Composite vs. Wood Deck: Which Is Worth It?
Building a deck starts with one big material decision: budget-friendly pressure-treated wood or low-maintenance composite. Both build great decks; they optimize for different priorities.
Wood costs less upfront and, by the numbers, often returns a slightly higher percentage at resale — but it needs cleaning and resealing every year or two and lasts 15–25 years. Composite costs more to install yet never needs sealing and lasts decades, so it frequently wins on lifetime cost and weekend hours saved. The table below compares them across the factors that matter.
| Factor | Pressure-treated wood | Composite |
|---|---|---|
| Installed cost (per sq ft) | $20 – $45 | $35 – $70 |
| Lifespan | 15 – 25 years | 25 – 50 years |
| Maintenance | Clean + reseal every 1–3 years | Occasional wash; no sealing |
| Appearance | Natural wood; weathers | Consistent; mimics wood |
| Heat underfoot | Stays cooler | Can get hot in direct sun |
| Resale (ROI) | Often higher % return | Strong, lower % return |
| Best for | Lowest upfront cost | Low maintenance, long life |
The verdict
Pressure-treated wood is cheaper to build and tends to return a higher percentage at resale, but it demands ongoing cleaning and sealing and lasts 15–25 years. Composite costs roughly 50–100% more upfront yet eliminates staining and sealing and lasts decades — so over the deck's life it often costs less in time and money. Pick wood to minimize upfront spend; pick composite if you'd rather not maintain it and plan to keep it a long time.
Frequently asked questions
- Is composite or wood decking cheaper?
- Wood is cheaper to build ($20–$45 per square foot) than composite ($35–$70). Composite's lack of maintenance and longer life can make it cheaper over the deck's lifetime.
- Does composite decking need maintenance?
- Far less — an occasional wash. It never needs staining or sealing, unlike wood, which needs cleaning and resealing every one to three years.
- Which lasts longer?
- Composite lasts 25–50 years; pressure-treated wood lasts 15–25 with regular maintenance.
- Which adds more resale value?
- Wood decks often show a higher percentage return in cost-vs-value data, but composite still returns well and saves years of upkeep.
How we estimate: ranges are cross-checked against current 2026 industry sources (see our data & methodology). Your actual cost depends on local rates — always get multiple written quotes.
Sources
Cost ranges on this page were checked against current (2026) data from these industry sources: