Building or renovating a deck is an investment in your home and in your quality of life. So when you’re deciding on what type of deck material to use for your sundeck project, it’s best to be informed about the differences between products and which features actually matter.
Learn about the top vinyl decking brands as we compare and decode the qualities that really make a difference for your deck and your wallet.
Top Vinyl Decking Brands Compared
There are hundreds of vinyl decking brands for you to choose from when planning your deck project. Similar to any other product, some brands are rockstars and some are just bad imitations.
We’ve narrowed our comparison down to the top 7 most popular vinyl deck membrane brands to help you decide which product is best for you. Find out how each brand compares on warranties, colours, dimensions, technical features, and what it all means for you and your deck.
You can check out our top vinyl decking brands quick comparison infographic for a high-level overview. Then take an in-depth look below at the details for each vinyl brand you’re considering.
Dek-Master Vinyl Overview
The DIY Vinyl
If you’re looking for vinyl decking at a hardware store, there’s a strong chance you’ll find Dek-Master. It’s carried across Canada by Home Depot, Lowes, Rona, and other major retailers. This is one of two vinyls on this list that you can purchase and install yourself, rather than through a certified dealer.
Dek-Master Fast Facts
- Introduced: n/a
- Product warranty: 5-7 year DIY warranty. 7-10 year Certified Installer warranty.
- Appearance warranty: 3 years
- Workmanship warranty: 5 years limited
- Warranty terms: Repair or refund (Prorated). Non-transferable. Labour costs not covered.
- Colours: 4 Dek-Master colours.
- Width: 72” to 74”
- Thickness: 45 mils & 60 mils
- Backing: non-woven polyester
- Licenced installation required: No
Dek-Master Styles
Dek-Master has a few lines to choose from and the difference in quality between each line can be significant. They offer a 45 mil line and a 60 mil Pro-series, both with a non-woven “fuzzy back”. Both lines also have the same three neutral colour options.
Dek-Master Warranty
The 45 mil line has a 5-7 year warranty, whereas the 60 mil Pro-series has a 7-10 year warranty. The warranty varies depending if you DIY or hire a certified installer.
If you DIY, the 45 mil line has a 5-year product warranty and the 60 mil line has a 7 year product warranty. Professional applications have a 7-year warranty on 45 mil, a 10-year product warranty on 60 mil, as well as a 5-year workmanship warranty. There is a 3-year appearance warranty on both lines, regardless of who installs.
All warranties cover a repair or refund on a prorated basis and do not cover labour costs. This means the longer you have your deck, the less you’re entitled to on a warranty claim. It also means that if you hire a professional to install this material, you won’t be compensated for their costs, should the product fail. The warranty is non-transferrable, so if you sell your house, the warranty isn’t valid for the next owners.
Check out the full details of the Dek-Master Warranties:
Dek-Master Important Notes
In Duncan’s application instructions, they suggest that you can either glue seams with their “overlap cement” or heat weld seams. However, if you require a waterproof membrane (if your deck is over living or storage space), Citywide strongly suggests that only rely on professionally heat welded seams.
Dec-k-ing Vinyl Overview
The Handyman’s Brand
This product is used by some professional installers and is also available for direct purchase to DIY. The PVC backing, limited colour choices, and accessibility of Dec-k-ing can make this a viable handyman’s choice.
Dec-k-ing Fast Facts
- Introduced: 1979
- Product warranty: 5-15 years
- Appearance warranty: No
- Workmanship warranty: Per installation co.
- Warranty terms: Materials cost only. Labour not covered. Non-transferable.
- Colours: 8 Dec-k-ing colours
- Width: 72”
- Thickness: 60 mils
- Backing: PVC
- Licenced installation required: No
Dec-k-ing Styles
With a simple selection of up to 8 neutral colours (depending on current availability), picking a style should be easy. Similarly, the two vinyl lines, Deluxcoat and Roofseal, make for another straight-forward selection. Roofseal is suitable for all regular applications, whereas Deluxcoat is NOT approved for use over living space.
