If you were thinking of installing a hardwood or composite deck in your garden. If you are, you might want to know the answer to this question. Is a hardwood deck stronger than a softwood deck? Which type of deck will last longer and offer more value for the money? If you want to know if hardwood is better, you need to ask these questions.
What is hardwood?
There is a type of wood deck that is made from strong wood. It doesn’t need chemicals to stay strong and has more strength than wood. The other type of wood will get damaged if exposed to nature. The lack of chemicals doesn’t make the hardwood deck susceptible to insects. Hardwood is a better choice for homeowners because it will allow them to enjoy their deck for a long time.
What is composite decking?
This kind of deck is made from wood and plastic. The lifespan of the material used to install the deck is longer than that of other materials. Engineers mix the wood and plastic with a bonding agent in a factory and then heat the mixture in a furnace. Homeowners should install a durable patio. The outdoor flooring type is aesthetically pleasing.
Is the patio better made of wood?
We need to consider the features of good decking material in order to know if it is better than hardwood.
Durability
Durability is a feature of good decking. You can consider it a good material if it is durable, but not a good one if it is not. It is not as durable as a patio made of wood. After installing hardwood under the sun for a long time, it will lose its resistance to the elements. It is possible to make a strong material for outdoor flooring. There is a problem with wood decking. If you install wood in your yard, it will absorb water. The problem is solved by the fact that there is plastic covering on the surface or top of the board. This is one reason that wood is better than plastic.
Water-resistant
Water-resistant material is important. In the next heading, we will discuss the water-resistant property of wood. One of the reasons it’s better is that it lasts longer than hardwood. One of the most destructive elements of nature is the nature of the wood. Wood will be destroyed if it is exposed to water. This is due to the swelling, rot, and bending of wood. The porous surface of the hardwood deck will absorb water from the air. Your hardwood deck board will swell as it becomes saturated with water. If the swelled deck dries on time, it will shrink, and if it doesn’t dry on time, it will rot. It’s better to use a patio that’s resistant to water and won’t rot, swell or shrink than it is to use a hardwood deck.
Maintenance
The wood deck maintenance is more difficult than that of the composite deck. You don’t need a lot of cash to keep your deck going. There is an elaborate maintenance process for wood decks. Homeowners don’t have to sand, paint or stain their deck like they would their wood deck. Since the lifespan of a deck depends on how well you maintain it, it will last longer than a timber patio. You can use wood-plastic for 25 years, while hardwood lasts 15 years.
Conclusion
Is a hardwood deck better than a composite deck? Plastic wood is more durable and easy to maintain than hardwood.
Read more: Tips for choosing the right color of composite decking
