One of the appeals of composite Decking is that it will last a long time with minimal maintenance. Assuring you made the best investment by choosing the best composite decking is its warranty. The more extended and comprehensive the warranty, the better, right?
But not all composite decking warranties are the same.
Raising the question, which composite Decking has the best warranty?
We have found the best composite decking warranties to be Azek, Fiberon, Deckorators MBC and Moistureshield. We will dig in to the comparisons for 11 common decking brand warranties.
Deckorators
Structural: | Mineral Based-50 Years Wood based-25 Years |
Stain & Fade: | 25 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | 25 Years- This is Industry Leading |
AZEK
Structural: | Lifetime Limited |
Stain & Fade: | 50 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | The Warranty period depends on the level of registered TimberTech contractor as well as the Product System purchased to vary 2-7 Years. |
TimberTech
Structural: | Timbertech Pro Collection- 30 Year Limited Timbertech Prime + Collection- 25 Year Limited |
Stain & Fade: | Timbertech Pro Collection- 30 Year Limited Timbertech Prime + Collection- 25 Year Limited |
Replacement/ Labor: | The Warranty period depends on the level of registered TimberTech contractor as well as the Product System purchased to vary 2-7 Years. |
Trex
Structural: | 25 Years |
Stain & Fade: | 25 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | Labor warranty is on trained installers. The warranty length varies 1-10 Years depending on contractor level and if Trex decking was installed with Trex Railing or not. |
Fiberon
Structural: | Promendade- Lifetime Paramount- Lifetime Concordia-50 years Sanctuary-40 years GoodLife Escapes- 30 years GoodLife Weekender- 25 years |
Stain & Fade: | Promendade- 50 Years Paramount- 50 Years Concordia-50 years Sanctuary-40 years GoodLife Escapes- 30 years GoodLife Weekender- 25 years |
Replacement/ Labor: | 5 Years |
Zuri
Structural: | 25 Years |
Stain & Fade: | Stain- None Fade- 25 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | 2 Years |
MoistureShield
Structural: | 50 Years |
Stain & Fade: | Vantage- None Elevate – 30 Years Meridian- 40 Years Vision- 50 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | 2-5 Years based on Contractor Level |
Envision
Structural: | 25 Years |
Stain & Fade: | 25 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | 5 Years |
Cali Bamboo
Structural: | 25Years |
Stain & Fade: | 25 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | None |
LumberRock
Structural: | 50 Years |
Stain & Fade: | None |
Replacement/ Labor: | None |
Duralife
Structural: | 25 Years |
Stain & Fade: | 25 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | 2 Years |
Ultra Deck(Menards)
Structural: | Inspire- 25 Years Fusion- 25 Years Triumph- 25 Years Rustic- 10 Years Quick Cap- 10 Years Natural-10 Years |
Stain & Fade: | None |
Replacement/ Labor: | None |
LumberRock
Structural: | 50 Years |
Stain & Fade: | 50 Years |
Replacement/ Labor: | 2-5 Years |
Important Exclusions and Limitations in Composite Decking Warranties
There is the obvious exclusion that is included in almost every warranty
“Acts of God”
Which will void the warranty or limit it.
But every composite decking warranty will have some fine print which is important to read over. Looking for some of these key limitations to the warranty.
- Heat from Fire
- Low-E windows
- Suntan lotion
- Cleaning Supplies
These have all been known to damage the surface of composite decking and are often excluded from the warranty.
Once aware of what may void the warranty, you can make good decisions to keep the decking in the best shape possible.
Staining limitations. Most manufacturers have limitations on what products may stain the Decking and which will not. And also, how quickly you need to clean up the spill to avoid damaging the Decking or voiding the warranty.
Fading limitations. Composite decking will resist color change from light and weathering exposure, color changes that are equal to or less than 5 Delta E (CIE) are not covered by most fade warranties.
Labor Warranty with Composite Decking
Typically warranty only covers the product and the product only. This is mostly the case for a DIYer or a builder that isn’t certified with the manufacturer. But there are some important exceptional brands to be aware of.
As you can see labor warranty is conditional on trained installers. The warranty length varies by brand and installer’s experience level.
What decking is right for you?
So as you see, all the warranties are variable. What dictates which warranty is the best? Is stain & fade most important or is replacement/labor warranty most important?