Vinyl Decking Warranty Comparison at a Glance:
| Vinyl Warranty Summary (Standard/60mil) | Duradek | Dek-Master | Dec-k-ing | Tufdek | Weatherdek | DekSmart | Dec-Tec |
| Transferrable | YES | NO | N/A | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Basic Product Warranty Length | 15 yrs | 7 yrs | 15 yrs* | 15 yrs | 15 yrs | 15 yrs | 10 yrs |
| Appearance Warranty | 5 yrs | 3 yrs | N/A | NO | 5 yrs | 5 yrs | NO |
| Certified installer required | YES | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Labour costs included | 10 yrs | NO | NO | 5 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | NO |
| Prorated Refund | NO | YES | N/A | YES | YES | NO | YES |
•when installed with the V-KOTE TEK™ waterproofing system
Vinyl decking has been the first choice for builders and homeowners in Nanaimo for more than 45 years! Loved for its low-cost, low-maintenance, and waterproofing attributes, it’s the perfect decking for Vancouver Island’s infamously wet environment.
To keep up with the demand, many decking manufacturers have flooded the market with a variety of brands. This has created numerous options for buyers to navigate.
One reliable way to choose between vinyl brands is to compare their warranties. But deciphering the legal-ese of warranty documents can be a nightmare! We’ve gathered together the most popular vinyl providers, and broken down the legal mumbo-jumbo for you. This article will help you see the difference between each companies’ warranties.
Our goal is to help you make an informed decision on your vinyl decking purchase.
Duradek Vinyl Warranty
We’re starting with Duradek because it’s our vinyl decking of choice.
Duradek is coined as “the original walkable roofing membrane.” It was the first vinyl decking on the market and is the most well-known vinyl brand in North America.
But does it live up to the hype? We think it does.
In the video below, Duradek presents some excellent points to consider when evaluating vinyl deck warranties.
As of June 1st 2019, Duradek has the most comprehensive vinyl decking warranty. The Duradek product warranty for all 60 mil vinyls sold and installed after June-1-2019 is 15-years. Duradek vinyl installed prior to that still has an impressive 10-year warranty. This covers repair or replacement through the full duration of the warranty. Unlike other brands, Duradek does NOT prorate the product warranty fulfilment. If your membrane fails within the warranty period, it’s repaired or replaced. Period.
THIS IS HUGE.
Duradek offers the most reliable and long-lasting warranty around. We thought they were the best when they offered 10-years (which is what all vinyl sold and installed before June-1-2019 has), but now with the additional 5 years they out-shine the competitors offerings.
In other words, Duradek is confident that their decks will last for a minimum of 15 years, whereas the other manufacturers seem to be hedging their bets.
Duradek also provides an appearance warranty, which is 5 years for all Duradek Ultra lines (except for their Okanagan line, which comes with a 2 year warranty). The caveat here is that on appearance claims, the material and labour costs are included for the first 2 years. Only the material costs are covered in years three, four, and five.
Another major advantage is that Duradek is the only vinyl brand listed that explicitly honours warranty transferability. This means that if you sell your house, the new owner can assume the warranty and make a future claim if need be. Without transferability, when you sell the deck, your warranty goes down the drain.
Check out Duradek’s 60 mil warranty details:
So you can understand why we like Duradek. But it’s not the only good product/warranty available, there are some other very worthy vinyl decking brands out there (and some to stay away from).
Duncan Dek-Master Vinyl Warranty
Duncan Dek-Master can be found on the shelves of most hardware stores. It’s the go-to vinyl decking for DIY enthusiasts, but it’s rarely used by professional decking installers. The 60 mil Pro-series has a 7-10 year warranty, depending on who does the installation, you or a certified installer.
If you DIY, the 60 mil line has a 7-year product warranty. Professional applications have a 10-year product warranty, as well as a 5-year workmanship warranty. There’s also a 3-year appearance warranty, regardless of who installs.
All warranties cover a repair or prorated refund and do not cover labour costs. While there is a ‘workmanship warranty,’ we’re not sure how they provide this because Dek-Master doesn’t have a network of certified installers. Also, the terms of the warranty only require them to repair or replace “the affected portion of the Dek-Master sheet vinyl with the same (or similar) colour, design, or grade of material.”
