Composite Deck Building in Elgin, IL

Composite deck building is the choice for Elgin homeowners who would rather spend summer weekends on the deck than refinishing it. Composite boards are made from wood fiber and plastic, usually with a hard polymer cap on the outside, and they do not need sanding, staining or sealing. They also do not rot or splinter the way wood can after years of humid summers and snow sitting on the surface. What they do need is a frame underneath that is built just as carefully as for any other deck, because the boards are only as good as what holds them up.

Capped composite, uncapped and PVC

Not every composite board is the same. Capped composite has a protective shell that resists staining and fading; Forbes Home puts capped composite at about $30 to $60 per square foot and uncapped boards at about $20 to $40. PVC boards contain no wood fiber at all, are lighter and resist moisture best, and run about $40 to $70 per square foot by the same guide. At the estimate we bring samples so you can see the colors and grain patterns in your own light, next to your siding.

The frame still matters

The structure under a composite deck is usually pressure-treated lumber, and in a Chicago-area climate it takes a beating. We set footings below the frost depth your permit requires, which is generally 42 inches around here, so the frame does not heave in January. The ledger is bolted to the house and flashed so water does not get into the rim joist, and we use joist tape on the tops of joists and beams to slow the moisture that sits under the boards. Composite boards also have span limits that are often tighter than wood, especially on diagonal layouts, so joists are spaced to the manufacturer's installation guide.

Heat, snow and expansion

Composite expands and contracts more with temperature than wood does. Board ends need the right gaps, and installers have to account for the temperature on the day the boards go down; a deck installed in a hot July afternoon behaves differently in a February cold snap. Darker colors also get hotter in full sun. For snow, most composite manufacturers allow a plastic shovel used along the boards, and calcium chloride ice melt is generally preferred over rock salt; check the care guide for your brand.

Warranties, explained

Major composite brands carry long limited residential warranties on the boards themselves. Trex, for example, lists limited residential warranties of 25 to 50 years for its decking and railing, depending on the line. Those warranties come from the manufacturer, cover the material, and usually depend on installation that follows the brand's instructions, which is one reason we follow the installation guide to the letter. They do not cover the wood framing underneath.

Hidden fasteners and finishing details

Most capped boards can be installed with hidden clips that hold the boards from the side, leaving a clean surface with no screw heads. Picture-frame borders, matching fascia boards to cover the rim joists, and solid or slotted stair treads finish the look. We go over these options with you and price each one so the quote shows what each detail costs.

Is composite right for your yard?

Composite makes the most sense if you plan to stay in the house for years, want a deck that looks the same in ten summers as it does at install, and do not want to restain. If budget is the priority, a pressure-treated deck costs less up front. We price both side by side so you can decide.