8 Tips for Installing Composite Decking

So, you’re interested in using composite decking for your deck build thanks to its low-maintenance, high-performance material composition — but where to start with installation? Luckily, installing composite decking can be a lot like installing wood.

Ways Installing Composite Deck Boards Is Similar to Traditional Wood Installation

✓ When laid in a straight pattern, composite decking uses the same standard joist spacing (16” on center) as wood.

✓ Composite decking can be cut using the same tools for wood (miter saw and/or jig saw).

✓ Composite decking can be installed with top-down fasteners, a common choice for wood decking.

Note that there are a few key differences between installing composite decking vs wood (which we’ll cover later on).

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1. Make Sure You Have the Right Tools for the Job

Installing composite decking correctly requires you to have the right tools, most of which are the same used for a wood deck build. If you don’t own one or more of these, you can likely purchase or rent them from your local hardware store.

2. Ensure You Have a Sturdy Substructure

Installing composite decking requires your deck have a properly installed (and maintained) substructure for lasting structural integrity. Consider the scope of your project and your deck’s substructure before getting started.

The scope of your deck project will likely fall into one of two categories:

• Building a new substructure
• Using an existing substructure

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Building a New Substructure

If you’re installing composite decking, starting with a brand new substructure is the best path to take in most cases, unless your existing substructure is only a few years old and in mint condition.

A new substructure, when built correctly, ensures your new deck is safe, sturdy, and will last for many years to come.

3. Protect Your Substructure With Joist Tape

Since your substructure is likely made with traditional lumber, it is vulnerable to moisture damage over time. Once you’ve built your new substructure, or made the appropriate repairs to an existing one, you’re ready to optimize for long-term performance.

Minimize Moisture Damage With Joist Tape

4. Considerations Before Installing Composite Deck Boards

Now that your substructure is protected, it’s time to prep for installing your composite deck board installation. For premium results — and no surprises — familiarize yourself with these key facts about installing composite deck boards.

Understand Deck Board Expansion & Contraction

• Composite decking expands and contracts across its length with changes in temperature (rather than across its width like wood). To limit changes in length, cut your deck boards right before installation.

• Avoid Excessive Construction Debris

  Excessive debris build-up such as dirt, sand, and dust from construction can become difficult to remove — and may damage your boards — if not cleaned right away. Minimize debris by installing composite deck boards at the end of your backyard renovation project.

• Avoid Excessive Heat

  decking should be kept away from heat sources, including sunlight reflected from energy-efficient window products, like low-emissivity (Low-E) windows, which can cause excessive heat build-up that damages your boards.

• Be Aware of Metamerism

  Metamerism refers to the phenomenon where two of the same boards appear to be two different shades under a certain light source or at a certain angle (think the “stripe” effect from grass mowed one direction and then the other). Metamerism is perceptual, and not a defect.

• Be Aware of the Potential for Static Electricity

  Although uncommon, the buildup and generation of static electricity is a naturally occurring phenomenon in many plastic-based products including composite deck boards, including , and is not a defect.