Composite decking cost runs $25 to $50 per square foot installed in Bob Vila's guide: $15 to $36 for materials and $10 to $14 for labor. 2026 dealer figures with framing, railings and stairs come in higher, at $35 to $70 a square foot. Brand tier, deck height and stairs move you within that range.
The table
Composite decking cost at a glance
The published ranges, what each one includes and where it comes from.
Cost item
Range
Source
Composite materials, per sq ft
$15 to $36
Bob Vila
Composite labor, per sq ft
$10 to $14
Bob Vila
Installed, materials and labor, per sq ft
$25 to $50
Bob Vila
Installed with framing, railings and a basic stair run, per sq ft
$35 to $70
Ergeon, 2026 dealer surveys
National average, 16 by 20 foot composite deck addition
Why the ranges disagree: the lower figures price a simple ground-level deck. The higher ones are a full deck addition with a raised frame, railings and stairs, which is what most people in the Triangle are actually building onto the back of a house.
Want a number for your own size? Our deck cost calculator puts a size and a material together into an installed range.
Brands
Material cost by brand tier
Board prices per square foot from Bob Vila, with Trex’s own good, better, best tiers and warranties.
Brand or line
Board cost per sq ft
Warranty
Veranda
$4 to $5
Check the maker’s terms
Deckorators
$5
Check the maker’s terms
Trex Enhance (Trex “Good”)
$5 to $7
25-year limited residential
Trex Select (Trex “Better”)
$7 to $9
35-year limited residential
Trex Transcend (Trex “Best”)
$10 to $12
50-year limited residential
Fiberon
$5 to $10
Check the maker’s terms
TimberTech
$7.50 to $12
Check the maker’s terms
Cali Bamboo
$8.50 to $12.50
Check the maker’s terms
Brand prices from Bob Vila’s brand table; Trex line prices from Bob Vila’s Trex cost guide. Tier names and warranty lengths from Trex’s decking page, which notes that material costs vary by area, season and local stock. Trex Signature, its luxury line, also carries a 50-year warranty.
Board price is not the whole bill
Boards are the visible part. Our Trex vs TimberTech guide puts composite material at $15 to $30 a square foot once the substructure, hardware and fasteners are counted.
Budget lines look the part less
Bob Vila notes that Trex Enhance Basics has a limited color range and a more synthetic look than the Naturals line. Multicolor finishes cost more than solid colors in the same line.
Thinner is not always cheaper
Trex says Select boards are slightly thinner than its other lines and should not be mixed with them, to avoid trip edges. Pick one line for the whole deck surface.
Labor and install
Labor and install costs
Labor is a big share of the bill, and the shape and height of the deck decide most of it.
Labor: $10 to $14 a sq ft
Bob Vila puts composite labor at $10 to $14 a square foot, or about $1,500 to $2,000 on a typical project. Wood is published higher, at $15 to $35.
Height changes everything
Bob Vila adds $10 to $20 a square foot for a ground-level deck, $40 to $50 for a second-story deck and $30 to $75 for a multilevel design.
Stairs and railings
Trex stairs run $20 to $50 a square foot and railings $20 to $60 a linear foot, per Bob Vila. On a raised deck the rail can cost more than you expect.
Hidden fasteners
Clips that hold boards from the side leave no screw heads on the surface. They take longer to fit, so they add labor and time.
Permit
Bob Vila budgets $225 to $500 for a composite deck permit, depending on where you live. Ask whether the builder pulls it and whether the fee is in the quote.
Removing the old deck
Tearing out an existing deck runs $5 to $15 a square foot, or $1,600 to $4,800 for a 16 by 20 foot deck in Bob Vila’s table.
Three common sizes, priced on the basic range and on the 2026 full-build range.
Deck
Area
Basic installed range
Full build at $35 to $70 a sq ft
12 by 12 feet
144 sq ft
$3,600 to $7,200
$5,040 to $10,080
16 by 20 feet
320 sq ft
$8,000 to $16,000
$11,200 to $22,400
20 by 20 feet
400 sq ft
$10,000 to $20,000
$14,000 to $28,000
Basic range from Bob Vila’s deck size table. The last column is our arithmetic on Ergeon’s $35 to $70 range. For comparison, Zonda’s national average for a 16 by 20 foot composite deck addition is $25,096.