Dec-k-ing Warranty
There are two different warranty grades, depending on if a certified installer was contracted, or if you DIY.
Non-certified installations have a 5-year warranty (Deluxcoat) or 10-year warranty (Roofseal). When installed professionally, Deluxcoat is warrantied 10-years and Roofcoat 15-years.
The full warranty only applies when installed by a certified company also using their proprietary V-Kote Tech product system. The warranty only covers replacement of materials, no labour.
Read the full Dec-k-ing warranty details below:
Dec-k-ing Important Notes
You can buy this vinyl directly from select hardware and flooring stores across Canada and install it yourself, but read the warranty terms very carefully. For most projects, it’s best to use a certified installer to ensure your waterproofing system is sound and your warranty is valid. Citywide would not recommend relying on this product waterproofing, unless it’s professionally installed.
Tufdek Vinyl Overview
The New Kid On The Block
Tufdek is exclusively available through certified installers. It came onto the vinyl decking scene in 2003; late in the game, compared to other well-known brands. But it’s made up for lost time, grabbing a large chunk of market share and continuously innovating. Tufdek has introduced features like Cool-Step and Scuff-Guard and claims to be the world’s strongest vinyl decking. Some of their technology has been successful, and other have been problematic.
Tufdek Fast Facts
- Introduced: 2003
- Product warranty: 15-years
- Appearance warranty: none
- Workmanship warranty: 5 years
- Warranty terms: Repair or refund a prorated amount, non-transferrable. Labour costs covered.
- Colours: 14 Tufdek colours
- Width: 63.5″ wide
- Thickness: 61 mils
- Backing: PVC
- Licenced installation required: Yes
Tufdek Styles
There are 14 Tufdek colours to choose from. Three styles have Cool-Step technology, which is highly reflective. This feature aims to reduce the surface temperature, when exposed to direct sunlight. All Tufdek styles are 61 mils thick and have a smooth PVC backing for faster heat welding.
Tufdek Warranty
While they’re only been in business for 15 years, they offer a 15-year product and 5-year workmanship warranty on all vinyl styles. However, no appearance warranty is offered.
The terms of the warranty refund are prorated and non-transferrable. If the product malfunctions, you’ll be refunded a portion of the purchase price that the dealer paid Tufdek, not what you paid the contractor for your deck. Additionally, to be eligible, the owner must adhere to an annual maintenance routine, as outlined in the Tufdek warranty agreement.
However, Tufdek is the only brand to mandate that installers provide a 5-year workmanship warranty. They will repair “free of charge” any portion of the project that has failed, solely due to defective installation.
Read the full terms and requirements below:
Tufdek Important Notes
While Tufdek is definitely an innovator, unfortunately, not all of their developments have turned out positively. Recently, there were some major issues with the Scuff-Guard clear PVC coating . Some customers struggled to receive support from Tufdek, as pictured above. Tufdek has since altered the Scuff-Guard layer, but the product has not been recertified.
Weatherdek Vinyl Overview
The Little Guy
Weatherdek is a BC company with a strong product and trusted network of certified installers. While this brand is less well-known than some others on the list, it’s not for a lack of quality. Weatherdek has a reasonable warranty, a variety of colours, and a long-standing reputation.
Weatherdek Fast Facts
- Introduced: 1980’s
- Product warranty: 5-15 years
- Appearance warranty: 5 year
- Workmanship warranty: 5 years limited
- Warranty terms: Repair or refund. Prorated. Non-transferable. Labour costs covered (2 yrs for appearance).
- Colours: 36 Weatherdek colours
- Width: Designer and designer plus have 54” width options whereas others are 72”.
- Thickness: 45 mils and 65 mils
- Backing: non-woven polyester
- Licenced installation required: Yes
Weatherdek Styles
There are a whopping 36 Weatherdek colours available to choose from. They have four premium 65 mil lines that mimic the look of wood, concrete, stone, and marble, and a few neutral-coloured lines in both 65 mil and 45 mil thicknesses. All vinyls have a non-woven ‘fuzzy’ backing that assists with adhesion but can complicate heat welding the seams.
