Structural underpinnings are fine. Deck faces south at a mile high so the UV light is pretty brutal.

Last time I checked, Ipe was less money than composite. But it's not as easy to put down since it's quite hard. The township here just re-decked an old, one lane bridge with Ipe

cwf, with a redwood or cedar tint, to protect against the uv rays. :D

Anyone ever use this aluminum decking?

http://www.lockdry.com/decking_installation.htm

Do you want to walk on the deck barefoot or fry eggs?

is the deck covered? awning? overhang?

Here's some more aluminum decking. It is very very pricey compared to composite:

http://www.versadeck.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=188_213&osCsid=k2fv2davngr6i52lb94ua7ujr1

No. There is a small eave at the house end.

If you want down and dirty, quick and cheap... plywood and exterior carpet (read - fake grass). Done in an afternoon, and probably squeeze another 10 years out of the deck surface. Being in CO and facing south, it would dry quickly, and it is actually easier to shovel than regular decking.

And you can put an old sofa out there....:P

I have done several decks for clients using the composite. It is expensive but looks like it should last for a good while.

At home I have framing spaced at 12" oc which allow one size smaller framing and 1x4 RW decking. The smaller framing offsets the cost of RW somewhat and makes it not terribly more expensive than the infernal treated pine which checks, splits and warps.

The RW needs staining every five years or so if you stain it (The lovely Mrs. W insisted....I would have let it be grey). We have also replaced boards here and there every five years after ten I suppose....it is about 17 yrs old.

It looks pretty fabulous too IMHO. If you do redwood though sort it and only use the dark heartwood. The light sapwood might as well be pine.

well, if his property were further north... say in Boulder, near CU, it would already have an old sofa on it... (unless it had been tossed into the last street fire):D

The one deck I did with plywood and exterior carpet was the rental where I lived, with no budget from the landlord. I actually enjoyed the finished product, of course I did not use the plastic fake grass, but a higher grade of exterior carpet. That was 10 years ago, and it is still there.

I have entirely quit using redwood. I just can't abide the thought of those magnificent trees being cut down so I can build a deck. That and the quality of the wood has fallen off so much that, as you say "might as well be pine"

of course I did not use the plastic fake grass, but a higher grade of exterior carpet

This makes me smile. I am a material snob and can never imagine using exterior carptet for anything ......

I have entirely quit using redwood. I just can't abide the thought of those magnificent trees being cut down so I can build a deck.

I have these same thoughts but it is SOOOOO nice a wood.;)

If the point is to make a faded deck look nice is it not possible to find a non slip paint that will bond to plastic? You can also make other paint more non slip by adding sand... May be this is a bit too wacky - I'd probably be a bad landlord. (I first thought of Astro-turf!)

You're bringing me around to the exterior carpet idea. I'm even thinking it can be put over the existing 2x6's without any plywood since the spaces between them are not wide. It would cover the ugliness of the old decking, protect it from any further UV damage, be quick to install, and relatively inexpensive.
I am looking for better visual appeal. I've used composite decking in a few other places and I don't have a lot of confidence in its long term durability. That aluminum decking is the ticket. If there was a dealer near me, I think I'd put it down before I put down composite again. It's a little less than double the price of composite but I think it would probably outlast composite by a few millenium.

Concrete with re-bar'll work far better than anything. Since cost may not be an object.