A plain rectangle close to the ground sits at the bottom of each row. Height, stairs, a second level or a custom shape move you toward the top. Bob Vila says a custom shape alone adds about 20 percent.
Working to $5,000? At $25 to $50 a square foot installed, that buys roughly 100 to 200 square feet of composite deck. Bob Vila prices an 8 by 10 foot composite deck at $2,000 to $4,000.
Over time
Composite vs wood over time
Wood costs less on day one. Zonda’s 2025 national averages, as reported by Ergeon, put a wood deck addition at $18,263 and a composite one at $25,096, so composite starts about $6,800 behind.
The gap is upkeep. Wood needs sanding, staining or painting and resealing every 2 to 5 years. Bob Vila puts wood deck maintenance at about $1,000 a year. Composite asks for a wash with soapy water twice a year.
At that rate, the composite premium is used up in about seven years. Over 20 years, wood upkeep could reach $20,000 on top of the build. Doing the staining yourself shrinks that a lot, which is the honest case for wood.
Lifespan points the same way. Bob Vila gives composite 25 to 30 years against 10 to 15 for a wood deck, and Trex backs its lines with 25 to 50 year limited residential warranties.
Over the life of the deck
Composite
Pressure-treated wood
Material per sq ft
$15 to $36
$15 to $25
Labor per sq ft
$10 to $14
$15 to $35
16 by 20 foot deck addition, national average
$25,096
$18,263
Upkeep
Wash twice a year
Sand, stain or paint and reseal every 2 to 5 years
Five checks that keep a quote honest and stop you paying for the wrong boards.
Measure and sketch the deck
Write down the length, width and height off the ground, plus the number of steps. Height and stairs move the price more than the board choice.
Check the frame before the boards
The joists and ledger under any composite deck are pressure-treated lumber. New boards on a tired frame is money in the wrong place, so have the frame checked first.
Pick a tier for your sun and shade
Dark composite in full sun gets hot underfoot in a Carolina July. Stand on a sample in the sun, and weigh lighter colors or PVC for a south-facing deck.
Ask who pulls the permit
Many decks need one, depending on where you live. Ask whether the builder applies, books the inspections and includes the fee in the quote.
Compare itemized written quotes
Ask for boards, framing, railings, stairs, old deck removal and the permit as separate lines, with the brand and line named. Then compare like with like.
Paying over time? Financing is available on qualifying purchases, subject to credit approval. Our decks page shows what we build.
How much does composite decking cost per square foot?
Bob Vila puts composite decking at $25 to $50 per square foot installed, made up of $15 to $36 for materials and $10 to $14 for labor. 2026 dealer figures that include framing, railings and stairs run $35 to $70 a square foot.
How much would it cost to build a 20x20 composite deck?
A 20 by 20 foot deck is 400 square feet. Bob Vila prices it at $10,000 to $20,000. At the 2026 full-build range of $35 to $70 a square foot, it works out to $14,000 to $28,000, with height and stairs pushing it up.
Can you build a deck for $5000?
A small one, yes. At $25 to $50 a square foot installed, $5,000 buys roughly 100 to 200 square feet of composite deck. Bob Vila prices an 8 by 10 foot composite deck at $2,000 to $4,000.
Is composite decking cheaper than wood in the long run?
Often, if you pay someone to maintain wood. Composite starts about $6,800 higher on a 16 by 20 foot deck, but Bob Vila puts wood maintenance at about $1,000 a year. At that rate the gap closes in about seven years.
Why do people not like Trex decking?
The usual complaints are the upfront price, dark boards that get hot in full sun, and budget lines such as Enhance Basics that look less like real wood. Stand on a sample in the sun and compare lines before you choose.
How long does composite decking last?
Bob Vila gives composite decking 25 to 30 years, against 10 to 15 for a wood deck. Trex backs its decking with limited residential warranties of 25 years on Enhance, 35 on Select and 50 on Transcend and Signature.
Areas we serve
Serving Raleigh and communities across North Carolina
And more. Don’t see your city? Call (984) 224-7182.
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