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

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

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.

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

Anyone ever use this aluminum decking?

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

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

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

__________________
95 E300D gave away
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, body gone away to the rust gods, engine is in a Yota pickup, going strong
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 154k summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k
12 VW Jetta- 250k
74 MG Midget-78k

is the deck covered? awning? overhang?

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

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

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

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

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

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.

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

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

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.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

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)

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"

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

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.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

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.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

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

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert