Aluminum Decking (2026): Cost, Heat, Noise, Fire Safety and Is It Worth It?

Aluminum decking gets sold as the board that never burns, never rots and stays cool. Some of that holds up and some doesn't. This guide puts every published cost figure we could find side by side, compares the makers' own spec sheets, and checks heat, noise, slip and fire claims against Dallas conditions. Every aluminum price here is national, because we found no published Dallas price for aluminum or metal decking.

Aluminum decking cost per square foot installed (2026)

Nationally, aluminum boards run about $24.57 to $30.16 a square foot installed over an existing frame (Homewyse, May 2026), and a full aluminum deck runs $50 to $85 a square foot in Block Renovation's 2026 guide. Those two numbers describe different jobs. Homewyse prices labor to lay boards on framing that is already there, plus the boards, fasteners, equipment, disposal and site prep, worked on a 129 square foot example. Block's figure is for an installed aluminum deck.

The sources also disagree with each other. Fixr's 2023 national figures put aluminum at $25 to $30 a square foot installed, which is below Fixr's own composite range of $28 to $40. Block's 2026 guide puts aluminum well above composite ($50 to $85 against $30 to $60). We show them side by side rather than averaging them, because they don't measure the same thing.

Here is what that means on a 300 square foot deck, calculated from each source's per-square-foot range, with railings and stairs left out. Fixr and Block define "installed" differently, so treat these as rough brackets.

• Aluminum boards over an existing frame (Homewyse): about $7,371 to $9,048.
• Aluminum, installed (Fixr 2023, national): $7,500 to $9,000.
• Aluminum deck, installed (Block 2026, national): $15,000 to $25,500.
• Composite deck, installed (Block 2026, Dallas): $7,500 to $15,000.

How much does a metal deck cost? Aluminum vs steel

In Fixr's 2023 national figures, steel runs $21 to $35 a square foot installed and aluminum $25 to $30, so steel starts lower but can end up higher. Metal framing (steel or aluminum) adds $25 to $40 a square foot installed, against $12 to $25 for wood framing.

Fixr also notes that aluminum does not get as hot in the sun as steel. That matters for bare feet in a Texas summer.

A more common way to use metal is under the boards, not as the boards. Fortress Building Products says its Evolution steel framing is Class A fire rated, noncombustible, G60 galvanized and powder coated, and spans farther with fewer posts. Fortress backs it with a 25-year limited warranty. Those are the maker's claims. You can put composite or wood boards on top of a steel frame.

Aluminum railing is a separate product with its own pricing. Our deck railing cost guide covers aluminum and steel railing prices.

Aluminum decking manufacturers compared: LockDry, Wahoo and Versadeck

The three US aluminum decking makers we checked with full spec pages all list a 24 inch maximum span between joists, weigh 2 to 2.8 pounds a square foot where they give a weight, and claim Class A fire performance. Every cell below is what the maker says on its own pages. "Not stated" means we didn't find it there.

A few details that set them apart:

• LockDry boards cover 6 inches wide, stand 1 inch tall and come in lengths from 12 ft 2 in to 26 ft 4 in, with up to 40 ft on special order. Colors are Light Gray, Granite Gray, Buckskin and Saddle Brown, plus special-order woodgrains. Nexan sells direct and publishes no prices.
• Fortis boards are 8 inches wide and up to 24 ft long, in Granite, Sandstone and Artisan Clay.
• Versadry lists load by span: 100 pounds per square foot at 24 inches, 60 at 36 inches and 40 at 42 inches. Its stair treads span up to 60 inches without a center stringer, and lengths run to 32 ft. Versadeck says it is made in the USA.

Watertight aluminum decking: a dry patio under a raised deck

Waterproof aluminum systems like LockDry, AridDek and Versadry lock or seal the boards and send rain to a gutter, so the space under a second-story deck can stay dry. Every one of them needs the frame sloped at least 1/8 inch per foot.

They don't all work the same way:

• LockDry says "a very small amount of water" seeps through its Locking Seal into a Continuous Gutter built into the boards. A normal roof gutter can catch the water at the deck edge.
• AridDek suggests a 2 inch overhang on the drainage side and says gutters are optional. It cannot be cantilevered, and it can't replace joists or beams, so you still need a full frame under it.
• Versadry uses gasket seals between planks.

The tricky spot is where the deck meets the house. A Journal of Light Construction deck writer, who said he hadn't used LockDry or Dekmax himself, thought open-rib profiles could make the ledger area hard to waterproof, though he expected both products to be durable. Ask whoever installs one how they will seal the ledger.

A watertight floor isn't the only way to keep a patio dry. You can also put a roof over the lower patio or over the deck itself. Block Renovation says a covered patio is 15 to 25 degrees cooler underneath than exposed surface, which helps in a Dallas summer too. Our guides to second-story deck cost and putting a roof over a deck cover both routes. Covered decks are something Archetex builds.

