Composite vs. Wood Decking: Which Should You Choose?
The single biggest decision in any deck project is the decking material, and it almost always comes down to composite vs. wood. Both build great decks. They just cost their money at different times — wood is cheaper to buy and more expensive to own, while composite is the reverse. Here’s how to choose.
Upfront cost
Wood wins on day one:
- Pressure-treated pine: $3 to $6 per sq ft
- Cedar / redwood: $4 to $9 per sq ft
- Composite: $5 to $14 per sq ft
- PVC / capped polymer: $8 to $15 per sq ft
For a 300-square-foot deck, that material difference alone can be $1,500 or more. Run the comparison for your size in the Deck Cost Calculator.
Maintenance and long-term cost
This is where composite earns its premium:
- Wood needs regular cleaning and resealing or staining — typically every one to three years for pressure-treated, and ongoing for cedar. Over a 20-year life, that labor and material adds up to a significant hidden cost, and neglected wood splits, warps, and rots.
- Composite and PVC need little more than an occasional wash. No sanding, no staining, no sealing.
When you add maintenance over the deck’s lifetime, composite often comes out even or cheaper than wood, despite the higher sticker price.
Lifespan
- Pressure-treated wood: 15–20 years with good upkeep.
- Cedar: 15–20 years, less if not maintained.
- Composite: 25–30 years, often with a 25-year-plus warranty.
- PVC: 30+ years.
Appearance
- Wood has natural grain and color that many people simply prefer, and it can be stained any shade. It also weathers to gray if left untreated.
- Composite has improved enormously and now mimics wood grain convincingly, with consistent color that won’t fade much. Purists still notice the difference up close.
Heat and feel
One real trade-off: dark composite boards get hotter underfoot in direct sun than wood. If your deck bakes in afternoon sun and you go barefoot, choose a lighter color or factor it in.
Environmental notes
- Composite is often made from recycled wood fiber and plastic, but it is not biodegradable at end of life.
- Wood is renewable and biodegradable, though pressure-treated lumber contains preservatives and shouldn’t be burned.
Which should you choose?
- Choose wood if your upfront budget is tight, you like the natural look, or you don’t mind annual upkeep.
- Choose composite if you want to spend weekends on the deck instead of maintaining it, plan to stay in the home long-term, or want the lowest lifetime cost.
Whichever way you lean, price both side by side for your exact dimensions in the Deck Cost Calculator before you decide — the long-term math often surprises people.