Composite vs Wood Decking: 2026 Comparison

Side by side

Typical figures for the northwest Chicago suburbs, 2026. Installed cost includes labor, framing, railings and permit.
	Pressure-treated	Cedar	Capped composite
Installed per sq ft	$30 to $45	$40 to $60	$55 to $90
Maintenance	Re-coat every 2 to 4 yrs	Re-coat every 2 to 4 yrs	Wash only
Upkeep cost per decade	$1,500 to $3,000	$1,500 to $3,000	Near zero
Typical life	15 to 20 yrs	15 to 20 yrs	25 to 50 yr warranty
Splinters	Yes, with age	Yes, with age	No
Heat in full sun	Cooler	Cooler	Warmer, especially dark colors
Repairs	Cheap, board by board	Cheap, board by board	Board swap, color match can vary
Looks like wood	It is wood	It is wood	Close, not identical up close

The real question is how long you are staying

Run it over ten years on a 320 square foot deck. Composite might cost $6,000 more to build. Wood will ask for roughly $1,500 to $3,000 in stain, cleaner and weekends over the same period, plus the time.

So at ten years composite is still slightly ahead on cash but roughly even once you value your weekends. At twenty years composite is clearly cheaper. At five years, wood wins outright.

If you are selling in a few years, a well-maintained wood deck shows fine and costs far less to put in. Buyers rarely pay a premium for composite that covers the difference in build cost.

Where wood still wins

Up-front cost. The same budget buys a noticeably bigger deck.
The look and feel. Composite has improved a lot. Cedar grain up close is still cedar grain.
Heat. Wood runs cooler underfoot in direct summer sun than dark composite.
Repairs. A damaged board is a cheap, fast swap you could do yourself.
Large decks. Above about 500 square feet the material premium on composite gets hard to justify unless upkeep is the deciding factor.

A lot of builders in this area stopped offering wood because composite is the bigger ticket. We still build cedar and pressure-treated decks, because for plenty of yards it is the right answer.

Where composite wins

You never stain it. That is what people are actually buying.
No splinters. A real consideration with young kids and bare feet.
Warranty. 25 to 50 years against fading, staining and structural failure.
Consistency. No warping, cupping or checking after a freeze and thaw cycle.
It looks the same in year ten. Wood does not, unless you keep after it.

We install Trex, TimberTech, Azek, Fiberon and Deckorators. If you have narrowed it to composite, our Trex vs TimberTech comparison covers the brand differences.

The part both options share

The frame. Almost every composite deck sits on pressure-treated framing, and that structure is what decides how long the deck lasts. Composite also needs tighter joist spacing than wood does, and a 50 year board on a badly built frame is still a ten year deck.

That is why we frame both the same way, to code depth footings and manufacturer-specified spacing. The surface is where your budget goes. The frame is not negotiable.

What we would tell you at the estimate

Choose wood if the budget is the constraint, if the deck is large, or if you genuinely like the look of real timber and do not mind a weekend every few years.

Choose composite if you are staying, if you have kids on the deck barefoot, or if the honest answer is that you will never get around to re-staining it. That last one is the most common reason people switch, and it is a perfectly good reason.

Either way, get the frame right. See what a build actually involves in new deck construction, or price your options with the 2026 deck cost guide.

Common questions

Is composite decking worth the extra cost?

It is if you plan to stay more than about ten years or you genuinely do not want to maintain a deck. Composite costs roughly 40 to 60 percent more to build and almost nothing to keep. Over ten to fifteen years the totals converge. Under five years, wood is the better buy.

Does composite decking fade?

Capped composite fades far less than the uncapped boards sold fifteen years ago, and most brands warranty against significant fading for 25 years or more. It will change slightly in the first year as it settles, then stay put. Uncapped composite is a different product and we do not install it.

Is composite decking slippery when wet?

Not meaningfully more than wet wood. Both get slick with algae if they sit in shade and never get cleaned. Composite is easier to keep clean, which in practice makes it the less slippery of the two over time.

Can you mix composite and wood on one deck?

Yes, and it is common. Almost every composite deck we build sits on a pressure-treated frame, because that is the correct way to do it. Some homeowners also use composite for the surface and wood for a privacy wall or bench.

Which is better for a family with kids and pets?

Composite, usually. No splinters, no annual staining with the yard out of use for a weekend, and easier cleanup. Dog claws mark both surfaces, though composite hides it better than a stained wood deck does.

Composite vs Wood Decking: Cost, Lifespan and Upkeep