Let me start with a casual blog post that feels like I’m chatting to a regular, because that’s how I talk to our customers when they stop by the shop or shoot me an email. First off, let’s get one thing straight—when I say “decking,” I’m not just talking about the wooden planks on your back patio that you stood on last summer while hosting a barbecue. I know a lot of folks mix it up with patio tiles or even porch flooring, so let’s break this down real good, no fancy jargon. Decking
When customers first reach out to us, usually after seeing a stack of treated pine or composite boards at the big-box store or driving past a neighbor’s brand-new patio, they ask the same basic question: “What even is decking, anyway?” And that’s a fair question, because it’s not just one thing. At its core, decking is any material system designed to create a flat, elevated outdoor surface that’s attached to your home—usually at ground level or a few feet up from the ground, not on the ground itself (that’s a patio, just to set the record straight). But it’s way more than just a slab of wood or plastic. It’s the stuff that makes outdoor living spaces feel like an extension of your house, right? The part where you set the grill, the kids set up a lemonade stand, or you just bring your coffee out to watch the sunrise without stepping on dewy grass.
Over the years, I’ve sold a lot of different types of decking, and I always tell people there’s no one “best” option—it depends on what you need, how much time you want to put into maintenance, and what your budget is. Let’s walk through the main categories, because that’s where most people get confused.
First, there’s traditional wood decking. This is the OG decking, the stuff our dads and granddads installed. Back in the day, it was mostly cedar or redwood—natural woods that are resistant to rot and insects, but they still need work. You’ve got pressure-treated pine too, which is a big workhorse because it’s affordable and gets infused with chemicals to fight rot and bugs. I’ve been selling pressure-treated pine for 20 years, and I still see customers grabbing it for small projects because it’s easy to cut and work with, even for a weekend warrior. But here’s the thing about wood: it lives. It moves with the weather—swells when it rains, shrinks in the dry, fades from that nice golden brown to a dull gray if you don’t seal it every year or two. I’ve had customers come back to us with warped planks or split boards because they skipped a summer sealing, and that’s when I remind them: wood decking is like a houseplant—you’ve got to tend to it, or it’ll turn on you.
Then there’s composite decking, which has blown up in the last 15 years, and I get why. Composite is made from a mix of recycled plastic and wood fiber, so it’s not pure wood, which means it doesn’t fade, rot, or splinter like real wood. No more sanding, no more staining, just a quick wipe-down with a hose when it gets dirty. I know a lot of folks are skeptical of composite at first—they think it’s going to feel like walking on a plastic tabletop or get way too hot in the summer sun. That’s a valid concern, but newer blends of composite we stock now have UV protectants and textured finishes that mimic real wood, and I’ve stood on our sample boards in the middle of July at 2 p.m., and they’re not hot enough to burn your feet, not like some of the old composite stuff from the early 2000s. The downside is, composite is pricier upfront than pressure-treated pine, but most customers tell us it’s worth it in the long run because of the no-maintenance factor. I had a customer last year who installed composite for his backyard deck and said he saved 10 hours a year he used to spend sealing his old cedar deck—now he just uses that time to fish or watch his kids play. That’s the kind of win I love seeing.
Lately, we’ve been selling more and more PVC decking too, which is a step up from composite. It’s 100% plastic, no wood fiber at all, so it’s the most resistant to moisture, mildew, and fading. It doesn’t even scratch or ding as easy as composite, which is great if you’ve got dogs or a bunch of kids dragging patio furniture around. The only catch with PVC is that it can be a little more slippery when it’s wet, so we always advise customers to add textured railings or non-slip strips if they live in an area with lots of rain or ice in the winter. But if you want something that’s basically indestructible, PVC is the way to go.
Now, a lot of people ask me: “Is decking the same as flooring?” And that’s another good question. Interior flooring is designed to be used in a controlled, climate-controlled space, right? It doesn’t have to deal with rain, snow, UV rays, or temperature swings. Decking is built specifically for the outdoors—every component, from the planks themselves to the fasteners that hold them down, is engineered to withstand those harsh conditions. That’s why you can’t just grab hardwood flooring and nail it to your backyard frame—it’ll rot or warp within a year. Decking materials have different density ratings, UV inhibitors, and even slip resistance standards that interior flooring doesn’t need. I had a customer try that exact thing once—he brought in oak hardwood flooring because it was cheap and he thought it looked nice— and I had to tell him straight up that it wouldn’t last two summers. He ended up ordering composite from us, and he emailed me last year saying it’s holding up way better than any interior floor he’s ever had.
