Composite Decking: The Ultimate 2025 Guide to Cost & Brands

What Is Composite Decking?

At its core, composite decking is an engineered wood-alternative product. It's manufactured by mixing fine wood particles (like sawdust or wood flour) with plastic polymers (often recycled polyethylene from shopping bags or milk jugs). This mixture is heated, formed into board profiles, and then cooled.

There are two primary types you'll encounter:

1. Traditional Composite: The original style, where the wood-plastic mix is consistent throughout the entire board. While durable, it can be more susceptible to staining and fading than newer technologies.
2. Capped Composite: This is the modern standard. It features a core made of the traditional wood-plastic composite, which is then wrapped or "capped" with a protective, high-performance polymer shell. This outer layer provides superior resistance to scratches, stains, and fading, and it's what gives premium boards their realistic wood-grain textures and rich colors.

Composite vs. Wood & PVC Decking: A Head-to-Head Comparison

Choosing a decking material involves balancing upfront cost with long-term maintenance and lifespan. While traditional wood often has a lower initial price, composite decking typically offers a better return on investment over time due to its minimal upkeep.

Here's how the most common options stack up:

Upfront Cost vs. Long-Term Value

Pressure-treated wood is the undisputed winner for the lowest initial investment. However, when you factor in the cost of stains, sealers, and the labor (or time) required every 1-2 years, the total cost of ownership for wood skyrockets. Composite decking, while more expensive upfront, typically breaks even with wood in about 5-7 years and saves you thousands over the life of the deck.

Aesthetics, Fading, and Heat Retention

Modern capped composites offer a stunning variety of colors and realistic wood-grain patterns that rival high-end hardwoods. While early-generation composites were known to fade, today's capped boards come with 25- to 50-year fade and stain warranties.

One common concern is heat. Darker colored composite boards will absorb more heat and become hotter in direct sun than lighter-colored boards or most wood species. Many manufacturers now offer "cool-touch" technology in their lighter-colored lines to mitigate this issue.

How Much Does Composite Decking Cost in 2025?

The cost of composite decking varies widely based on the brand, product line, and local labor rates. The prices below reflect national averages verified in June 2025.

• Materials Only (Per Sq. Ft.): $5 - $13
• Professional Installation (Per Sq. Ft.): $50 - $85 (includes framing, materials, and labor)

Here's a breakdown by quality tier to help you budget:

Budget Tier ($) Brands: $5 - $7 per sq. ft.

These are typically scalloped-back (not solid) boards with simpler color blending and grain patterns. They offer the core benefits of composite at a more accessible price point.

• Examples: Trex Enhance® Basics, MoistureShield Elevate, Fiberon Good Life®

Mid-Range ($$) Brands: $8 - $10 per sq. ft.

This is the sweet spot for most homeowners, offering a great balance of performance, aesthetics, and price. These boards are often capped on three or four sides and feature more sophisticated, multi-tonal colors.

• Examples: Trex Select®, Fiberon Sanctuary, TimberTech Terrain®

Premium ($$$) Lines: $11 - $13+ per sq. ft.

The best of the best. These lines feature the most realistic wood looks, advanced polymer capping for maximum durability, and often come with the longest warranties (up to 50 years). Many premium lines are actually PVC boards, which offer even better performance.

• Examples: TimberTech AZEK®, Trex Transcend® Lineage, Deckorators Voyage®

Top Composite Decking Brands of 2025

The composite market is led by a few key innovators. When shopping, you'll likely encounter these names:

• Trex®: The industry pioneer and largest manufacturer. Trex is known for its eco-friendly approach, using 95% recycled materials. Their tiered system (Enhance, Select, Transcend) makes it easy to find a product for any budget.
• TimberTech®: A top competitor known for its premium aesthetics and technological innovation. TimberTech offers both composite (Edge, Prime, Legacy) and pure PVC decking (AZEK line), which is considered a top-tier product for its fade, stain, and moisture resistance.
• Fiberon®: A strong player offering a wide range of products with excellent warranties. They are known for their multi-chromatic color technology that provides a natural, exotic hardwood look.
• Deckorators®: Once known primarily for railings and accessories, Deckorators has become a leader in decking boards, particularly with their mineral-based composite (MBC) Voyage line, which offers virtually zero thermal expansion.
• MoistureShield®: This brand's key differentiator is its Solid Core technology, which provides enhanced moisture protection, allowing boards to be installed on the ground, in the ground, or even underwater.

Design, Colors, and Finish Options

Your design choices go beyond just color. You'll also need to select a board profile:

• Square-Edge Boards: These are solid boards installed like traditional wood, with screws driven through the face of the deck. This method is straightforward and strong.
• Grooved-Edge Boards: These boards have a channel cut into the sides designed to work with a hidden fastener system. Clips are inserted into the grooves and screwed into the joists, leaving a clean, unblemished deck surface.

Most brands offer a wide color palette, from traditional browns and reds to modern grays and beiges. Premium lines feature more complex, multi-tonal streaking to better mimic the look of natural hardwood. For a cohesive design, you can also find matching fascia boards and compatible deck railings from the same manufacturer.

Planning Your Installation: Pro Tips & DIY Basics

Proper installation is critical to the performance and longevity of your composite deck. While composite decking is installed on a standard wood frame, it has different requirements than wood.

• Joist Spacing: Always follow the manufacturer's specifications. Composite boards are more flexible than wood, so they often require joists to be spaced closer together (typically 16 inches on center, and sometimes 12 inches for angled patterns).
• Ventilation: A minimum of 1.5 inches of unobstructed airflow is required under the deck to prevent heat and moisture buildup.
• Fasteners: Use only fasteners designed for composite decking to prevent mushrooming and ensure a secure hold.

Avoiding the 'Groove-Up' Installation Mistake

A surprisingly common DIY error is installing grooved-edge boards with the grooved side facing up. The grooves are not a design feature. They are engineered specifically for hidden fastener clips and to aid in water drainage between the boards. The flat, textured side should always face up. Installing them incorrectly voids the warranty and can lead to water pooling.

Managing Expansion and Contraction

All composite boards expand and contract with temperature changes. It is crucial to leave the correct gaps at the ends of boards and where they meet the house. The required gap size varies by brand and the ambient temperature at the time of installation. Consult the manufacturer's installation guide for a climate-specific gapping chart.

Pros and Cons of Composite Decking

Maintenance and Cleaning Guide

Keeping your composite deck looking new is simple. Follow this seasonal checklist.

Step-by-Step Cleaning Process

1. Clear the Deck: Remove all furniture, planters, and grills from the deck surface.
2. Sweep Debris: Use a broom to sweep away all loose dirt, leaves, and other organic matter. Pay special attention to the gaps between boards.
3. Gentle Wash: Mix a mild, pH-neutral soap (like dish soap) with warm water. Use a soft-bristle deck brush to gently scrub the surface, moving with the grain pattern.
4. Rinse Thoroughly: Use a garden hose to completely rinse away all soap residue. Soapy film can attract dirt and promote mildew growth.
5. Allow to Dry: Let the deck air dry completely before returning furniture.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability

One of the biggest selling points for composite decking is its green credentials. A typical 500-square-foot composite deck contains over 140,000 recycled plastic bags, films, and wraps. By using sawdust and other wood scraps, these products also help reduce logging and landfill waste. Many composite products can contribute to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building credits.