Is all composite decking the same?
Not the same: "composite decking" names a category, and on a quote it could mean a capped composite board, a mineral-based board or a PVC board. They're made differently, so they behave differently: in the sun, in the wet and in your hand. We install three lines from the maker Deckorators, Venture (capped) and Summit and Voyage (both mineral-based), and PVC isn't our go-to.
What is a capped composite board?
A capped board has a composite core, with wood fibre in it, under a harder outer cap. It's the most common kind. The cap is the part doing the work, so the thing to check is how far it wraps around the board.
Venture is our capped line. Its cap covers three sides of a dense composite core, with a natural wood-grain finish on top. It's made in the USA, from 95% recycled content.
What is a mineral-based board?
A mineral-based board has no wood in it, and a cut end shows one even mineral core. Ours are Summit and Voyage, built on Surestone, the mineral-based technology Deckorators uses. Both:
stay cooler underfoot;
don't take on water;
won't splinter or crack, and won't sag or chalk;
are light for how stiff they are.
Summit has a low-gloss finish and is made in the USA.
Voyage is lightweight and made in North America. Its surface grips better: 34% more traction than the other leading composite brands.
What about PVC?
PVC boards are all plastic, one material from top to bottom, and they resist moisture all the way through. Their makers say they meet Class A for flame spread, and in the hand they're noticeably lighter than a capped board.
PVC isn't our go-to board, but it isn't ruled out either: on some decks it can still be worth considering.
How can you tell the boards apart?
Look at a cut end. A shell over a core is a capped board; one even material all the way through is a mineral-based board, or PVC if it's plastic. Then lift one: mineral-based and PVC boards are noticeably lighter than a capped board.
Which one would we put on your deck?
For a deck in the sun or by the water, we'd lay Summit or Voyage. In Mike's words, they have "the strength of composite and no organic materials like PVC, the best of both worlds." If the budget leads, it's Venture, the best value of our three lines.
Quoting the line you ask for is the easy part. We'd rather narrow three lines down to one and give you the reasons. The board also decides the frame under it, as our steel vs wood deck framing page explains.
Whichever builder you talk to, ask which maker, which line and which colour the quote means.
What warranty comes with each?
Every board looks good the day it goes down. Fading, scratches, chalk and sag come later, and that's when the warranty counts. These are the years on Deckorators' 2026 sheets:
Venture and Summit: 25-year structural and 25-year stain and fade, each.
Voyage: 50-year structural, 25-year stain and fade, 25-year removal and replacement.
Voyage's warranty also covers water and ground contact.
Not sure which line suits your yard? Start the conversation with us, or call (705) 300-2903.
What do people ask us?
How many deck board lines does each maker make?
In each maker's 2026 range: five lines from Deckorators, ten from TimberTech and six from Trex.
What widths does Voyage come in?
Voyage planks come in three widths: 3.5, 5.5 and 7.25 inches.
Keep reading
Mike · Simcoe Decks · Updated 2026-11-09
Simcoe Decks · 92 Caplan Ave, Barrie, ON · (705) 300-2903 · info@simcoedecks.ca
