Michigan Home and Lifestyle Summer 2026

Wood vs. Composite Decks

Following the recent feature in Michigan Home and Lifestyle magazine, Green Shield is breaking down the real differences between traditional wood and Green Shield composite decking. Traditional wood requires tedious annual maintenance and eventually rots, creating serious safety hazards. On the other hand, older composite materials often become painfully hot in the summer sun.

The Green Shield Solution

Green Shield eliminates both issues by using premier, fully capped deck boards engineered with heat-blocking technology. This engineering keeps the boards 20% to 30% cooler than standard alternatives. The result is a beautiful, barefoot-friendly surface built on a hardworking, durable backbone that lasts a lifetime.

Next Steps

Homeowners ready to build can read the full guide on the Green Shield blog, browse the project gallery for inspiration, or connect with our design team to start planning this summer.

Adam Rought: I wanted to address a few questions I got after mentioning this summer issue of Michigan Home and Lifestyle. A lot of you were asking about the specific project they highlighted in this feature, so I figured we'd look at it together.

Question: I'm okay with staining and sealing my deck every year. Why else would I not choose to build my deck with traditional wood materials?

Adam Rought: One of the biggest risks with traditional wood decks is homeowner safety. Even if you regularly check your deck for early signs of rot, wood deck boards are going to give eventually. More than eight thousand people are injured on failing decks every year in the United States.

Question: Composite sounds like a great idea for my deck project, but I keep hearing stories from friends and family that their composite gets hot. A friend of mine used composite decking around their pool, and you cannot even walk on it in the summertime without shoes.

Adam Rought: Older composites were known for getting hot. Green Shield has solved this problem by introducing heat blocking technology into our fully capped deck boards. This keeps our boards twenty to thirty percent cooler than an unprotected competitor board of similar colors.

For those interested in diving deeper, my team has written a companion piece on Green Shield's blog that explores additional amazing features that come standard with every Green Shield project. You can also check out our project gallery for even more case studies on real decks that are built to last.

Interested in adding a Green Shield deck to your yard this summer? Reach out to our deck design team and never stain your deck again.