The new composite deck boards I used on a porch last month are already showing some cupping.

It was a big job in the suburbs, about 400 square feet. The homeowner wanted something low-maintenance, so we went with a popular brand of capped composite. I followed the install guide to the letter on spacing. After three weeks, the homeowner called me back to show me the boards on the sunny side of the porch had started to cup noticeably. I've used this material before without issue. The only thing different was the supplier; I had to get it from a different lumberyard than usual. Has anyone else run into this with a specific batch recently? Wondering if it's a storage issue at the yard or something with the material itself.

3 comments

3 Comments

maxm6329d ago

Followed the install guide to the letter" is always the kiss of death. Sounds like that other yard left the boards baking in the sun on a hot tarmac for months before you got them. Bet they were already stressed before you even opened the wrap.

simonw4129d ago

Totally agree. Saw the same thing with some decking last year, boards were already warped in the plastic. Makes a perfect install impossible.

the_robert1d ago

Honestly though, how much does it really matter in the end? A little warp in the boards isn't the end of the world once everything is screwed down. Seen plenty of decks that weren't perfect still look fine and hold up for years. People get too hung up on tiny flaws you'll never notice after the first week.