There are many products, including different types of decking, that for some reason seem to attract more than their fair share of myths. In other words, there are misconceptions, some of which are completely ridiculous, as well as misinformation.
To be frank, there are also outright lies, which lead to people being confused about a product, and even deciding against purchasing it, simply because they believed one or more of the myths
Now, we must say from the outset that this is not the fault of consumers who are trying to find out more about a product and succumb to the myths about it, After all, they were not the ones which created those myths. In fact, it is hard to establish where these myths originate.
Sometimes they are from traditionalists who want to knock modern advancements and developments, and other times it might be rival manufacturers who try to sow doubts about a competitor’s product.
Often, a myth may have stemmed from an issue that a product had in the past, but which through development and advances in how it is manufactured, no longer exist, but the myth continues. This is very much the case with a lot of the myths relating to composite decking, as you will see.
Whatever the source or cause of a myth, in the end it does not matter. What does matter though, especially for those thinking about buying composite decking, is that we put those myths to bed right now and debunk them all.
Composite Decking Is Maintenance-Free
This first myth, whilst seeming like one that shines a more positive light on composite decking, still needs to be debunked. It is the case that composite decking requires a lot less maintenance than other decking materials, and that’s especially true in comparison to timber decking. However, it does need to be looked after and cleaned, in order to prolong its look and durability
Composite Decking Is Very Expensive
In general, composite decking costs more than timber decking, but you also have to consider the much lower maintenance costs over time which balances the overall costs somewhat.
The prices for composite decking will vary considerably depending on the quality of materials used, but why would you choose poor quality decking just to save a few dollars now, and then have to spend even more having to replace it sooner.
Composite Decking Is Not Environmentally Friendly
Modern composite decking is in fact very environmentally friendly, and certainly a lot more than it may have been when the first products were manufactured some 30 years ago. Now many manufacturers use recycled materials and the fact that many composite decking products will outlast some timber ones, also has to be factored into its environmental friendliness score.
Composite Decking Looks Plastic and Cheap
Certainly, when composite decking was first sold, that charge could be laid at it, but not now. Advances in how composite decking is manufactured and finished, means that there is composite decking finished in a way that you would struggle to differentiate it from some timber decking.
Composite Decking Scratches and Fades Easily
Again, modern manufacturing methods have allowed composite decking manufacturing to produce decking panels which are far more robust than they used to be. Now, as long as composite decking is cared for in terms of debris being removed quickly and it is cleaned properly, fading and scratching should not be an issue.