Your deck
The duel
PT WOOD
COMPOSITE
Composite vs wood: the real cost question
In mid-2026, a composite deck costs $40–$60 per square foot built versus $25–$40 for pressure-treated wood — a 50%+ upfront premium. The case for composite is everything after the build: wood needs staining or sealing every 2–3 years ($400–$900 per cycle hired out on a mid-size deck) plus board and fastener repairs, while composite needs soap and water. Whether the premium pays back depends on exactly two inputs: how long you’ll own the deck, and who does the maintenance — which is why the calculator asks.
The crossover, year by year (16×12 deck, maintenance hired out)
| Year | PT wood cumulative | Composite cumulative | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (build) | $7,000 | $10,500 | Wood by $3,500 |
| 5 | $8,300 | $10,700 | Wood by $2,400 |
| 10 | $10,100 | $10,900 | Wood by $800 |
| 12–13 | ≈ $11,000 | ≈ $11,000 | Crossover |
| 15 | $12,200 | $11,100 | Composite by $1,100 |
| 25 | $16,500+ (incl. board replacement) | $11,600 | Composite by $4,900 |
Mid-range national prices. DIY staining pushes the crossover out to ~year 18–20 — the calculator adjusts for this.
Beyond money: the honest differences
Wood wins on: upfront cost, repairability (any board is $15 at the lumberyard), and feel underfoot — some people simply prefer real wood, and cedar especially ages beautifully. Composite wins on: zero splinters (kids, bare feet, dogs), color consistency, fade warranties of 25+ years, and weekends not spent staining. Composite’s real weaknesses, stated plainly: it gets hotter in direct sun (darker colors especially), scratches don’t sand out the way wood does, and cheap composite from the 2000s gave the category a mold reputation that modern capped boards have fixed — buy capped, not bargain-bin.