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Article: Low-maintenance decks. (Home Guide).
- Article from:
- Sunset
- Article date:
- May 1, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Sunset Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Composite decking has been gaining in popularity because it significantly reduces the maintenance that a deck needs from year to year. The most common type is made of wood fibers mixed with plastic, which is then formed into planks up to 20 feet long. Solid planking is available in 2-by-4 and 5/4-by-4 sizes.
Composite lumber is generally not as strong as wood, which is why it is not used for structural framing. (Use arsenic-free, pressure-treated lumber for deck framing.) Decking made with recycled polyethylene (PE) may require shorter spans of decking between joists than products made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
RESOURCES: www.carefree-products.com; ...