Deck trends

Outdoor rooms. Covered decks with heaters, fans and full furniture are the strongest visible trend and the most expensive at $40 to $100 per square foot. They can be genuinely great to live with. They do not return their premium at sale, so buy one because you want it.

Mixed materials. Composite decking with aluminum or cable railing, or wood decking with a metal rail, is common now. It's a legitimate way to spend money where it shows. Note the compatibility rule: fasteners and connectors should be of the same corrosion-resistant material, and aluminum shouldn't sit in direct contact with copper-treated lumber.

Cable and glass railing. $115 to $175 per linear foot for cable and $140 to $210 for glass, against $30 to $50 for wood. On a 40-foot run that's roughly a $3,400 to $7,200 premium. It's a view decision, not a durability one.

Composite's continued share gain is real and it is driven by maintenance, not looks. The two-to-three-year restaining cycle at $2 to $5 per square foot is what pushes homeowners over. As always, verify a specific product's performance in its own published warranty rather than in a trend piece.

How to choose

Trends don't change the ROI math

Deck additions recoup roughly 65.8% (wood) and 63% (composite) whatever the styling.

Buy the trend you'll use weekly

An outdoor room at $40 to $100 per square foot earns its cost through use, not resale.

Mixed materials need matched hardware

Fasteners and connectors should be the same corrosion-resistant material, and aluminum shouldn't contact copper-treated lumber.

Price cable and glass before you design around them

$115 to $210 per linear foot installed will change what deck you can afford.

Ask for the sustainability claim in writing

"Sustainable decking" is a marketing phrase unless the manufacturer publishes something specific. Ask for the document.