Given all of the decking choices homeowners have today, sometimes the "tried and true" is still the best choice!  Our favorite decking product to work with has been and will remain Western Red Cedar.  Just like a new car, the unique aroma alone of a new cedar deck is something no composite will ever be able to duplicate, not to mention the beauty and value that is inherent with cedar deck products.  We hand-select only the best cedar lumber for our decks and take great pride in the results we've achieved over the years.  If you are in any way reluctant to give one of the new composite or PVC products a try and don't mind the continued maintenance of a cedar deck, then we wholeheartedly recommend choosing Western Red Cedar for your new deck.

Still one of the best choices for decking material today, Western Red Cedar decks are hard to beat for value, appearance and versatility.  While cedar decks take more time and money to maintain, there are still no other decking products on the market today that can truly replicate the look or feel of a real cedar deck.  Western Red Cedar is a superior all-weather decking material that is naturally resistant to decay and insect damage.  Cedar wood decking has less than half the swelling and shrinking tendencies of other domestic softwoods. But Cedar wood decking isn't just these sturdy virtues. Cedar decks are downright beautiful, with a rich grain, texture and color that complements any architectural style, from traditional to post-modern.

 
Western Red Cedar Decks

Don't let our name fool you, Mike Jansen Custom Cedar Decks builds more than just cedar or wood decks, in fact, most of the decks we build these days are made of composite or PVC based materials.  When we started our business 20 years ago, composite decks were in their infancy of development. The first composite decks were introduced in the early 1990's. Those initial composite decking products were good for their time, but nothing like the choices we have today.  Composite or PVC based decking products are probably a homeowner's best low maintenance choice here in the Midwest with our wet springs, hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters.  Wood decks, including cedar, take a beating in our area due to our climate and take some work to maintain every year. Composite and PVC based decking products stand up far better to our sometimes extreme weather changes  and most require very little maintence to keep them looking terrific year after year.

Don't get us wrong, we still believe nothing out there can replicate the true "wood" look of cedar or natural hardwoods (a few composite products are getting awful close!), but if you're at all concerned with the havoc our midwest weather wreaks on your deck and the continued maintenance that creates for your deck, we would definitely recommend some of the composite & PVC based products we use. Below you'll find our "Top Picks" for composite & PVC based decking.  We choose to build with these brands because we believe they are the best the industry has to offer. 

There are numerous composite and PVC based decking products on the market today, but none that we believe will beat the performance, value, low maintenance and warranty terms of the following products.  Feel free to ask us about other decking products, but chances are if we're not building with those products, there's a VERY GOOD REASON why we're not!

"Life is full of high-maintenance concerns - but your deck shouldn't be one of them."

TimberTech® composite decking and railing is a revolutionary alternative to a traditional wood deck that doesn't rot, splinter or peel with weather or everyday use.  This line of composite decking products has been around long enough for a true testomonial by our company that it lives up to its promises in both longevity and lasting beauty.  We also highly recommend the TimberTech® Ornamental & RadianceRail railing products which we have used on numerous decks, whether with TimberTech® decking or with other composite products.  We have also used the TimberTech rail in conjunction with aluminum balusters for a very sophisticated look. 

TimberTech® introduced their new line of cellular PVC decking in 2008. Their XLM® line of decking is fade resistant, stain & scratch resistant and does not retain heat like composite decking can.  TimberTech® XLM decking comes in a variety of colors: SandRidge, RiverRock, Mountain Cedar and Desert Bronze, with matching or coordinating railing and balusters in the RadianceRail line. Another new decking accessory product added to their line in 2009 is the TimberTech DeckLites deck lighting that works in conjunction with TimberTech's railing products, Ornamental and RadianceRail.  This is a terrific deck lighting system and can be added to any TimberTech deck, even after it is built.