Weatherdek Warranty
The 45 mil lines have a 5-year product warranty and the 65 mil lines have a 15-year product warranty, plus a 5-year appearance warranty. All warranties are prorated and non-transferable if a home is sold. Labour costs are covered for up to 2 years on appearance claims, but are not covered on other claims.
Read the full terms:
Weatherdek Important Notes
While this is a quality vinyl product, even the best materials can be compromised if they’re installed poorly. It’s important that you hire an experienced and trusted deck contractor to ensure your investment pays off.
DekSmart Vinyl Overview
The Modest Contender
Another strong BC brand, DekSmart has been waterproofing decks since 1992. While it’s not as popular as other comparable brands, the options and features warrant a spot on this list.
DekSmart Fast Facts
- Introduced: 1992
- Product warranty: 5-15 years
- Appearance warranty: 5 years
- Workmanship warranty: Per the installation Co.
- Warranty terms: Replace or replace. Transferability unclear.
- Colours: 23 DekSmart colours
- Width: 72”
- Thickness: 60 mils, 68 mils
- Backing: non-woven polyester, PVC
- Licenced installation required: No
DekSmart Styles
There are 23 colours to choose from, across three unique lines. The full selection of colours are available in the Ultra line, which is 68 mils and has a non-woven fuzzy backing. The 60 mil Smoothback line offers a selection of popular colours with a PVC backing. This “vinyl back” appeals to some builder specifications, compared to non-woven backing options. The Excel line offers two colours, but isn’t rated for roof decks. All DekSmart Vinyl is a standard 6-feet wide.
DekSmart Warranty
The Ultra RoofDek and Smoothback lines have a 15-year waterproofing and a 5-year appearance warranty. The Excel line has a 5-year warranty for appearance and waterproofing (but isn’t approved for roof decks). If appearance or waterproofing issues are reported in writing within 2 years of installation, material and labour costs are covered for repair or replacement of the membrane. After two years, only materials costs are covered.
It’s unclear whether or not DekSmart’s warranty is transferable. The workmanship warranty isn’t standardized, it’s offered by each certified installer at their discretion.
Read the full Deksmart warranty terms below:
DekSmart Important Notes
DekSmart has been in business for less than two complete warranty cycles, which is half the number of other brands on the list. But, they are one of only 4 brands on this list to offer an appearance warranty.
Dec-Tec Vinyl Overview
The Widest Waterproofer
DecTec is working hard to differentiate themselves from the sea of vinyl decking suppliers. Along with their unique “Real Technology”, the 76” width of their product is a notable feature. Compared to the standard 72” width of most other suppliers, the additional 4″ width means DecTec vinyl decks have a slightly greater distance between seams. DecTec also has great online resources, where you can get the scoop on how to install a vinyl deck. However, this product is only available through certified installers.
Dec-Tec Fast Facts
- Introduced: 1989
- Product warranty: 10 – 20 years
- Appearance warranty: No
- Workmanship warranty: per installation co.
- Warranty terms: Material only warranty. Provide vinyl or refund. Prorated after 5 years. Non-transferrable. Labour not covered.
- Colours: 11 DecTec colours
- Width: 76”
- Thickness: 60 mil & 80 mil
- Backing: PVC
- Licenced installation required: Yes
Dec-Tec Styles
There are three vinyl lines: Cool-Step (80 mil, 4 colours), Natural (60 mil and 80 mil, 3 colours), and Classic (60 and 80 mil, 4 colours). All DecTec vinyls are 76” wide.
The newest Natural line, introduced in 2017, has “Real Technology”. This line features a fire-resistant fiberglass core, high definition print, enhanced UV protection, higher slip resistance, and ‘improved wear protection’, compared to other lines.
