrees cooler than their competitor’s composite decking materials.
- Lucky enough to enjoy the benefits of mature trees? (Hang tight – the next product may be a good fit for you.) You’ll still benefit from the additional traction provided by their designs. Gone are the days of slipping on your deck after a rain storm.
TimberTech Composite Decking Materials
With a little less of an upfront investment, TimberTech’s composite line is also a great option for many Madison homeowners. The darker colors may not be as cool to the touch, but these boards are still made largely with recycled materials. And like the PVC, their composite decking has a few qualities that make it a great fit for Wisconsinites.
- Remember all that rain, snow, and sleet I mentioned before? Because it’s a capped composite, it can hold up against moisture, mold, and humidity like a beast!
- Temperature fluctuations? Most wood decking would be pushed to it’s limits, but this composite decking is designed to hold up to warping or cracking.
- Let’s be honest. Our summers are short. If you have to spend a week staining your deck, you’ve basically used up 1/10th of the prime weather you could’ve spend biking or boating on those lakes and trails we talked about! All the TimberTech PVC and composite materials need is a good wash every once in a while…
Diamond Piers
Want in on one of our top not-so-secret secrets for building the best composite decks? It starts with quality footings and framing. Many Madison deck builders are limited to building in the warm weather months because as we mentioned before, it gets really cold here. Not Antartica cold, but cold enough to freeze the ground, which means you can’t dig holes to pour traditional concrete footings.
We’re not most builders though. We discovered a product that not only allowed us to build throughout winter, but also performed better than traditional footings. They’re not concrete cylinders at the mercy of nature. Diamond Pier heads are locked in position by rods installed at specific angles. According to their website, “a 10-year study of over 95,000 installations in the extreme winters of Minnesota shows that Diamond Pier foundations resist heave pressures 99.7% of the time.”
Here’s why this matters to you:
- Your deck will stand the test of time – despite frost levels.
- We can build your deck during the dead of winter when you’re not using it. This means that the second we get to 45 degrees outside and everyone starts busting out their shorts and hoodies, you can start using your new space! (Only kind of kidding about the shorts weather.)
Madison Deck Builders
Our talented team has been building dream decks for Madison and Dane County homeowners since 2017. Even within the product lines we mentioned today, there are different price points and details to consider. While the process can be overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. We’d love to get to know you during a free estimate and help you design a custom deck that’s perfect for your family.
