Composite & PVC Decks in Windham, Maine

Composite and PVC decks answer the upkeep problem that wooden decks create at Windham's lakes. Many of the roughly 780 seasonal homes in town sit empty for stretches, and even year-round owners would rather be on the water than sanding and restaining boards every couple of years. Capped composite and PVC boards need no stain, do not rot, and stay free of splinters.

The shade and moisture around Windham's lakes and woods still matter. Decks tucked under pines stay damp and collect pollen and needles, so capped boards that resist mildew and a yearly wash keep them looking right. Freeze-thaw swings cause every board to expand and contract, so gap spacing and fasteners must follow the maker's instructions for cold climates, and joist spacing should suit the product. Darker boards can get hot in full sun on a south-facing deck overlooking Sebago, so a lighter color may be more comfortable underfoot. Cardinal builds composite and PVC decks, including Trex-style boards and matching rail systems, as new decks or full replacements.

Census estimates count about 8,700 housing units in Windham, with a median year built of 1985. Roughly 27 percent of homes were built in 2000 or later, and about 21 percent between 1960 and 1979, while only about 12 percent predate 1940. About 85 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied and roughly 79 percent of units are single-family detached. Around 780 units are held for seasonal use. The town's 2017 comprehensive plan notes that many once-seasonal camps around the lakes are now lived in year-round, still reached by old gravel roads built for summer use. It also records that Windham's population held near 2,000 from 1830 to 1940, so most of today's houses belong to the decades of growth that followed.

Windham's Code Enforcement department, at 8 School Road, administers the town's land use, building, plumbing and electrical codes, and permits are applied for through the town's online portal. Decks are structural work, so check permit needs there before building one. Properties within 250 feet of Sebago Lake, Little Sebago, Highland Lake, the Presumpscot or the Pleasant River fall under shoreland zoning, which the town administers and which limits building near the water. Windham adopted a historic preservation ordinance in 1989, but its 2017 plan says no local historic district boundaries were ever put in place.

Windham sits inland, so salt spray is not the main enemy here; snow, cold and lake wind are. Homes on Sebago Lake near Jordan Bay face a long reach of open water, and the lake region is known for sudden weather changes in every season. Houses on Little Sebago, Highland Lake and the town's smaller ponds sit among trees that keep walls shaded and damp. The Portland Jetport, the nearest long-record weather station, averages about 69 inches of snow a year on 1991 to 2020 normals, with January lows near 16 degrees. Frequent thaws and refreezes through the winter push water into siding laps, roof edges and deck framing.

Composite and PVC decking do not need staining, do not splinter, and resist rot, which is why they have become the default for new decks in Maine. Composite boards blend wood fiber and plastic under a protective cap; PVC boards are all synthetic and lighter. The North Deering farmhouse on this site got a rebuilt deck with AZEK composite decking. The framing underneath is still wood, so it is built to last as long as the boards on top.

• Layout, size and board color are chosen with the owner at the estimate visit.
• Footings and framing are built to code, with joist spacing that suits the board manufacturer's span rules.
• Joist tape or flashing protects the tops of joists and the ledger.
• Boards go down with hidden fasteners or color-matched screws and the expansion gaps the product requires.
• Matching railings, stair treads, fascia and landings finish the deck.

• You are done staining and sealing a wood deck every year or two
• The deck is in shade or near water where wood stays damp
• You want a deck that stays barefoot-friendly with no splinters

• Composite versus PVC, and the product line
• Deck size, height and shape
• Railing system and stairs
• Hidden-fastener versus face-screw installation
• Footing and framing conditions

Every job is priced from a free on-site visit. Typical ranges for the trade are on our deck building page, and the details of this service are on the composite and PVC decks overview.

Back to the Windham exterior services overview, or see every town on our Cumberland County service areas page.