The joys of low-maintenance decking

Enjoyment of a deck is high on the priority list of most homeowners.

Joy turns to drudgery, however, when homeowners must abandon cushy deck chairs to deal with the realities of wood decks: split boards, nails that pop up, and faded stains or paint.

But there is salvation for upkeep-weary deck lovers, and it has arrived in the form of high-tech, low-maintenance vinyl decking.

"You can't believe the calls we've taken from homeowners wanting to install this product," says Bill Petitta of The Home Service Store. "People see this as their way out of annual maintenance."

And they're right. "The No. 1 benefit for consumers is the fact they face almost zero maintenance issues," says Jay Deems of Thermal Industries, a primary provider of vinyl deck planks and railings. "They won't spend time to paint or stain, replace rotted boards or reset nails and screws. About the most they need to do is hose off dirt and debris."

Deck components evolved from vinyl window technology. Coastal areas with high humidity were first to adopt the new decking. Vinyl is beginning to appear in marine applications such as docks and boat slips.

The rigid PVC planks in 10-feet to 20-feet lengths are a standard 2-by-6-inch size, capped at the open ends. The planks are snapped into place atop installation strips fixed to joists and posts. There are no exposed fasteners or screws. The vinyl is tinted white, beige or gray during manufacture, and ultraviolet protectors guard against color fading. The colorfast nature of new vinyl has opened the product to sun-intensive areas such as the desert Southwest.

Vinyl decking is a solution to well-publicized environmental issues of pressure-treated "green" wood.

Petitta says while wood decks aren't about to go away, the market share of non-wood decks is growing rapidly. "Wood is attractive, but it needs attention," says Petitta. "If you neglect wood even a couple of years, the deck won't last long. There's no warranty on wood, but you get written protection on vinyl."

The cost of a vinyl deck is roughly one-third more than wood, although Thermal Industries officials are quick to point out there are cost savings, too, by eliminating regular upkeep. Installation is faster. Petitta of HSS recommends professional installation because consumers have limited experience with vinyl products that require special skills and tools.

"Consumers are initially drawn to the low-maintenance idea of vinyl," says Deems, "but they aren't prepared for simply how beautiful it is. There is a high degree of satisfaction. But I suppose when you have a product that looks good and you don't need to fuss with yearly maintenance, who wouldn't like it?"