Deck Services / Composite decks
Composite costs more on day one and less every year after. It doesn't get stained, it doesn't splinter, and it handles a Calgary winter without cupping or checking. We build with Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon and Deckorators, and we'll bring samples to your quote.
The trade-off is price. Composite is the most expensive deck we build, and whether it pays back depends on how long you'll be in the house. Our composite deck cost guide works through that honestly.
We're not tied to one manufacturer, which means we can put the right board on your deck rather than the one we happen to stock. All four are capped composite, and the differences are real.
Trex is the name most people have heard, and its top lines carry a 50-year limited residential warranty — the longest coverage of anything we install. The grain on the premium ranges is multi-tonal rather than repeating, so a large deck doesn't show an obvious pattern.
TimberTech runs 25-year product and fade-and-stain coverage on its composite collections. Its colour range leans warmer and more wood-like, which suits a house with cedar or stone elsewhere on the exterior.
Fiberon and Deckorators fill out the middle of the market. Deckorators in particular has boards built on a mineral-based core rather than wood flour, which behaves differently around moisture.
We'll bring physical samples to the quote. Composite colour reads completely differently in Calgary daylight than it does in a showroom or on a screen, and picking from a photo is how people end up with a deck they didn't expect.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Board line | Each brand runs several tiers. Entry lines have simpler colour and shorter warranties; premium lines have multi-tone grain and longer coverage. |
| Height | A raised deck needs taller posts, bracing, guards and more stairs than one near the ground. Once the surface passes 0.6 m it also needs a building permit, which we handle. |
| Shape and levels | Angles, picture framing and multiple levels take more cutting and more labour than a simple rectangle. |
| Railings and skirting | Glass costs more than aluminum picket. Skirting closes in the underside for a finished look and storage. |
For real numbers by deck size, see what a composite deck costs.
Composite is less forgiving than wood, and most of what separates a good composite deck from a disappointing one is underneath the boards.
Joist spacing is tighter than wood framing. Composite decking needs more support than a cedar or pressure treated board of the same dimension, and the spacing is set by what the board manufacturer requires for that product. Frame it like a wood deck and it will feel soft underfoot no matter what the boards cost.
Gapping has to account for movement. Composite expands and contracts along its length more than timber does, through a temperature range that in Calgary runs from well below freezing to the high twenties. Gaps set wrong show up as buckling in July or opened seams in January.
Hidden fasteners, set properly. Most composite decking is installed with a concealed clip system rather than face screws. It's what gives the finished deck its clean surface, and it's also where a rushed install shows — clips under-driven or over-driven telegraph through the board.
Frost-depth footings. Every deck we build sits on footings sized and placed for Alberta ground movement. This is the part nobody sees and the part that decides whether the deck is still level in fifteen years.
The case for composite decking is stronger here than in most of the country, and it has little to do with the warranty.
Freeze-thaw damage in a wood deck starts with water getting into the board and then expanding when it freezes. Chinooks put us through that cycle repeatedly across a single winter rather than once. Capped composite is sealed on its exposed faces, so there's nothing for the water to get into.
The second reason is the season. Refinishing a wood deck means finding a dry stretch warm enough for the stain to cure, in a window that isn't long. Miss it two years running and the deck ages faster than it should. Composite takes that problem away entirely.
Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon and Deckorators, sourced through local suppliers. We'll bring samples so you can see the colours in daylight at your house.
If you're staying ten years or more, usually yes, because you skip years of staining and a wood deck's shorter life. If you're moving sooner, pressure treated is often the better use of the money. The full comparison: composite vs wood decking.
A pressure treated frame on frost-depth footings, with joist spacing set to what the board manufacturer requires.
Any decking surface warms up in direct sun, and darker colours more than lighter ones. If the deck faces south and gets used barefoot, it's worth factoring into the colour choice — something we'll raise at the quote rather than after.
Sometimes. If the substructure is sound and the joist spacing suits the board, a re-deck is a real option and costs less than a full rebuild. If the framing is at the end of its life, putting composite on top of it wastes the boards. We'll tell you which you've got.
Any deck over 0.6 m (2 ft) above grade at any point needs a building permit, as does any deck with a roof over it regardless of height. We pull the permits as part of the job. The full rules are in our Calgary deck permit guide.
Whatever your property needs from a deck, our team builds it. From simple backyard platforms to multi-level outdoor living spaces, we design and install decks for entertaining, relaxing, and everyday use. With experience across wood, composite, and custom deck systems, trusted material partnerships, and a workmanship warranty backing every project, you get a deck built for durability, safety, and long-term performance. Stop planning and start building. Call us today.
