Five Years with ASA Decking: A Homeowner's Honest Review

Five years ago, Jake Miller stood in his backyard, looking at his weathered and splintering wood deck, and made a decision: replace it.

Today, he sits in the same spot, coffee in hand, watching his kids run barefoot across the same space. “We completely changed the way we use our home,” Jake says.

What happened in those five years? The Miller family's experience is exactly what more and more homeowners are discovering when they choose ASA outdoor decking.

The Before: A $600-a-year "money pit"

The Millers live in Iowa, where the weather is famously unforgiving — scorching summers, freezing winters, and everything in between. For a wood deck, that's a recipe for disaster.

“We were spending over $600 a year just on maintenance,” Jake recalls. “Boards were cracking, mold kept coming back, and we were constantly worried about the kids getting splinters on the deck.”

Another homeowner shared a similar experience: “My deck used pressure-treated wood. Within two years, it was warping — no matter how much you spend, wood still expands and contracts with heat and moisture. The maintenance cost over five years could have bought me two new decks.”

In tropical climates, the situation is even worse. A Singapore user posted on social media: “After every rainstorm, my neighbor's wood deck turned into a wave. Mine? I just pressure-washed my ASA deck and it looked brand new.”

Even standard WPC (wood-plastic composite) isn't immune: “After one summer of 30°C heat, my old WPC deck had faded and turned chalky. My ASA deck still looks saturated.”

Wood decks, pressure-treated timber, standard WPC — every material has its limitations.

The decision: Choosing ASA decking

After researching alternatives — including higher-grade timber, composite decking, and PVC options — the Millers chose Necowood ASA co-extruded decking.

The decision came down to documented performance and real-world evidence. Necowood's ASA boards had been tested in extreme climates — from the Australian outback to Canadian winters — and the data showed zero warping, zero fading, and zero maintenance across multiple years of exposure.

“We didn't want to repeat the same cycle every few years. We wanted something that would just work,” Jake said.

Five years later: The results

The Miller family installed the Necowood ASA decking in the summer of 2021. In 2025, they agreed to a follow-up interview. Here's what they reported.

1. Color stability — "It still looks like the day it was installed"

This is the most common feedback from ASA decking owners. The Millers were especially concerned because their deck gets full sun exposure for most of the day.

“I expected some fading after five years. Honestly, I can't tell the difference between the original sample and the deck now,” Lisa Miller said.

Another user shared a similar sentiment: “I was worried about color fading in the sun. Five years later, it still looks like day one. The ASA cap layer really works.”

Necowood's ASA material retains 97%+ of its color after five years of UV exposure. Independent testing confirms Grade 4-5 color fastness under ISO-105-A02 — the highest rating for outdoor materials.

2. Zero maintenance — "We haven't touched it"

This was the Millers' biggest win. Wood decks require annual sanding, sealing, and staining — work that costs both time and money.

“We've literally done nothing to this deck for five years,” Jake said. “No sanding. No sealing. No staining. We rinse it with a hose when it gets dusty, and that's it.”

The data backs this up. Over five years, the Miller family spent $0 on deck maintenance — compared to the $3,000 they would have spent maintaining a wood deck over the same period.

3. Durability — "It's bulletproof"

The Miller deck has endured five Iowa winters — snow, ice, freeze-thaw cycles — and five summers of intense heat and UV. The result?

• Zero cracks — no surface or structural cracking
• Zero warping — boards remain perfectly flat
• Zero mold or mildew — the non-porous surface doesn't support growth
• Zero splinters — safe for bare feet and kids

“We've had kids running on this deck every day for five years. No splinters. No complaints. It still looks and feels like new,” Lisa said.

4. Extreme weather — "Every season is deck season now"

Before the change, the Millers rarely used their deck in winter. Now, it's a year-round space.

“We use it in the summer for barbecues, in the fall for watching the leaves change, and even in winter — we'll bundle up and have hot chocolate out there. The deck doesn't get cold and slippery like wood does,” Jake said.

ASA material remains stable from -30°C to 60°C. It doesn't crack in freezing temperatures or soften in extreme heat. The low coefficient of thermal expansion means boards don't gap or buckle with temperature changes.

Why the Millers — and others — are glad they switched

The verdict: Five years, not a regret

When asked if they would make the same choice again, the Miller family didn't hesitate.

Five years is a long enough time to test any material's claims. Necowood ASA decking has delivered on every promise — color stability, zero maintenance, extreme durability, and all-season performance.

As the Millers discovered, the real value of ASA decking isn't just the material — it's the time, money, and peace of mind that come with it.