How well, does ChoiceDek hold up in the elements?
One of the places ChoiceDek was first installed in our area, was the Morrison Knudsen Nature Center on our town. Since I spend a great deal of time there with my grand-kids, I will try to get some pictures of how well the decking has held up over the years.
How about Termite’s?
ChoiceDek was buried in Formosan Termite Mounds in Hawaii for over nine months and successfully withstood a continuous hostile termite exposure. (I never thought I would see the day, when termites went hungry, lol)!
What kind of Warranty does ChoiceDek have?
A.E.R.T, has a limited lifetime warranty on its engineered components, against rot or fungal rot, termites or insect damage, when installed following the Installation Guide for ChoiceDek® Decking and Railing and in compliance with applicable building codes and good construction practices. (See link at bottom of article, to download a .pdf of ChoiceDek’s limited warranty).
Tip: Especially important to the DIY crowd, is a products limited warranty. No matter what brand of composite decking you intend to use, do your research on how and what these companies limited warranties cover. (What this usually means, is that if you miss a step in the installation guide, do not fully comply with your local building codes or fail to use good construction methods, it may void any warranty provided).
What I like in the warranty: One thing I like about this warranty, is that it is transferable to a new owner. There may be certain things one has to do to register as a new owner, but you can’t beat a transferable warranty on any product! (Failure to notify A.E.R.T. of the transfer and register the new ownership within ninety (90) days of the transfer voids this warranty). Another is that A.E.R.T. will at its sole discretion, replace or reimburse the homeowner for all or part of defective material. (Note that this at the sole discretion of A.E.R.T).
(An interesting tidbit is that any reimbursement is full at the first year and decreases 2% a year thereafter).
What I don’t like in the warranty: Just like it’s competitor TREX, what I do not like is that they will only pay for defective materials, and not any labor incurred to install or replace. In my humble opinion, if the product is found to be defective, I think it’s only fair, for the manufacture, to foot the bill for any labor associated with replacement labor costs. Another important paragraph worth reading is, EXCLUSION OF INCIDENTAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. (See links at bottom of article to download a copy of the warranty).
Where can I purchase ChoiceDek?
ChoiceDek is sold exclusively through Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores. Find a Lowe’s Store near you.
Next Up: ChoiceDek Review-Conclusion
Update:Â ChoiceDek Samples
I purchased ChoiceDek for my deck in 2006. I was told at Lowe’s that it was maintenance free. It is far from it. There has been a class action law suit because of the mold problem ChoiceDek has. In a humid area like where I live the deck must be cleaned regularly and it still gets black mold engrained in it.It reoccurs within three to four months of each cleaning. Since I thought I was building a lifetime deck using ChoiceDek and lifetime warranted treated lumber fastened with stainless steel screws, I am very disappointed with the product. Even if the company finds I am covered under the law suit, they will first just clean the deck again. If after all else fails they decide to reimburse me, they will not cover the tax, the $80 for the stainless steel screws, or the hours of labor my brother and I put into the deck.
Posted by George Douglas | November 16, 2011, 6:31 PM