Choosing a deck framing system used to mean picking between treated wood and, more recently, steel. QwickBuild adds a third option, and for certain applications, a fourth competitor worth understanding is tiles laid directly on pedestals. Each system has real strengths. The right one depends on your deck’s height and the surface you’re installing. The comparison below lays out where QwickBuild leads, where it doesn’t, and why.
Full Comparison Table
QwickBuild vs. Steel Framing
Steel is the other metal option on the table, and it solves some of wood’s problems while introducing new ones. Steel framing holds a straight, level line and performs well at mid and elevated heights, much like QwickBuild. Where it falls short is weight and corrosion resistance.
A steel frame is significantly heavier than an equivalent aluminum structure, which affects everything from shipping costs to how many people it takes to maneuver a beam into place on site. Aluminum’s lighter weight speeds up installation without sacrificing the load capacity a deck needs.
Rust is the bigger long-term concern. Unless steel is galvanized or otherwise coated and that coating is maintained, exposed edges, cut ends, and fastener points are vulnerable to corrosion over time, especially in coastal or high-moisture regions. QwickBuild’s aluminum profiles and stainless steel hardware are rust-proof by design, with no coating to monitor or touch up down the road.
Steel framing also tends to be a semi-custom product, cut and welded for a specific project rather than supplied as a modular system. That works fine for a one-off build, but it means less standardization and less flexibility if project dimensions change partway through.
QwickBuild vs. Tiles on Pedestals
Tiles set directly on adjustable pedestals are common on rooftop and podium projects, and it’s easy to see why: the system is lightweight, rust-proof, and rot-proof, much like QwickBuild. For a deck surface that’s exclusively porcelain or concrete tile, pedestal-mounted tiles can be a straightforward, capable solution.
The limitation shows up the moment a project needs anything beyond tile. Pedestal systems aren’t built to support composite decking, hardwood, or a mixed-surface design, so a homeowner or contractor who wants flexibility to change the surface material later is locked into whatever the pedestals were designed for.
QwickBuild’s engineered joist-beam system and Deck Planner software remove much of that guesswork, producing an accurate materials list and a level structure by design rather than by careful, repeated adjustment.
Cost Comparison Over the Life of the Deck
Sticker price tells only part of the story with deck framing. A fuller comparison has to account for labour and maintenance stretched out over the twenty-plus years a deck is expected to last, along with how often the frame itself needs replacing.
Wood framing is typically the cheapest option to install, but it’s also the one most likely to need partial replacement, re-levelling, or fastener repair within the first decade, particularly in climates with harsh winters. Add in the recurring cost of staining or sealing, and the lifetime cost curve rises steadily.
Steel framing sits in the middle. Material and fabrication costs can run higher than wood upfront, and if corrosion protection isn’t properly maintained, a steel frame can require the same kind of mid-life intervention that wood does, just further down the road.
QwickBuild’s aluminum system carries a higher day-one material cost than treated wood, but the modular components install faster than custom-cut wood or steel framing, which offsets labour hours on the front end. From there, the maintenance requirement drops close to zero: no staining, no sealing, no rust treatment, and no expectation that the frame itself will need replacing before the deck surface does. Over a twenty-year horizon, that combination of lower labour, no recurring maintenance cost, and a frame that outlasts its surface is where QwickBuild’s value case is strongest.
When to Choose Each System
No single framing system is the right call for every project. Here’s a straightforward read on where each system fits:
- Choose treated wood if the budget is tight, the deck is a simple ground-level build, and you’re prepared to stay on top of staining and sealing on a regular schedule.
- Choose steel framing if the project needs a fully custom structural design that a modular system can’t accommodate, and you have a plan in place to maintain any protective coating over time.
- Choose tiles on pedestals if the deck surface is exclusively tile, the substrate is a rooftop or podium, and you don’t anticipate changing the surface material down the line.
- Choose QwickBuild if you want a single system that adapts across low, mid, and elevated heights, supports more than one decking surface, and is designed to need close to nothing from you once it’s installed. For most residential builds, and for many commercial and multi-family projects, that combination is hard for the alternatives to match.
Ready to Specify QwickBuild?
If QwickBuild looks like the right fit for your project, the Deck Planner is the fastest way to turn that decision into a materials list. Enter your deck’s dimensions, height, and surface type, and it will return a complete, project-specific package: itemized materials, a design plan, height-specific engineering, and step-by-step installation guidance. For commercial or engineered projects that need stamped drawings or load calculations, our engineering team is ready to help you specify the right solution from the start.
