Picking a decking material is the single biggest decision in any deck project. The surface you choose sets the installed rate — from $20–35 per square foot for pressure-treated pine to $50–85 for PVC — dictates how many weekends you lose to maintenance, and determines whether the deck still looks good when you sell the house. Here are the numbers, the trade-offs, and a decision tree to land on the right material for your project.
The Two Camps
Natural wood covers pressure-treated pine, cedar, redwood, and tropical hardwoods like Ipe and Cumaru. It's the traditional choice — real grain, real feel, lower entry cost.
Composite is a manufactured board made from wood fibers and recycled plastic, wrapped in a protective polymer "cap." Modern PVC and mineral-based boards take it a step further with no wood content at all. The pitch: wood's look, plastic's lifespan.
What It Actually Costs
Denver-metro 2026 ranges, material plus professional installation. Composite boards alone run $8–14 per square foot; labor adds $15–35 per square foot — roughly 40–60% of the finished total, whatever you walk on.
| Material | Installed / sq ft | Lifespan | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine | $20–$35 | 10–15 yrs | Stain/seal every 2–3 yrs |
| Cedar | $25–$40 | 15–20 yrs | Stain/seal every 2–3 yrs |
| Redwood | $30–$45 | 20–25 yrs | Stain/seal every 2–3 yrs |
| Tropical hardwood (Ipe, Cumaru) | $45–$75 | 25–50 yrs | Oil annually (or let it gray) |
| Capped composite (Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon) | $40–$70 | 25–30 yrs | Wash 1–2x per year |
| Mineral-based composite (Deckorators) | $40–$70 | 30+ yrs | Wash 1–2x per year |
| PVC / cellular vinyl (AZEK, Wolf) | $50–$85 | 30–50 yrs | Wash 1–2x per year |
| Aluminum (Wahoo, AridDek) | $50–$90 | 50+ yrs | Rinse only |
For a typical 16×20 (320 sq ft) deck with railing, that's roughly $6,500–11,000 in pressure-treated, $13,000–25,000 in capped composite, and $16,000–27,000 in PVC. For calibration: the 2025 Zonda Cost vs Value report puts the national-average 16×20 composite deck addition at about $25,000 (wood about $18,000) — with wood recouping ~82% at resale and composite ~68%. The full size-by-size breakdown is in our deck cost guide.
The 10-Year Math
Sticker price isn't the whole story. A 320 sq ft pressure-treated deck at roughly $9,000 wants a clean-and-restain every 2–3 years — $400–900 per round hired out — plus board and fastener repairs as UV and freeze-thaw do their work. Call it $3,000–5,000 over ten years, on a surface that's aging anyway. The same deck in capped composite at ~$16,000 needs soap and water. The day-one gap narrows to a few thousand dollars by year ten — and past year ten, composite is simply ahead.
The Colorado Factor
The comparison tilts harder toward low-maintenance materials here than in most markets. At the south metro's 5,800–6,200 feet, UV runs about 25% stronger than at sea level — which is why a wood deck rated "re-stain every 3 years" realistically needs attention every 18–24 months on the Front Range. Add 35–90 freeze-thaw cycles a year working water into every screw hole and end grain, and wood's maintenance clock ticks faster than the national averages suggest. The full Colorado materials guide goes deeper.
What's New in 2026
Cooler-surface technology. A standard dark composite board in direct Colorado sun can hit ~160°F on a 90°F day. TimberTech's CoolDeck capstock and similar tech from Trex (Transcend Lineage) now run 30–35°F cooler than older dark composites — worth the upgrade for dark tones on a south- or west-facing deck.
Mineral-based composites. Deckorators Voyage and Vault replace wood flour with a mineral core — lighter, stronger, no moisture uptake, and rated for ground-contact installs most composites can't handle.
Higher recycled content. Trex boards are roughly 95% recycled material. For sustainability-minded clients, that often outranks tropical hardwoods, which carry deforestation concerns even when FSC-certified.
Realistic grain. Four-sided embossing and multi-tonal streaking have closed most of the visual gap. From six feet away, premium capped composite is genuinely hard to distinguish from stained hardwood.
Hidden fasteners as default. Almost every composite line ships with a grooved-edge clip system now — no screw heads, and no exposed fastener holes for freeze-thaw to work on.
Decision Tree
Run through these in order. Stop at the first one that fits.
1. Is your total budget under $12,000 for a standard 300–400 sq ft deck? Pressure-treated pine at $20–35 per square foot. Plan to re-stain it every other year. It's the honest answer.
2. Do you want real wood grain and you're willing to maintain it? Cedar or redwood for the balance of looks and cost. Ipe or Cumaru if you want a 30-year deck and don't mind the price or the weight.
3. Will you sell the house in the next 5–7 years? Entry capped composite (Trex Enhance, TimberTech EDGE, Fiberon Good Life). Strong resale appeal, zero maintenance during your ownership, bottom of the $40–70 range.
4. Forever home, or you hate yard work? Premium PVC (TimberTech AZEK, Wolf) or mineral-based composite. Highest upfront cost, lowest lifetime cost, warranties from 50 years to lifetime.
5. Full sun and you want dark colors? Specifically request a cool-surface capstock line. Don't let anyone talk you into a standard dark composite for a south-facing deck — that's the 160°F board.
6. Coastal, fire-zone, or rooftop project? Aluminum. It costs more and it's still the right tool.
A Few Honest Trade-offs
Composite isn't perfect. It scratches (especially older uncapped lines), dark colors get hot without cool-surface tech, and you can't sand and refinish it the way you can wood. If a board fails in year 18, you're matching a discontinued color.
Wood isn't doomed either. A well-maintained Ipe deck will outlast most composites, and no manufactured board matches weathered cedar or freshly-oiled hardwood. If you enjoy spring deck-prep weekends, wood rewards the effort.
The Short Version
Tight budget, short horizon: pressure-treated pine. Want real wood and don't mind upkeep: cedar or hardwood. Want to install once and forget it: capped composite or PVC, with a cool-surface capstock if the deck bakes in the sun. The right answer depends more on how long you'll own the house than on which material is "best" — run your own numbers in the cost calculator.
If you're in our service area and want a fixed quote with material options side-by-side, reach out for an estimate. We'll walk the site, measure, and give you real numbers — not ranges.
