Maintenance-free decking is not a contradiction in terms
Rock Valley Fence and Deck knows decks – and deck owners. More than a few deck customers come in exhausted with the annual upkeep that goes into their old deck, but are skeptical of composite deck materials. Thirty years ago, when the older decks were installed, homeowners essentially lived with three choices: Pressure treated lumber, cedar, or redwood. Natural products like these aren't going to last forever without some upkeep, and it seems the longer the deck lasts, the more of the upkeep that's required to keep it looking great. Then the 1990's hit and composite materials were all the rage. The promise was they would be easy to keep beautiful. They lived up to that promise. Mostly. Man-made decking surfaces were stronger. Various colors never achievable before could be accomplished in the wood and plastic mix. While new materials still suffered from fading, mildew, scratches, and sagging over time, that time was a lot longer than the natural predecesso...