Which composite decking is best for your customer?

/-\xav. You've sErrLED on which \-fcomposite decking your store promotes. You stock one or two brands and have samples for a dozen more near the contractors desk. In walks the customer, looking for advice on which they should buy. By asking a few questions, you can lead them straight to the best decking for their needs.

How much do you want to spend?

Although, in general, the various composite decking brands are similarly priced for comparable lines, most manufacturers do offer premium and value lines, as well as variations in textures, design, composition, color, and installation systems that can greatly influence the cost. Buyers who are content with limited color choices, a smooth surface, repetitive grain pattern, standard lengths, and installation with face screws will keep costs down.

However, notes J.C. Rentschler, dealer sales representative for Weyerhaeuser Distribution, "new 'capped' products offer higher quality and an authentic look, but do come with a higher price tag. This also makes the product less skid resistant and has a tendency to retain more heat, so selection of a decking product is more crucial than ever."

Adds Brent Gwatney. senior vice president of sales and marketing for MoistureShield: "New for 2014, we've developed the MoistureShield Pro line. It is our always high-performing MoistureShield composite decking with a unique plastic cap for an added layer of protection. This enhanced cap makes the boards more resistant to fading and staining; they're even protected by a 25-year fade and stain warranty. These streaked boards will not only look beautiful, they'll also be durable."

How closely do you want your deck to resemble wood?

More expensive composites often feature finer details, more colors choices, subtle shadings, superior grain, and other differences to provide a more authentic wood-look appearance. Some producers buff every deck board to remove any resemblance to plastic.

"For the best-looking composite decking, contractors can choose boards with deep embossment patterns for a realistic wood grain appearance," says Gwatney. "Some brands also have variegated color streaking that resembles exotic hardwoods. For example, MoistureShield's Vantage line includes premium colors like tigerwood and walnut."

Will you use your deck in the hot sun?

Darker, solid and very dense composites absorb more heat than lighter tones.

Rentschler suggests "lighter color selections for hotter climates that have extreme sunlight or heat. Do research online or with experienced decking contractors to see which products perform best."

Have the homeowner take home composite samples in different colors and set them outside where they want to build the deck, so they can gauge the temperatures each will reach.

How wet willyour deck get?

Smooth-textured composite decks can get slippery. Ifthe deck is going to be installed in a rainy or icy climate or will sit near a pool or spa, it should have a raised or textured grain for skid resistance-particularly if it will be used as a common entry into the home.

Do you want to see your fasteners?

Hidden fasteners will bump up the cost of the project, but do provide a cleaner appearance, hiding between tongue-and-grooved boards or clipping together thinner profiles.

"Aesthetics continue to be the most driving factor behind a deck," Gwatney explains. "Hidden fastening systems are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners and more deck boards are available grooved to accommodate fasteners. In addition to the clean surface finish, some hidden fasteners are actually faster to install than surface screws, so it's a double win for builders."

Does your budget include all the extras?

A composite deck package typically includes a lot more than boards and fasteners. Buyers may also have to factor in railings, balusters, posts, post caps, end caps, skirts, decorative trim, and more. And, with higher-end lines, all the elements can match.

According to Edie Kello Wilson, director of marketing communications for Fiberon, "Customizable options include railing infill, such as metal, composite or glass, and lighting for both decking and railing. Performance benefit options include fade, mold and scratch resistance, fastenerfree surfaces, and warranties."

Would you like to see how your ideas will look in a finished deck?

Mobile apps and online desk design systems allow your customers to know what they're buying before they buy it.

"The day of the sample is dying, and state-of-the-art design applications are here to stay," says Rentschler. "User-friendly applications now allow homeowners to design their own deck and color scheme."

Walking homeowners through the materials suitable for their dream deck, and showing them style, color and customizable options, helps move projects from the planning stage to the sale.

"Ultimately, customers need to understand that their investment in a composite deck is going to last decades, without the need to stain and paint it every other year like the wooden decks they likely grew up with," Wilson says. "By reviewing the aesthetic aspects and technical options of composite decking products available at various price points, you can help customers make a decision they'll enjoy for years."