Dec-Tec Warranty
60 mil lines have a 10-year product warranty and 80 mil lines are warrantied for 20-years. For up to 5-years, the full cost of the vinyl membrane (installer cost, not the price paid by the owner) is refunded. After 5 years, a prorated amount is refunded. To be eligible for the product warranty, you must register your purchase within 90 days.
DecTec does not have an appearance warranty on its vinyls. There is no standardized workmanship warranty; each certified installer is expected to provide their own.
Read the full terms of the Dec-Tec warranty below:
Dec-Tec Important Notes
Dec-Tec has the longest product warranty on the list. The 20-year warranty means they’ve proven the product during one full warranty cycle, as they’ve been in business about 28 years.
While the warranty is longer, it’s not the most comprehensive available. Ensure that your sundeck installation company provides a strong workmanship warranty and consider whether an appearance warranty is a concern for you.
Duradek Vinyl Overview
The Original Walkable Roofing Membrane
Duradek is Citywide Sundecks’ go-to vinyl. This family-owned, Surrey, BC company has been making “walkable roofing membranes” since 1974. Because of their tenure, their quality product, and their proven dedication to standing behind their warranty, it’s easy to recommend for all our clients.
Duradek Fast Facts
- Introduced: 1974
- Product warranty: 5-15 year warranty
- Appearance warranty: 1- 5 year appearance
- Workmanship warranty: Offered by each installer at their discretion.
- Warranty terms: Repair or replace. Labour costs covered (2 yrs for appearance). Total cost of deck. Non-prorated. transferable.
- Colours: 27 Duradek colours
- Width: 72” (6 feet)
- Thickness: 45 or 60 mils
- Backing: Woven polyester
- Licenced installation required: Yes
Duradek Styles
All vinyl styles are 60 mil thick, except for the economy Okanagan line; Okanagan Ultra is 60 mil and Okanagan Standard is 45 mil.
All vinyls have a woven polyester backing, except the Okanagan lines, which have a non-woven fuzzy back. Duradek is the only brand on the list to offer a woven backing, which both assists with the ease and integrity of heat welding (like PVC backing) and reduces the chance of leaks transferring through fuzzy fibers.
Duradek Warranty
Duradek has the most reliable and comprehensive warranty. The Duradek product warranty is 15-years on all 60 mil vinyls and 5-years on the 45 mil Okanagan line. 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 is deemed defective within the warranty period, it is repaired or replaced.
Duradek is also the only brand on the list that offers a transferable warranty. If you sell your home, the new owner gains the product warranty. Your deck upgrade can truly be a selling point.
Duradek’s appearance warranty is on-par with the DekSmart and Weatherdek appearance warranties. All 60 mil vinyl lines (other than Ultra Okanagan) are covered for 5 years. The material and labour costs are included for the first 2 years and only the material costs are covered from 2-5 years. The appearance of the 60 mil Ultra Okanagan and 45 mil Standard Okanagan are also covered for 1-year.
Check out Duradek’s full warranty details:
- Duradek 15 year standard vinyl warranty
- Duradek Ultra Okanagan 10 year warranty
- Duradek Okanagan 5 year warranty
Duradek Important Notes
Duradek does not mandate a workmanship warranty on behalf of its dealers. It’s up to the discretion of each installer to offer a warranty on their work. Duradek is notoriously selective about who they allow to become certified installers.
No matter the vinyl you choose to have installed, make sure that your deck contractor offers a workmanship warranty. Citywide Sundecks is proud to offer a standard 5-year workmanship warranty on all our vinyl decking installations.
Vinyl Decking in Vancouver
As a professional deck contractor in greater Vancouver, we work with all types of decking materials. Vinyl is one of the most popular deck types in the Lower Mainland. There are numerous benefits of vinyl decking including versatility, waterproofing, low-maintenance, durability, and cost-effectiveness.
If you’re thinking about building or remodeling a deck for your home, trust a local expert like Citywide Sundecks to provide you with the information you need to make an informed deck decision.
To find out how much a new sundeck with a top vinyl decking brand would cost, fill out this form or call (250) 618-2507 for a free quote form our deck experts.