Decking is one of the most profitable categories in your yard. Are you getting all of it?
Most lumber dealers carry decking. Not all of them have made it a priority.
That’s a bigger missed opportunity than it might look like at first. Because when you really unpack what a full deck project is worth, decking is one of the highest-revenue, highest-margin categories you can build a business around. And in the Midwest, the demand is there. The question is whether your yard is positioned to capture it.
How the Decking Market Shifted Toward Composite and PVC Products
Walk into any outdoor living showroom or scroll through what homeowners are building today, and one thing is immediately obvious: people aren’t building basic pressure-treated decks anymore. The outdoor living category has shifted dramatically toward composite and PVC decking, like TimberTech and AZEK. With that shift has come a significant jump in project value.
A composite deck isn’t just a higher-ticket sale on the decking material itself. It changes the entire project profile. Homeowners and contractors who are spending real money on premium decking boards don’t stop there.
They want matching railing. They want proper lighting. They want the structure underneath done right, with treated LVL and the right foundation system. They want it to look finished, which means under-deck systems and trim details.
The premium decking category pulls the entire project upmarket, and every component in that project is an opportunity for your yard.
The dealers who are winning in this category have figured that out. They’re not just stocking boards. They’re selling complete deck projects and capturing a much larger share of the revenue that walks through their doors.
Materials a Contractor Needs to Complete a Full Deck Project
It’s worth stepping back and thinking through everything a deck builder needs before they break ground. The list is longer than most dealers think about on a day-to-day basis and includes:
- The decking material itself: boards, profiles, colors
- The railing system: posts, balusters, top rail, all matched to the decking color and style
- Fasteners and hidden fastening systems, which are specific to the decking brand and color and can’t be substituted without visible consequences
- Structural materials: engineered lumber, LVL beams, ledger boards, the treated components that carry the load
- Foundation systems: whether that’s traditional footings or an innovative solution like Diamond Pier, which eliminates the need to dig in frost-line conditions
- Joist tape like G-Tape, which protects the structural lumber underneath from moisture damage and significantly extends the life of the deck
- Under-deck ceiling systems, which convert that space below into a usable, weatherproof area
- Lighting: stair lights, post cap lights, and railing lights
- Hardware: hangers, post anchors, structural connectors
That’s a complete deck. And every single item on that list is something your customers need. The question is where they’re getting each one.
The Hidden Revenue You’re Leaving on the Table
Here’s what happens at most yards when a contractor comes in for a deck project: they order the decking and maybe the railing. The fasteners might come along with the decking order. But the LVL? That’s a phone call to someone else. The foundation system? Another call. The joist tape? They’ll pick it up somewhere or skip it entirely because it’s not top of mind.
It’s not that dealers don’t want that business. It’s that they often don’t know they could be getting it, or they haven’t built the supplier relationships to offer it confidently. So the order gets split. Revenue that could land in your yard goes somewhere else or doesn’t happen at all because the contractor found a one-stop option somewhere.
When you start tracking how much of a complete deck project your yard is capturing versus how much is walking out the door to other suppliers, the number can be surprising. Dealers who’ve gone through this exercise often find they’re getting only 40 to 60 percent of what they could be getting from the same customer.
Why Contractors Prefer Dealers Who Can Supply a Complete Deck Package
Think about this from the contractor’s point of view. Building a deck means juggling a job site, a customer, a crew, and a timeline. The last thing they want is to call three different suppliers to assemble the materials list, then wait for three different deliveries, and hope everything shows up before the crew gets there.
The contractors who build the most decks — the ones doing five, ten, fifteen projects a season — are efficiency-focused. They have their processes dialed in. They work with suppliers who make their lives easier, not harder. When they find a yard that can say, “Give me your materials list, and I’ll have everything you need on one truck,” those contractors come back. And they bring their next job, and the one after that.
Decking is a loyalty category. Win the contractor’s complete deck project once, and you’ve likely won their business for every deck they build.
Why This Season Is the Right Time to Focus on Decking
Composite and PVC decking has been taking share from pressure-treated for years, and that trend isn’t reversing. Homeowners who remodeled interior spaces during the pandemic years are now turning their attention to outdoor living. New construction has been strong in pockets of the Midwest, and the contractors who found a reliable deck supply source during tighter times are still loyal to it today.
The dealers who built strong decking programs over the last few years are seeing the benefits. For them, decking is no longer a seasonal side category — it’s a year-round business driver.
How Building Supply Dealers Can Start Owning the Decking Category
If your yard carries decking but hasn’t fully committed to stocking the complete category, you’re selling partial projects and leaving real margin behind. The fix is straightforward: talk to your contractors about sourcing the full project through you. Deliver everything they need on a single truck and start owning the category. Your BPI Sales Rep will stand by you through the whole process. Contact us today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What components make up a complete deck system?
A: A complete deck system includes decking boards and profiles (such as TimberTech or AZEK), matching railing systems, color-matched fasteners and hidden fastening hardware, structural materials including engineered lumber and LVL beams, foundation systems such as Diamond Pier, joist tape (such as G-Tape), under-deck ceiling systems, lighting, and structural hardware including post anchors and hangers.
Q: Why should lumber dealers prioritize composite decking?
A: Composite and PVC decking commands significantly higher project values than pressure-treated lumber, and the category continues to take market share. Dealers who stock and sell complete deck systems — not just boards — capture the full value of each project, including railing, fasteners, structural components, and accessories, making decking one of the highest-revenue categories in the yard.
Q: Why do contractors prefer dealers who can supply a complete deck package?
A: Contractors building multiple deck projects per season prioritize efficiency. A dealer who can supply all components — decking, railing, fasteners, structural materials, foundation systems, and accessories — on a single truck eliminates the need to coordinate multiple suppliers and deliveries. That convenience builds loyalty and makes the dealer the default first call on every new project.
Q: What is BPI’s role in the Midwest decking supply chain?
A: BPI (Building Products, Inc.) is the only regional distributor in the Midwest that can supply a complete deck system — from foundation systems like Diamond Pier to structural LVL, composite decking, railing, fasteners, and finishing elements — on a single truck with a single invoice. BPI serves independent lumber dealers across Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and surrounding states.