Visit TimberTech® @ www.timbertech.com

TimberTech® "Care & Cleaning" Link                 TimberTech® 25 Year Limited Warranty

TimberTech® Floorizon® Deck in Tropical Teak with RadianceRail® in Classic Black

First there was wood, then composites and NOW, there is AZEK® Deck made with Procell™ Technology, the next generation of decking to transform your very notion of building a deck.  Unlike wood or composite decking materials, AZEK® Deck, a cellular pvc product, does not contain wood fillers.  Procell™ Technology allows  boards to resist stains and scratches, yet be workable like wood.

AZEK® Deck is a terrific choice for composite decking due primarily to it's anti-staining and scratch resistant properties.  The fastest growing brand of decking on the market, AZEK® Deck, is built to withstand spills like wine, fruit punch and even hamburger grease. With superior stain and scratch resistance, AZEK® Deck is the first truly low maintenance deck.  AZEK® Deck cleans easily with soap and water providing a deck a homeowner can truly enjoy. If you have children or pets, you'll know what we're talking about... even if you don't, stains and scratches occur on most decks from BBQ grills, vegetation (potted plants) and just plain, old everyday use!  AZEK® Deck is one of the best stain & scratch resistant deck solutions we have seen so far.  The AZEK® product line offers a full range of colors, styles and trim solutions with new colors available in 2010. 

Visit AZEK® Deck @ www.azek.com  

AZEK® Deck Lifetime Limited Warranty

AZEK® ProCell™ Deck in Brownstone w/TimberTech® Ornamental Rail & Balusters in Gray with Dekor™ Rondi Cap Post Top & Millennium® Recessed LED Stair Lights

EverGrain® Composite Decking by TAMKO is compression molded composite decking featuring an incredibly true-to-life, deep lasting grain.  Designed for those who love the natural look of real wood with low maintenance.  EverGrain requires no staining or painting and is available in eight beautiful colors to perfectly compliment any home.   This composite product also offers a line of 4 different railing products including a Traditional and Designer series in matching colors that lend themselves to endless customization options and creativity.

Visit EverGrain® Composite Decking by TAMKO at: www.evergrain.com

EverGrain® "Care & Cleaning"                          EverGrain® 25 Year Limited Warranty   

TAMKO® EverGrain™ Deck in Cedar w/DecKorators™ Classic Aluminum Balusters in White

Gossen® WeatherReady^TM Building Materials offer a revolutionary solid core cellular PVC formulation that assures high-strength, stain resistance, consistent density, and nothing to come apart or delaminate.  These products will not expand or contract like wood composite boards. It doesn’t matter what you or Mother Nature throw at this decking....it stands up to the worst!  The WeatherReady^TM  family of materials are lead-free, R4 and manufactured in the United States to strict industry standards and are ARCAT green compliant products for sustainable design.  Both lines of decking come in solid or grooved boards for hidden fastening.  The WeatherReady^TM line offers color choices in Slate, Sand or Dark Goldenrod and in the Passport line,Tuscan Cherry, London Grey and Spanish Walnut (new in 2010). Truly a superior product with a warranty to match....Lifetime Limited Warranty!

Visit Gossen WeatherReady^TM @ www.gossencorp.com

"When You Want the Deck of a Lifetime" - WeatherReady^TM Decking by Gossen

As one of the first composite decking products on the market, Trex® still enjoys the notoriety of being the top "name in the game" of the decking industry. Trex® composite products are made of a unique combination of wood and plastic fibers. Trex® gets its plastic and wood fibers from reclaimed or recycled resources. Including sawdust and used pallets from woodworking operations, and recycled plastic grocery bags from all over the country! 

Trex® makes composite decking in a variety of styles which include their Brasilia® , Contours®, Accents®  and Origins™ deck product seriess.  Each style is a little different and has a distinct look that really adds a rich look to your deck.  Trex also has a great line of composite railing products as well.   

Trex introduced a PVC based decking line with their Escapes™ series decking in 2009.  This new line brings Trex in to the "new generation" of decking products.  New in 2010, Trex will unveil the next generation of decking products in their Transcends™ line of decking products.  This new decking product has a 25 year limited stain & scratch resistance warranty.  Visit the Trex website for more information on this exciting new product line.

Visit Trex Decking at: www.trex.com