We review key characteristics of popular decking materials to help inform your decision making for your next project.
Decking Material Comparison
Timber, Composite, Bamboo?
With many decking materials now widely available, we take a closer look at the key characteristics of some of the most popular choices to help you make an informed decision. What type of decking boards will you choose for your next project?
| Feature | MOSO® Bamboo X-treme® | Softwood, Impregnated Pine | Hardwood, Ipe | Composites (WPC’s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour | Dark brown | Light brown / beige | Brown | Wide variety |
| Looks | A lasting natural look | A lasting natural look, but mold can occur fast | A lasting natural look | Wood-print pattern, repetitive, artificial and unnatural |
| Hardness (Brinell) | ≥ 9.5 kg/mm² (EN 1534) | 1.5 kg/mm² | 5.8 kg/mm² | Very variable, depending on the brand |
| Stability | Extremely stable | Can undergo severe shrinking, swelling, deformation, warping, and splitting | Most species stable, but depending on the quality deformation can occur | Very variable, can warp, expand and shrink strongly, depending on the production quality |
| Durability Class (EN350) | Durability Class 1 (expected lifetime 25 years) | Durability Class 4 (expected lifetime 5-10 years) | Durability Class 1 (expected lifetime 25 years) | 1-3, plastic never decomposes but technical function does |
| Biological Use Class | Use Class 4 | Use Class 2-4 | Use Class 3-4 | N/A |
| Density | 1150 kg/m³ | 400-600 kg/m³ | 1050 kg/m³ | 1000-1300 kg/m³ |
| Warranty | 25 years | Usually 1 year | Usually 1 - 20 years | 10-25 years |
| Fire Class | Fire Class Bfl-s1 following EN 13501-1 and Class A following US standard ASTM E84, without fire retardant | Usually Fire Class Dfl-s1 (EN 13501-1), extra treatment / impregnation needed to reach Fire Class Bfl-s1 | Fire Class Cfl-s1 or Bfl-s1 following EN 13501-1 and Class A or B following US standard ASTM E84, usually without fire retardant | Fire Class Dfl-s1, Cfl-s1 or Bfl-s1 following EN 13501-1 and Class A or B following US standard ASTM E84, depending on the brand |
| Resource | Abundantly available and renewable, stems harvested after 4-5 years | Abundantly, tree harvested after 25-30 years | 50 - >100 years, avoid illegal logging | Roughly 60% plastic / 40% wood dust/particles |
| Sustainability | Stores 1,662 kg CO2 per m³, which is more than the energy used during production | Stores 793 kg of CO2 per m³ | Stores 1,634 kg CO2 per m³ | High energy use during production and in raw material, CO2 storage only in wood dust/particles |
| Installation | Fast with clips, or screwed down, relatively little amount of sub structure material needed thanks to the high stability and strength | Screwed down + relatively high amount of sub structure material due to stability | Screwed down or exclusive woods fast with clips + relatively little amount of sub structure material needed thanks to the high stability and strength | Fast with clips + relatively high amount of sub structure material due to limited load capacity |
| Brittleness | Hardly brittle | Not brittle | Not brittle | Can become brittle overtime due to uv |
| Weathering | Even and natural | Even and natural, splitting can be visible | Even and natural | Not naturally, colours will fade after time |
| Maintenance | Cleaning and/or oiling | Sanding, cleaning and oiling | Cleaning and/or oiling | Cleaning |
Disclaimer: Source of information available on request. Technical information about wood derived from the Dutch wood literature Houtvademecum and Centrum Hout. Technical information about composites derived from multiple manufacturers websites.