Does aluminum decking get hot in the sun?

Yes. Aluminum was the coolest board in the one informal test we found that measured it (131.5°F for off-white), but LockDry itself says its boards can become very warm to the touch once the air passes about 95°F, and DFW summers often reach 100°F.

That test was a contractor's infrared thermometer check in Colorado on June 25, 2012, at 11:45 a.m. with the air at 86.5°F, later republished by KSAT. It was not a lab study, and it only tested light-colored aluminum.

Keep the makers' claims separate from that measurement:

• Nexan says LockDry stays as cool or cooler than most wood, PVC and composite, but gets very warm above about 95°F air, and darker colors run warmer than lighter ones.
• Wahoo says AridDek gets hot in summer but gives a cooler surface than most wood or composite, and says Fortis will be hot but cooler than other materials. Neither page gives a number.

The National Weather Service says DFW highs in July and August sit consistently in the 90s and often reach or pass 100°F. That is well above the 95°F point where LockDry's maker says its own boards get very warm. Pick the lightest color you like, and plan shade for the hours you'll use the deck. A roof drops the temperature underneath 15 to 25 degrees, per Block Renovation. For how composite and wood compare in the same heat, see every decking material compared for Texas.

Is aluminum decking noisy?

It can be. A Journal of Light Construction deck builder lists rain pinging off the roof and metallic sounds from footsteps or moving furniture as the likely complaints with aluminum waterproof decking, and Versadeck markets its thick polyurea coating as "No Ping Sound."

The JLC writer was giving a builder's expectation, not test results, and said he hadn't used the products. Versadeck also advertises a "No Squeak Quiet Design." On the other side, one owner of Nexan aluminum decking (its open NextDeck boards, plus LockDry on a screened porch) said on a Houzz forum, around 2010, that rain "really isn't loud at all." That is one person in an old thread.

We found no decibel readings from any maker. If noise matters, for example a bedroom under the deck or a roof that drips onto it, ask the maker for a sample and about coated boards.

Is aluminum decking slippery?

US aluminum decking makers describe their surfaces as slip resistant but publish no slip-test numbers, unlike some PVC makers. Wahoo says its powder coat gives "steady footing in wet or dry conditions," LockDry and Fortis are described as non-skid, and Versadeck offers 3 slip-resistant textures.

For comparison, AZEK lists a slip number for its Advanced PVC boards: ASTM F1679 readings of 0.74 dry and 0.61 wet. No US aluminum page we opened gives a figure on that or any other scale.

UK sellers do publish numbers. EnviroBuild, a UK seller whose boards are made in China, lists pendulum test values of 68 dry and 46 wet under BS EN 14231. That is a different test scale, so it can't be compared with US readings. It just shows the data can exist if you ask for it.

Keep the surface clean. Wahoo recommends washing periodically with mild soapy water and a soft brush. If you want extra grip near stairs or a pool, ask for a textured finish.

Aluminum decking fire rating: Class A and wildfire codes

Aluminum doesn't burn. The Texas A&M Forest Service lists metal as a noncombustible deck board, LockDry reports a flame spread of 0, and the wildfire codes (the IWUIC and NFPA 1144) name aluminum decking as a noncombustible option.

"Class A" is a claim each maker makes about its own product, so read the details:

• Nexan says LockDry is Class A with a flame spread of 0, and that the aluminum melts at over 1,200 degrees.
• Wahoo says Fortis and AridDek achieve Class A fire ratings and that aluminum is non-combustible. Its fire page doesn't name a test standard.
• Versadeck posts results showing its powder-coated aluminum extrusion at flame spread 0 with smoke density under 6, and its polyurea-coated plank at flame spread 15 with smoke 30. Its table puts 0 to 25 as Class A. The page doesn't name the lab, test or date.

Other boards can reach Class A too. Trex Refuge and several TimberTech Advanced PVC lines are rated Class A, while Trex Transcend and Select are Class B and TimberTech's Reserve and Premier composites are Class C.

The board is only part of it. The Forest Service sheet notes that embers lodge in the gaps between boards and where boards meet joists, and advises clearing everything combustible from under the deck and keeping a noncombustible zone around and under it. A wood frame under aluminum boards is still wood. Writing in JLC, IBHS senior scientist Steve Quarles notes that the IWUIC and NFPA 1144 give steel framing and aluminum decking as noncombustible examples, with fire-retardant-treated lumber as the ignition-resistant alternative.

In Texas, Austin became the first major city to adopt a wildland-urban interface (WUI) code, unanimously, on April 9, 2020. We found no WUI code in Dallas or the nearby suburbs, so in this area a Class A deck is your choice, not something we found the code requiring. For the permit side of a Dallas deck, see our Dallas deck permit guide.

