Deckorators Mineral-based Composites (Voyage, Vault) vs Fiberon PVC (Paramount, Promenade)

There are 5 key characteristics we will compare Deckorators Mineral-based composite against Fiberon’s PVC lines.

• Appearance
• Slip Resistance
• Price
• Warranty
• Durability

How do Deckorators and Fiberon decking compare?

Fiberon has a better Warranty than Deckorators which is better priced. Not as clear is Fiberon’s better slip resistance and appearance or how much more durable Deckorators is.

But we will need to go a little further into this before concluding which composite decking is right for you.

Comparing how much they differ from each other.

If it’s not a clear-cut answer. What are my reasons for considering one better than the other? To see if you agree with my conclusion, could they be understood differently? Or does my reason not matter for your deck?

A good example is appearance.

I have my reasons why I think Fiberon is going to look better on your deck, but you may not share my values of what makes a deck board look good.

For now, we will ignore Deckorators and Fiberon wood-based composites. Which are a discussion in themselves. But for both brands, they are their lower-end boards, and I am assuming that you are interested in the premium, high-performing decking. So we will exclusively focus on their top lines. Comparing which is best, ignoring their wood categories with a quick glance, we can see do not perform as well as their mineral and PVC composites.

So let’s get into it, starting with where Fiberon is better than Deckorators.

How is Fiberon Better than Deckorators Decking?

Of these 5 key performance matrices for evaluating decking, Fiberon is better than Deckorators for.

• Warranty
• Slip Resistance
• Appearance with more colour options

Deckorators VS Fiberon for Warranty

We consider Fiberon as having one of the best decking warranties in the market. Making it seem foolish not to mention it first.

Fiberon has a longer and more comprehensive decking warranty than Deckorators.

How you may ask?

Let’s started with length.

• Deckorators 25 years fade & stain, 50 years structural
• Promenade, Paramount 50-Years

Structurally they are the same, but Fiberon including Fading and Staining tips the scale in their favour. Because really who wants an ugly-looking deck?

If it’s going to last 50 years it’s great to know that it will also look good and if it doesn’t. That’s covered under their warranty.

Difference in Prorating Payout

The amount of payout is also different with Fiberon paying out more for longer than Deckorators.

Deckorators’ prorating schedule starts to reduce after 6 years. So by year 11 you are down to 60% of the original decking cost.

Where Fiberon prorates starting at 10 years. If you make a claim after 9 years of deck enjoyment, you get back every dollar you paid for your decking. Full, 100% replacement. 

It does decrease by 10% every 4 years after that. But compared to Deckorators with 60% at 11 years, Fiberon is going to pay out at 90%.

That’s a big cash difference.

But Deckorators does complicate the equation with their labour warranty.

Labour Warranty

Deckorators warranty includes 25-year replacement labour cost. Yes, it’s pro-rated also, but at 10 years, they will cover 80% of the labour cost to replace the failed boards. The first 6 is a full 100%.

Labour is a huge expense in replacing the decking. Making this super valuable.

Fiberon, not to be outdone, also has a labour warranty but with more conditions.

Fiberon’s labour warranty is limited in two ways.

1. Must use a Fiberon-trained installer.
2. Time-limited to 5 years.

Here, Deckorators is better, 5 times longer labour warranty coverage.

Plus, anyone can install it, and if it’s installed correctly, they will still warranty the labour. Meaning you, as a DIY homeowner if you pay attention to details. Their decking fails. They will hire someone to replace it. You don’t have to do it all again just because you didn’t hire a professional the first time.

The labour warranty almost makes me switch over to Deckoratros having the best warranty.

Except warranty is about money.

How much will they payout?

For how long?

At year 26, Deckorators will pay nothing. Fiberon will pay out 10% at year 51.

If you are not going to be enjoying your deck for long. The first 6 years Deckorators is better. But after that, it increasingly becomes Fiberon’s win.

For this reason, we put Fiberon as the winner for best warranty.

Deckorators VS Fiberon for Slip Resistance

Now this one surprised me. I have increasingly become a fan of Deckorators (MBC) because of its traction.

It’s amazing.

But the numbers do not lie.

According to the Canadian Construction Material Centre (CCMC) and other third-party testing.

Fiberon Paramount is better.

Which I guess shouldn’t surprise me.

PVC decking consistently scores at the top for best slip-resistance decking.

In fact, Deckorators and MoistureShield are the odd fellows.

I guess what is more surprising is the fact that Deckorators (MBC) outperforms Promenade for traction despite not being a PVC.

So this could go to Deckorators if comparing Voyage and Promenade.

The good news is it doesn’t matter which of the 3 you choose. They will all provide excellent slip resistance, exceeding the CCMC requirement of 0.5.

