Composite Decking
Composite Decking Compared: Capped, Uncapped and the Australian Brands
Composite decking has taken over a big share of Australian decks, and for good reason: it skips the oiling and sanding, resists termites and rot, and holds its look for years. But once you start shopping, the brand names pile up fast, ModWood, EkoDeck, Trex, NewTechWood, MexyTech, and it is hard to tell what actually separates them. This guide cuts through it: the one construction difference that matters most, an honest look at the main brands, and how to choose.
First, the one thing that matters most: capped vs uncapped
Before brand names, there is a single decision that decides how your deck ages: is the board capped or uncapped?
Uncapped composite is the same wood-flour-and-plastic mix right through, with the wood fibres exposed at the surface. It is the cheaper option, but those exposed fibres absorb more water, fade a shade or two in the first year as the deck weathers in, and stain more easily from things like sunscreen, food and red wine.
Capped composite (also called co-extruded) adds a hard polymer shell bonded over the top and sides during manufacture. That shell shields the core from moisture and UV, so a capped board resists fading and staining far better and keeps its colour for longer. It costs roughly 15 to 25 percent more, and on a sunny or coastal Australian deck it is usually worth it.
Almost every brand now sells both a budget uncapped line and a premium capped line. So the first question is not really which brand, it is which construction. For most exposed decks in the Australian sun, capped is the safer buy.
The main composite decking brands in Australia
Here is an honest, plain look at the names you will come across. Grades and ranges change, so treat this as a starting point and check current specs when you buy.
ModWood: A long-established, well-known value brand. Its Natural Grain range is uncapped; ModWood XS is the capped version. A solid, familiar choice with a long track record in the Australian market.
EkoDeck: The budget-friendly line you will see at the big hardware chains. Standard EkoDeck is uncapped; EkoDeck Designer is the capped upgrade.
Trex: The original American capped composite (Trex Transcend), well proven in Australian conditions with a long warranty. The trade-offs are a premium price and lead times that can stretch to several weeks if your colour is not in local stock.
NewTechWood: An imported capped brand with a wide colour range, common in the mid-to-premium tier.
MexyTech: A co-extruded capped composite (the Suprotect range) that Allmat supplies in South Australia. It sits in the capped tier with the others, and the draw is capped quality with local availability and value, rather than the long lead times a premium import can carry. More on it below.
How to choose
Work through it in this order and the choice gets simple:
1. Capped or uncapped. For an exposed deck in the sun, choose capped. For a shaded, budget, or low-traffic deck, uncapped can be fine.
2. Colour. Composite comes in timber-look tones from light to dark. Lighter tones run cooler underfoot in full sun; darker tones read more like hardwood. Look at real samples in daylight.
3. Availability and price. A great board you cannot get for six weeks may not suit your build. Local stock and lead time matter as much as the spec.
4. Warranty and backing. Buy a board from a real brand with a genuine warranty behind it, not an unbranded product with no accountability.
That last point is worth its own read: see why we chose MexyTech, and why buying a brand beats buying an unbranded OEM product.
Where Allmat fits in
Allmat supplies MexyTech Suprotect composite decking and wall cladding across Adelaide and South Australia, and Australia-wide, to installers, resellers and DIYers. It is a capped, co-extruded board in six timber-look colours, with a manufacturer warranty and a track record on large international projects. If you are weighing it against ModWood, EkoDeck or Trex, those side-by-side comparisons go deeper. Whichever way you lean, send us the deck size and a colour and we will quote it.
Composite Decking FAQs
Uncapped composite is the same wood-and-plastic mix all the way through, with the wood fibres exposed at the surface. It is cheaper, but it absorbs more water, fades a shade or two in the first year, and stains more easily. Capped (co-extruded) composite adds a hard polymer shell bonded over the top and sides, which shields the core, so it resists fading and staining far better and holds its colour. Capped costs a bit more and is the better choice for sunny or coastal decks. MexyTech Suprotect is a capped board.
There is no single best, it depends on your budget and the deck. The bigger decision is capped vs uncapped: capped is worth it for most exposed Australian decks. Among capped boards, the well-known names are ModWood XS, EkoDeck Designer, Trex Transcend and MexyTech Suprotect. Trex is premium with long lead times if a colour is out of local stock; MexyTech is a capped co-extruded board Allmat supplies with local availability.
It depends what you want. Timber gives natural grain and character but needs oiling, sanding and upkeep. Composite needs far less maintenance (no oiling or staining), resists termites and rot, and holds its look, at a higher up-front cost. Many people mix both, or choose composite where low maintenance matters most.
Any decking in full Australian sun gets warm, composite included, and darker colours more so. Lighter colours run cooler, and board design affects it too. If a low deck in full sun is a concern, ask us about colour and board options when you get a quote.
From Allmat. We supply MexyTech Suprotect composite decking and wall cladding across Adelaide and South Australia, and Australia-wide, to installers, resellers and DIYers. Send us your deck size and preferred colour and we will quote it, ready for collection or delivery.
Get a Composite Decking Quote
Send us your deck size and a colour and we will quote MexyTech Suprotect composite, ready for collection or delivery.