Aluminum decking near pools: corrosion, finishes and salt

Aluminum won't rust, but the powder coat is what protects the color, and the coating grade matters. AAMA 2604, which LockDry uses, is a 5-year color-retention standard, and AAMA 2605 is 10 years.

Tnemec, a coatings maker, explains the three tiers this way.

Nexan says the typical 2604 requirement is 5 years of very minor color change and 3,000 hours of salt fog testing. Nexan also says most composites fade more in 3 months than its finish does in 5 years, which is the maker's own comparison with no source given.

Two corrosion rules from Wahoo's AridDek page are worth knowing. Steel touching the aluminum can rust and stain the deck, so keep steel items off it. The powder coat also acts as a barrier between ACQ treated lumber and bare aluminum. None of the aluminum maker pages we opened address pool chlorine or saltwater pools, so ask the maker in writing before you put one beside a pool.

Fixr lists aluminum pool decking at $12 to $13 a square foot for materials, with labor billed separately. For the full comparison of pool deck options, see our best pool deck material guide.

Aluminum decking warranty, lifespan and maintenance

LockDry offers a limited lifetime warranty and Versadeck says its coating is "warranted virtually forever," while Block Renovation puts aluminum decking's lifespan at 30 years or more. Upkeep is mostly soap and water.

• LockDry: limited lifetime warranty. The terms aren't published on the product page.
• Versadeck: coating "warranted virtually forever," transferable one time to the next owner.
• Wahoo: warranty terms are in separate PDF downloads on its FAQ pages, which we didn't review.

Read the fade terms. Decks.com wrote in 2020 that many aluminum decks carry 20-year warranties and some carry lifetime ones, but that AAMA 2604 is only a 5-year threshold and makers often exclude fading. A "lifetime" structural warranty and a short color warranty can sit in the same document.

On lifespan, Block Renovation's 2026 guide gives aluminum 30+ years, composite 25 to 30 years and PVC 30+ years. The makers give warranties, not lifespans. Decks.com adds that aluminum's lifetime cost stays close to its upfront cost.

Maintenance is short. Nexan says LockDry needs no sealing, painting or staining, and since it absorbs no water it moves less with weather. Wahoo recommends a periodic wash with mild soapy water and a soft brush. The frame underneath still needs checking like any deck. Our guide to how long a deck lasts in Texas covers the frame side.

Hail, weight and spans: what changes in the frame

Aluminum boards span 24 inches between joists in all four lines we checked, against 16 inches on center for Trex Transcend, and they weigh about 2 to 2.8 pounds a square foot. Wider joist spacing can mean fewer joists, but the waterproof systems need the frame sloped at least 1/8 inch per foot, and AridDek can't replace joists or beams.

Hail is a real question here. The National Weather Service says large hail, damaging winds, flooding and tornadoes hit DFW nearly every year. HomeGuide says aluminum dents easily from hail, but that comment is about aluminum patio covers, not deck boards. We found no hail test for aluminum deck boards, so ask the maker whether hail dents are covered.

Some cities treat metal structures differently. Frisco's permit form says aluminum, steel or vinyl patio covers, arbors and gazebos must be engineered, and some subdivisions also need HOA approval. That form is about those structures, so ask your city whether an aluminum deck frame needs the same engineering.

Is aluminum decking worth it? Aluminum vs composite for a Dallas deck

Pick aluminum if you need noncombustible boards or a dry space under a raised deck and can pay more: Block's national aluminum range is up to about double its Dallas composite range. Pick capped composite for most Dallas backyards, where Block Renovation puts it at $25 to $50 a square foot installed. Even Block's national guide says of aluminum, "Most homeowners will not need it," and points to rooftop decks and wildfire-zone homes as where it fits.

On recycling, both have a case. The Aluminum Association says 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use and that recycled aluminum takes around 95% less energy to make than new metal. Trex says its composite boards are 95% recycled plastic film and reclaimed sawdust.

Pick aluminum if:

• You want noncombustible boards and will also keep the space under the deck clear.
• You need a dry patio under a second-story deck and would rather have a watertight floor than a roof below.
• You want the coolest board in the one test we found, in a light color.

Pick composite if:

• Cost matters most. Composite in Dallas runs $25 to $50 a square foot installed, against $50 to $85 for aluminum in Block's national guide.
• Your area has no wildfire code, which is what we found for Dallas.

Put a roof over it if: your real goal is a cooler deck and a dry patio. Shade cuts the temperature underneath 15 to 25 degrees, per Block Renovation.

If aluminum isn't in the budget, a composite deck with a covered section is what Archetex builds. You can see that work on our composite deck builder page.