In my years of woodworking I have used a wide variety of different tools and materials, but this past weekend I was able to use Ultradeck composite decking material for the first time. I have built a few decks in my years of construction and woodworking but the Ultradeck provided a unique material compared to what I was used to. I was a little skeptical before I started but I hope my Ultradeck review will help my fellow woodworkers understand what this composite material is best used for.
What Is Ultradeck Composite Decking Material?
I have always built my decks with normal wood, so when I had a client asking to use Ultradeck for their new deck I told them I would have to do some research before I could give them an educated opinion. Ultradeck isn’t like natural wood because it is made out of a combination of plastic and recycled natural wood. This allows it to resist damage caused by weather, as well as protection against cracking. There are a few other benefits of Ultradeck that my client was interested in such as protection against splinters, rotting, and insect infestations.
After doing my research I told my client that I have never personally worked with it but my connections had high praises for it. The next week we began the process of building a backyard deck with Ultradeck.
A Complete Review of Building A Deck With Ultradeck
At first I was a little skeptical because I was working with a new material that had a lot of praise, but after working with Ultradeck for a few hours I was impressed. The big claim with Ultradeck is that it is maintenance free once it is installed and I believe them. Just by getting my hands on the material and working with it, you can feel the difference between Ultradeck and natural wood.
Ultradeck feels as solid as natural wood but the material just has a smoother finish because of the plastic composite. The decking also comes with a hidden screw system that makes installation rather simple if you have a basic understanding of what you are doing. The hidden screw system also helps the appearance of the deck look even better than it already does.
I have heard reviews that complained of a lack of instructions for Ultradeck but I believe this comes because they were attempting to use woodworking tools with composite materials. The packaging comes with the tool head and materials that you will need for installation so there shouldn’t be too many complications with installation if you have a simple project.
I found that drilling into the decking was a little more difficult than I thought it would be. The Ultradeck material is definitely more solid than a natural softwood that many people use for decking. I found that I had to increase the amount of power required to drill through the Ultradeck compared to your average softwood. But overall this wasn’t a big issue.
Overall Thoughts Of Ultradeck Composite Material
After using Ultradeck for the first time I believe it is a great material for anyone who is looking for a solid decking material that will require very little maintenance. I was pleasantly surprised and I highly recommend you give it a try!
If you would like to read more woodworking articles, we recommend you check out our recent articles on our Home Page.
