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Composite vs Wood Deck Cost Calculator — 2026 Break-Even

See whether a composite or pressure-treated wood deck is actually cheaper over its lifetime — weigh the higher up-front price against years of staining, sealing, and a mid-life rebuild.

Composite wins

$6,375 cheaper

Composite

$11,625

Wood (PT)

$18,000

Break-even

Year 16

Deck Size

sqft
100 sqft800 sqft
yr
10 yr40 yr

Install $/sqft

$/sqft
25 $/sqft60 $/sqft
$/sqft
12 $/sqft35 $/sqft

Annual Upkeep

$/sqft
0 $/sqft1 $/sqft
$/sqft
0 $/sqft2.5 $/sqft

Lifespan

yr
20 yr50 yr
yr
8 yr25 yr

Composite wins

Saves $6,375 over 25 years · breaks even in year 16

Best
Composite

$11,625

Up-front$10,500
Upkeep / year$45
Lasts30 years
Wood (PT)

$18,000

Up-front$6,000
Upkeep / year$240
Lasts15 years
Re-installs+1 ($6,000)

Total cost over 25 years

Composite$11,625
Wood (PT)$18,000

Cumulative cost over time

Cumulative cost over time — crossover at year 16

What You'll Need

Stanley FatMax 25 ft. L x 1.25 in. W Magnetic Tape Measure Yellow 1 pk

Stanley FatMax 25 ft. L x 1.25 in. W Magnetic Tape Measure Yellow 1 pk

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IRWIN Tools Carpenter Square, Steel, 8-Inch by 12-Inch (1794462), Silver

IRWIN Tools Carpenter Square, Steel, 8-Inch by 12-Inch (1794462), Silver

$7.994.7
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SWANSON Tool Co S0101 7 Inch Speed Square, Blue

SWANSON Tool Co S0101 7 Inch Speed Square, Blue

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20 Pack Simpson Strong Tie LUS26 2x6 Light Double Shear Joist Hanger

20 Pack Simpson Strong Tie LUS26 2x6 Light Double Shear Joist Hanger

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Grip-Rite L212STT1 PrimeGuard Plus #9 x 2-1/2" Wood to Wood Deck Screw, Tan, 1lb Box

Grip-Rite L212STT1 PrimeGuard Plus #9 x 2-1/2" Wood to Wood Deck Screw, Tan, 1lb Box

$9.974.8
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Deck Board Straightening & Removal Tool, Heavy-Duty 10Ga One-Piece Steel Deck Tool to Straighten Bending Boards & Tighten Gaps, Orange

Deck Board Straightening & Removal Tool, Heavy-Duty 10Ga One-Piece Steel Deck Tool to Straighten Bending Boards & Tighten Gaps, Orange

$45.994.4
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Stanley FatMax 25 ft. L x 1.25 in. W Magnetic Tape Measure Yellow 1 pk

Stanley FatMax 25 ft. L x 1.25 in. W Magnetic Tape Measure Yellow 1 pk

$23.404.7
View on Amazon
IRWIN Tools Carpenter Square, Steel, 8-Inch by 12-Inch (1794462), Silver

IRWIN Tools Carpenter Square, Steel, 8-Inch by 12-Inch (1794462), Silver

$7.994.7
View on Amazon
SWANSON Tool Co S0101 7 Inch Speed Square, Blue

SWANSON Tool Co S0101 7 Inch Speed Square, Blue

$9.984.8
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20 Pack Simpson Strong Tie LUS26 2x6 Light Double Shear Joist Hanger

20 Pack Simpson Strong Tie LUS26 2x6 Light Double Shear Joist Hanger

$34.785
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Grip-Rite L212STT1 PrimeGuard Plus #9 x 2-1/2" Wood to Wood Deck Screw, Tan, 1lb Box

Grip-Rite L212STT1 PrimeGuard Plus #9 x 2-1/2" Wood to Wood Deck Screw, Tan, 1lb Box

$9.974.8
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Deck Board Straightening & Removal Tool, Heavy-Duty 10Ga One-Piece Steel Deck Tool to Straighten Bending Boards & Tighten Gaps, Orange

Deck Board Straightening & Removal Tool, Heavy-Duty 10Ga One-Piece Steel Deck Tool to Straighten Bending Boards & Tighten Gaps, Orange

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Example Calculations

1Default 300-sqft deck, 25-year horizon

Inputs

Deck area300 sqft
Time horizon25 years
Build priceComposite $35 / Wood $20 per sqft
Annual upkeepComposite $0.15 / Wood $0.80 per sqft
LifespanComposite 30 yr / Wood 15 yr

Result

Cheaper optionComposite — saves $6,375 over 25 yrs
Composite 25-year total$11,625
Wood 25-year total$18,000
Break-evenYear 16

Composite costs $4,500 more to build but adds just $45/year of upkeep and never rebuilds. Wood adds $240/year of stain and seal plus a $6,000 rebuild at year 16 — exactly where composite pulls ahead and stays ahead.

2Short stay — 10-year horizon

Inputs

Deck area300 sqft
Time horizon10 years
Build priceComposite $35 / Wood $20 per sqft
Annual upkeepComposite $0.15 / Wood $0.80 per sqft
LifespanComposite 30 yr / Wood 15 yr

Result

Cheaper optionWood — saves $2,550 over 10 yrs
Composite 10-year total$10,950
Wood 10-year total$8,400
Break-evenNone within 10 yrs (~year 16)

Over just 10 years wood neither rebuilds nor accrues enough upkeep to lose. Composite needs about 16 years to pay back its higher build price, so if you plan to move or rebuild within ~15 years, the cheaper wood deck wins.