Deckorators VS Fiberon for Appearance

Looks always get a little more complicated.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it can be hard to express why we like one over the other.

So let’s start with the simplest number of colour options.

Deckorators Mineral Base Composite includes 2 lines, with 8 colours.

• Voyage (6)
• Vault (2)

They do have a specialty Picture Frame board that is 21’ long in Dark Slate. A nice complimentary board, but for the main decking is not really an option.

Fiberon has 2 more colours with a total of 10.

• Promenade (6)
• Paramount (4)

There are more subjective elements to decking appearance.

• Wire-Brushed vs Cathedral Wood Grains
• Hair Texture vs Deep Grain Embossing
• Variation vs Consistent Colouring
• Streaking over Solid Colour

Which may make one board clearly a better-looking board for your deck. But if we are talking just number of colours, Fiberon wins.

And yes, if that sample in your hand looks better. It’s the right one regardless of the other 17 options.

Now that we have gushed all over Fiberon, let’s turn our attention to Deckorators.

How is Deckorators Better than Fiberon Decking?

For our five characteristics we are comparing Deckortors coming up short with only one clear win.

• Price

But like we said, warranty and slip resistance can become debatable.

Another debatable is durability. Which we will get to.

But let’s focus on where Deckorators is clearly better.

Deckorators VS Fiberon for Price

If your budget is tight, Deckorators is an excellent choice for a high-quality board costing less.

Now, this can vary depending on where you are shopping, both store and city. But do expect to pay more for Fiberon PVC boards.

For a 12′ x12′ deck.

Deckorators will cost $1 776.

Fiberon Promenade costing $2 496.

Not as dramatic as Paramount, but still has the same result.

Giving Deckorators a win for costing less to build an amazing deck.

But will it last?

Deckorators VS Fiberon for Durability

Besides warranty, which often is a good sign for durability.

How can we tell which is more durable, Fiberon or Deckorators?

Let’s zoom into the decking material core. What is it made from and capped with? As we have all learned from earlier generations of composite, capping is critical to durability.

MoistureShield is an exception but let’s stay focused on Deckorators and Fiberon PVC boards.

Deckorators vs Fiberon for Decking Core Performance

Deckorators and Fiberon are made from two distinctly different materials.

What is Deckorators Mineral Based Composite Made of?

Decorators (MBC), like the name, says it’s composed of minerals and virgin polypropylene. The addition of minerals gives it some key advantages.

• 34% better traction
• 35% lighter than traditional composites
• Virtually no thermal expansion or contraction
• Warrantied for installation in the ground or water
• Nothing for mould and fungi to grow on

The minerals do make it harder to cut. You can still use standard woodworking tools, but it does not cut as easily and will need additional time to file the edges smooth.

But virtual no expansion and contraction as the temperature rises and falls, opening up possibilities for unique decking patterns and inserts. Designs that cannot be done with Fiberon PVC boards which must accommodate expansion and contraction.

Plus, Deckorators can be installed near and in water and not void their warranty.

Deckorators is a slightly thinner boards (7/8″) compared to Fiberon. Which measures a full 1″ thick.

What is Fiberon Decking Made of?

Fiberon’s Promenade and Paramount are both a cellular foam polymer core (Polyvinyl chloride) and a coextruded cap. Making them resistant to rot, water absorption, and staining.

Fiberon also has a Class A (25) fire rating. Deckorators is good with a Class B (100). Both will burn slower than wood, but Fiberon has a slower flame spread rating.

The Promenade decking is capped on all 4-sides, while the Paramount decking is capped only on 3-sides.

With both being safe in and around water, with a low chance of growing mould, fungi or rotting, makes durability challenging to evaluate.

The biggest difference is thermal movement.

PVC decking, including Fiberon, will expand and contract with every change in temperature change. Making butt joints unadvisable, as the constant change in gapping will become an eyesore, not to mention mitre cuts, etc. Even simple things like fastening need to account for movement.

Not so, with Deckorators (MBC). It has practically no thermal movement. What you install in the morning, it will be in the burning sun. Removing the rush to install a board after cutting before it changes in length.

But the real advantage is, what it opens up for design options. Let your decking dreams run wild without crashing to the ground because it will all fall apart in the sun.

This additional stability leans towards increased durability. As there will not be constant pressure against the fasteners while the boards change with the seasons.

Now PVC is an amazingly durable material hence why most PVC decking boards are backed by a lifetime warranty. Its that good.

But because of the strength and stability of Deckorators Mineral Based Composites. Of the 2, Deckorators is the more durable.

Yes, this like appearance is debatable, but if I had to pick. Its Deckorators.

Now, if only their warranty would reflect that.