Another common mix-up is between decking and railings, or decking and framing. The decking is the walking surface, the part you stand on. The framing is the structure underneath—joists, beams, posts—that holds the whole thing up, usually made of pressure-treated lumber. Railings are the barriers along the edges, which you need if your deck is more than 3 feet off the ground, per building codes. People will come in and say “I need new decking railings,” and I have to clarify that they actually need new railings, or sometimes they need new planks. It’s the difference between the top of your kitchen counter and the cabinets underneath—one’s the surface you use, the other’s the support.
Now, as a decking supplier, I don’t just sell planks. I sell the whole package, basically. I work with customers from the first time they think about a deck, all the way through installation. A lot of new homeowners don’t realize that decking isn’t a one-size-fits-all product. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, where it rains 8 months out of the year, you’re going to want a decking that stands up to moisture—composite or PVC is better there than pressure-treated pine, which can absorb water and rot faster. If you live in Arizona, where the sun is brutal, you need decking with strong UV protection to keep it from fading. And if you’re on a tight budget for a small deck, pressure-treated pine is still the best bang for your buck, as long as you’re willing to do the annual maintenance. I never pressure customers into buying whatever’s the most expensive—I ask them about their lifestyle, how much time they have, what they want their deck to look like, and then I point them to the right product.
I also get a lot of questions about decking trends, because it feels like everything changes every few years. Ten years ago, gray decking was all the rage—everyone wanted that modern, low-profile look. Now, we’re seeing more warm tones: honey brown, cedar, even subtle red tones that look more like natural wood. Textured finishes are still big, because they’re less slippery than smooth boards, and they hide dirt and scratches better. And there’s a big push for sustainable decking now, too. A lot of our composite products are made from 100% recycled plastic, like milk jugs and water bottles, which is a big selling point for customers who care about the environment. I don’t think that’s a fad, either—more and more people want products that don’t harm the planet, and decking is a perfect way to use recycled material that lasts for decades.
Wait, let’s go back to the basics, because I don’t want anyone to leave here still confused. To sum it up: decking is a specialized outdoor walking surface, designed to be elevated above the ground, engineered to handle outdoor elements. It comes in wood, composite, PVC, each with their own pros and cons. It’s not patio tiles, it’s not interior flooring, it’s the stuff that turns your empty backyard into a place you actually want to spend time.
I’ve been in this business for long enough to see a lot of bad advice online, so I always tell people to come talk to me before they buy anything. I’ve seen people order decking online without checking the slip resistance or the UV rating, and end up having to return it. I’ve seen people buy cheap composite that warps after a year because it didn’t have enough plastic in the blend. That’s why we keep samples in the shop—you can walk on them, feel the texture, see the colors in natural light, not just on a computer screen. That’s the difference between ordering online and working with a local supplier like us.
If you’re thinking about adding a deck to your home, or replacing an old, worn-out deck, don’t guess what decking to get. Reach out to us to discuss your project, your needs, and your budget. We’ll walk through all the options, show you samples, and help you pick the right decking that will last for years and make your outdoor space something you love.
Fence Now, as promised, here are the references I used to put this together, because I always want to make sure I’m giving accurate info, not just my 20 years of selling decks.
- American Wood Protection Association. (2022). Field Guide to Wood Decking Products and Installation. AWPA standards for outdoor wood treatment and decking materials.
- Composite Decking Manufacturers Association. (2023). Performance Standards for Engineered Outdoor Decking Materials. Information on slip resistance, UV stability, and durability of composite and PVC decking.
- International Residential Code (IRC) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings. (2024). Chapter 5: Decks and Railing Systems. Building code requirements for decking elevation, fasteners, and material specifications.
- Recycling Economic Information (REI) Report. (2022). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Data on recycled content in composite decking products and sustainability metrics.
Linyi Xingang International Trade Co., Ltd.
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