3High wood upkeep ($1.50/sqft/yr)

Inputs

Deck area300 sqft
Time horizon25 years
Build priceComposite $35 / Wood $20 per sqft
Annual upkeepComposite $0.15 / Wood $1.50 per sqft
LifespanComposite 30 yr / Wood 15 yr

Result

Cheaper optionComposite — saves $11,625 over 25 yrs
Composite 25-year total$11,625
Wood 25-year total$23,250
Break-evenYear 12

Premium stain plus pro labor pushes wood upkeep to $450/year. That widens the gap so much that composite breaks even at year 12 — four years sooner than the default — and more than doubles its lifetime savings versus wood.

Did You Know?

For a typical 300-sqft deck in 2026, composite costs about $10,500 to build ($35/sqft) versus $6,000 for pressure-treated wood ($20/sqft) — wood is ~75% cheaper up front. But wood needs annual staining and sealing (~$240/year for 300 sqft) and lasts only ~15 years, forcing a ~$6,000 rebuild mid-life, while composite needs almost no upkeep (~$45/year) and lasts ~30 years. Over 25 years composite totals ~$11,625 versus ~$18,000 for wood — composite saves ~$6,375 and breaks even around year 16, once the wood rebuild and the maintenance gap overtake its cheaper start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

Is a composite or wood deck cheaper in the long run?

It depends on how long you keep the deck. Pressure-treated wood is far cheaper to build — about $6,000 for a 300-sqft deck versus $10,500 for composite — so wood wins early. But wood demands annual stain and seal (roughly $240/year) and lasts only about 15 years, so it needs a full rebuild mid-life. Composite needs almost no upkeep (about $45/year) and lasts around 30 years. Over a 25-year horizon composite totals about $11,625 versus $18,000 for wood, saving roughly $6,375 and breaking even around year 16 — the year the wood rebuild plus the maintenance gap overtake the pricier composite start.

  • Composite build: ~$10,500 for 300 sqft ($35/sqft)
  • Wood build: ~$6,000 for 300 sqft ($20/sqft)
  • Wood upkeep ~$240/yr vs composite ~$45/yr
  • Wood lasts ~15 yrs (1 rebuild); composite ~30 yrs (0)
  • 25-year total: composite ~$11,625 vs wood ~$18,000
DeckBuildUpkeep / yrLife / rebuilds25-Yr Total
Composite ($35/sqft)$10,500~$4530 yr / 0~$11,625
Wood, pro stain ($20/sqft)$6,000~$24015 yr / 1~$18,000
Wood, DIY stain$6,000~$12015 yr / 1~$15,000
Q

Why does a wood deck cost more to own than to build?

A pressure-treated deck looks like a bargain on build day, but the cost clock keeps running. Every one to two years it needs cleaning, then stain or sealer to fight rot, splintering, and gray-out — roughly $0.50 to $1.00 per square foot in product and labor each year, or about $240/year on a 300-sqft deck. Boards still cup, crack, and pull fasteners, so the structure typically reaches the end of its life in 12 to 18 years and needs a full rebuild. Composite skips the stain-and-seal cycle entirely and lasts 25 to 30 years, so the lifetime cost of composite is dominated by the one-time build, not decades of upkeep.

  • Wood needs stain/seal every 1-2 years
  • Annual upkeep: ~$0.50-$1.00 per sqft
  • Boards cup, crack, and gray out over time
  • Wood deck life: ~12-18 years, then rebuild
  • Composite: no stain/seal, ~25-30 year life
Q

What is the break-even year for composite vs wood decking?

Break-even is the year the composite cumulative cost finally drops below wood. Composite starts about $4,500 behind on a 300-sqft deck, but it claws that back two ways: it avoids roughly $195/year of extra upkeep, and it skips the wood rebuild. With default numbers the upkeep gap alone would take about 23 years to catch up — but wood needs a ~$6,000 rebuild around year 15, and that jump tips the balance at year 16. Heavier wood upkeep pulls break-even earlier (year 12 at $1.50/sqft/year); a short horizon under ~15 years means composite never catches up and the cheaper wood build wins.

  • Composite starts ~$4,500 higher (build gap)
  • It saves ~$195/yr in upkeep + skips a rebuild
  • Default break-even: ~year 16 (wood rebuild tips it)
  • High wood upkeep ($1.50/sqft): ~year 12
  • Short horizon (<15 yrs): wood wins, no break-even
Q

Does composite decking really need zero maintenance?

No — composite is low-maintenance, not no-maintenance. It still needs a wash once or twice a year with soap and water (or a deck cleaner) to clear dirt, pollen, and mold, which runs about $0.10 to $0.20 per square foot per year if you hire it out, or nearly nothing if you do it yourself. The key difference is that composite never needs sanding, staining, or sealing, and it will not rot or splinter, so it skips the single biggest line item in a wood deck budget. That is why even generous composite-cleaning estimates stay far below the annual stain-and-seal cost of wood.

  • Composite needs an occasional wash, not staining
  • Cleaning cost: ~$0.10-$0.20 per sqft per year
  • No sanding, sealing, rot, or splinters
  • Capped composite resists mold and fade
  • Still far cheaper to maintain than stained wood

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Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

This calculator is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Results are estimates and should not be considered professional financial, medical, legal, or other advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making important decisions. UseCalcPro is not responsible for any actions taken based on calculator results.

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