This is the question we field more than any other, and the honest answer is that both materials are correct for different homeowners. What follows is how we actually talk it through on an estimate, without the marketing.
Upfront cost is not the whole cost
Pressure-treated pine is the least expensive decking you can buy and roughly a third of the price of a premium capped composite. But treated lumber needs cleaning and re-sealing every two to three years to stay presentable. Over fifteen years, materials plus maintenance narrows the gap considerably — and that is before you count the weekends.
Where composite genuinely wins
- No annual sanding, staining or sealing — a wash each spring is enough
- It will not splinter, which matters with young children and bare feet
- Colour is consistent and stays consistent; no board-to-board lottery
- Capped products resist the mould and tannin staining that shaded Maryland yards produce
- Warranties commonly run 25 to 50 years on fade and stain
Where wood still wins
- Lower upfront cost when budget genuinely decides the project
- Cedar and hardwoods run noticeably cooler underfoot in full sun
- It can be refinished — a scratched composite board has to be replaced
- Some homeowners simply prefer real timber, and that is a legitimate reason
The heat question, honestly
Dark composite in full afternoon sun gets hot. Genuinely hot. If your deck faces south or west with no shade, either choose a lighter colour or plan for a pergola over part of it. We would rather tell you that at the estimate than hear about it in July.
What actually determines lifespan
Neither surface material decides how long your deck lasts — the framing does. A composite deck on an unflashed ledger with undersized footings will fail long before a well-framed pressure-treated deck. We flash every ledger, tape every joist and use structural fasteners throughout regardless of what goes on top, because that is the part nobody can inspect once the boards are down.
