13 Mar Combining Metal, Wood, and Composite in Modern Deck and Railing Designs
If you’re considering unveiling an upgraded deck this season, we have some great ideas for you. Combining metal, wood, and composite in modern deck and railing designs isn’t just on trend; it provides the right balance of materials that blends durability and style. Also called a mixed-material deck design, combining these materials allows you to enjoy your outdoor space for many years. And best of all, your return on investment and resale value are just as strong as those of these materials.
Your deck is your multi-use outdoor living space. You relax with your favorite beverage, enjoy family time, and casually entertain friends and family. In short, you enjoy your deck and want to keep it aesthetically inviting, low-maintenance, and long-lasting. When you combine metal, wood, and composite in your modern deck design, you achieve that goal. Here’s how mixed material deck design can work for you.
Why Combining Metal, Wood, and Composite Elevates Your Deck
When you upgrade your deck by using a mix of metal railing, wood posts, and composite decking, you elevate the aesthetic to a modern, inviting, and comfortable space. Metal railing allows for an uninterrupted view, whether to watch kids in the yard or simply gaze at Mother Nature’s beauty. In addition to a scenic view, your modern deck and railing need minimal maintenance. That leaves you free to enjoy your time entertaining guests or relaxing.
Combining metal, wood, and composite balances the visual warmth with structural strength, so you get the best of both. Quad Cities homeowners’ use of these mixed materials allows them to enjoy the advantage of each to its fullest. Imagine rich and warm natural wood handrails and posts, strong and long-lasting composite deck flooring, and the sleek, modern, clean lines of metal railing.
The Classic Modern Deck Design Strategy
Combining metal, wood, and composite creates a hybrid deck with many advantages, as we mentioned above. But what role does each material play in the classic modern deck? Let’s categorize them by their function:
- Framing and Foundation: Wood is, and will be for the foreseeable future, the standard for internal framing, joists, and upright supports. Not only is wood strong, but the upfront costs are much lower than those of other materials like metal or composite.
- Surface Area of Your Modern Deck: Composite decking is an excellent material for your deck flooring and stairs. Not only is composite decking splinter-free, stain-resistant, and slip-proof, but it also doesn’t get foot-scorchingly hot in the summer. That makes it a very wise investment for families. It requires little upkeep and maintenance, and is considered earth-friendly in its manufacturing.
- Metal Deck Railing: Metal deck railing provides a slim cable, often made of aluminum or stainless steel, that doesn’t impede the view. Even if you’re not concerned with maximizing the view of your surroundings, the metal deck railing is aesthetically clean and provides an open and airy feeling that you and your guests will enjoy. Use wood or composite to create the top railing, or “cocktail rail” that provides a wider and more comfortable surface for hands and dinks.
Maximizing Your Modern Deck’s Function and Aesthetic
Combining metal, wood, and composite gives you some creative license to maximize your aesthetic. By combining dark cable railing with light colored composite and wood, you achieve a dramatic ambience. White decking and black railing take the drama up another notch in this very modern combination. Richly stained wood and composite, paired with aluminum railing, can promote an industrial chic vibe.
When it comes to function, the structural integrity achieved by combining metal, wood, and composite materials is excellent. By setting the aluminum balusters into your wood frame, you bolster the overall strength of your railing and improve the safety of your deck.
Composite requires very little upkeep, and aluminum or stainless steel cable rails don’t require sanding or staining. At most, you will tighten them as a part of the overall cable railing system. And combining metal, wood, and composite materials helps keep your budget in check. Utilize the more costly material of composite for the deck flooring, and traditional pressure-treated wood for the structural components like handrails and framing.
Considering Combining Metal, Wood, and Composite for Your Deck?
Why not take advantage of a relaxing deck season with a low-maintenance, aesthetically pleasing, and durable deck design? Combine metal, wood, and composite materials into your reimagined deck, and you’ll have decades of enjoyment. Please contact the hometown “decks-perts” at Seiffert Building Supplies, and let’s get started. Deck season is almost here!