Super Synthetic Decks

KIMA

Story Published: Jun 13, 2008 at 5:44 PM PST

By Heather Reese

It takes work to keep wood decks looking nice. If you don’t stain them every few years, they’re likely to crack and fade. In the hopes of cutting down on maintenance, one of five homeowners is putting in synthetic decking. Consumer Reports has just finished long-term tests of 17 different types of synthetic decking to see whether that’s really the answer.

Some of the planks were left out on a test deck behind Consumer Reports’ New York headquarters for almost two years. Other boards were left out for a year in Arizona and Florida. Not all held up well. Some faded and some show a lot of mildew growth.

The tests show other drawbacks with some of the synthetic boards. Over time they can sag. That can be a problem, even when the supports are close together. And some older synthetic decking Consumer Reports tested actually disintegrated and was recalled by the manufacturer.

But Consumer Reports latest tests show some of today’s synthetic decking wears well and requires far less maintenance than wood.

Among plastic decking, Consumer Reports says Eon Classic is a good choice. It comes in a variety of colors and costs $600 per 100 square feet.

And if you prefer the look of a composite, which is plastic mixed with wood fibers, Consumer Reports top-rated Symmatrix. It is especially good at resisting mildew. It sells for $525 per 100 square feet.

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