If you’re completely set on installing your own vinyl, then this is a good option. However, we would never recommend a DIY install over a living space. If your deck covers a living space in your home, it’s critical that it’s installed correctly. The installation technique and welding are much more important than the vinyl brand. The last thing you want is for the vinyl to be installed incorrectly, and a leak in your home to occur as a result. Call a pro and consider letting them use their preferred vinyl.
Check out the full details of the Dek-Master 60 mil Warranty:
Dec-k-ing Vinyl Warranty
Dec-k-ing is also available for DIY installation. Unlike Duncan’s Dek-Master, professional installers trust it more.
The 60 mil Roofseal line is safe for using over living spaces. DIY installations have a 10-year warranty. When a professional installer is uses their proprietary V-Kote Tech system, there’s a 15-year warranty. While this sounds great, the warranty doesn’t cover any appearance issues. It only covers the replacement of materials; no labour costs are covered.
If you’re using Dec-k-ing, you have to use the whole system. The full warranty only applies when their proprietary V-Kote Tech system is used. And you must keep your receipts; in order to make a claim, you need to produce a copy of the signed warranty, the invoice, and your proof of payment.
This is the best DIY vinyl decking option. If you’re planning a DIY install, make sure you have the skills to do so safely.
Read the full warranty details below:
Tufdek Vinyl Warranty
Full disclosure: we don’t recommend this product. Here’s why:
- They’ve only been in business since 2003, but offer a 15-year warranty.
- They don’t offer an appearance warranty.
- Local homeowners have had major issues with the Scuffguard top layer burning and discolouring rapidly in the sun.
- Their warranty terms are refund or replace on a prorated basis.
- To be eligible for the warranty, you have to adhere to a strict annual maintenance routine, as outlined in the Tufdek warranty agreement.
To their credit, Tufdek mandates a 5-year workmanship warranty. They will repair “free of charge” any portion of the project that has failed, solely due to defective installation. And they have some attractive colours.
Read the full terms and requirements below:
Weatherdek Vinyl Warranty
Weatherdek’s warranty is a strong contender for our favourite, Duradek. The 65 mil Weatherdek vinyl lines have a 15-year product warranty, plus a 5-year appearance warranty. Labour costs are covered for up to 2 years on appearance claims, but are not covered on other claims. Unlike Duradek, all Weatherdek warranties are prorated and non-transferable if a home is sold. Despite these differences, Weatherdek is a top-tier brand with a strong vinyl decking warranty.
Read the full terms of the Weatherdek warranty.
DekSmart Vinyl Warranty
DekSmart has one of the strongest warranties for vinyl decking and it’s written in plain English.
The Ultra RoofDek and Smoothback lines have a non-prorated 15-year waterproofing and a 5-year appearance warranty. The terms are to repair or replace the defective material throughout the duration of the warranty. Labour costs are covered if appearance or waterproofing issues are reported in writing within 2 years of installation. After 2 years, labour costs are not covered. The workmanship warranty isn’t standardized, but is offered by each certified installer at their discretion.
DekSmart has only been around for less than 2 full warranty cycles, whereas Duradek has over four full cycles under their belt. Also, there’s no mention of transferability in the DekSmart warranty terms.
In our opinion, DekSmart is a reliable vinyl brand. Read their full warranty terms here: DekSmart warranty
Dec-Tec Vinyl Warranty
This company is the outlier when it comes to the thickness of their vinyl. They offer 60 mil and an 80 mil lines. Rather than compare apples to oranges, we’ll give you the full picture of both thicknesses:
The 60 mil lines have a 10-year product warranty and 80 mil lines a 20-year warranty (although they’ve been around for less than 30 years). DecTec doesn’t offer an appearance vinyl decking warranty for either product.
If the membrane waterproof fails in the first 5-years, you’re eligible for a full refund on the vinyl. This refund only covers the vinyl cost incurred by the installer – not the full price paid by the owner. After 5-years, there is a prorated refund, which doesn’t include labour costs.
If you use this brand, you need to be on the ball. To be eligible for the product warranty, you must register your purchase within 90 days.
Read the full terms of their warranty below:
Which Vinyl Decking Is Best For You?
A good rule of thumb is that a vinyl product is only as good as its warranty.
If you’re planning a DIY installation, it’s critical to choose one with a warranty. By having your vinyl decking professionaly installed, you extend your warranty and get more peace of mind.
We’ve broken down the warranty components and terms of the most popular brands and provided our expert opinions on each.
We hope that by understanding the warranties on different vinyl decking products, this helps you make a more informed purchasing decision on your Vancouver Island deck renovation.