What You Need To Know About Trex Vs Plastic Decking

Weathered Wood

But, the wood flour used in composites has had most or all of these protective chemicals removed, so it is very vulnerable to mold and mildew. The fact that composites don't feel or look like real wood is beside the point. Once in place, they just do their job and don't need much more than an annual wash-down, leaving you plenty of time to work on your nap. You cannot go to any lumber yard or store and order Veka. It’s only available to the biggest and best deck companies in the country.

Fading issues are unpredictable and hard to understand. Some Trex decking will have problems and others of the same type will not. This leads us to believe variables in the manufacturing process makes fading worse or better depending on what’s done at the factory. The deck boards look exactly the same, but don’t always perform the same when in the field. Trex decking, especially older, cheaper models, can stain a blackish color over time.

Trex Composite Decking Company Information

• Some capstock manufacturers, such as Fiberon and Timbertech, now guarantee some of their products against excessive fading.
• But, most continue to specifically exclude color changes, fading and graying from their warranties.
• Capstock deck boards, with their plastic shell, fade less than uncapped composite boards.
• On their own website and in their own literature they state decking will fade and even give guidelines in their warranty regarding how much fading should occur and how much would be covered.
• Most will fade a little bit because the exposed material is plastic, the fading is minimal.

When replacing the materials all the special fasteners they sold me were all rusted and snapping off. As a builder in on the Maine coast I have had nothing but issues with 3 decks that I built the early 2000's. Nothing upsets me as much as having clients ask about a defective product that they have spent $ 1,000's on based Trex's promises that I passed on. 1)My damage has gone from 5% to 10% of the deck in a year and there are indications that it will be 20% next year. Given that my material was delivered in a sealed factory lot, I have every reason to believe that the balance of my decking will be bad eventually.

Decking

Some composite planks are flexible enough to be easily curved into patterns or shapes that would be expensive to duplicate in solid wood. CR members with digital access can see our Decking Ratings, which reflect our updated, two-year exposure score. Our tests showed that some synthetic decking didn't make the grade for rigidity, and some tonier wood products look worse for wear. Trex Enhance blends well with all Trex railing lines, allowing consumers and designers to mix-and-match to create a completely custom look. An innovative design at an affordable price, Trex Enhance requires minimal upkeep so you can spend more time relaxing outside instead of cleaning your deck or stressing about costly repairs. Although not technically a composite, Perennial Wood offers many of the durability benefits of composite decking.

There are color-matched screws available, but when installed, are far more noticeable than screws capped with color matched plugs. Hidden fasteners don't need plugs since there shouldn't be any screw holes. Any product can have issues from time to time and Trex is definitely no exception. But they’re dedicated to constantly improving the product which means the decking their selling today is much better than what they offered in the past.

Insects, rodents, and other wildlife will also not be attracted to your modified wood deck. Last, but not least, modified wood ages beautifully (even becoming a silvery-grey) and rarely splinters.

Again, it seems completely random when this happens, but it happens often enough that you should know about it. Sadly, most composite decking falls into that category. It has been improving slowly over the years with the introduction of capped products and other upgrades, but still, the reports from consumers and contractors are not promising. Take a look at some of the websites where homeowners have posted their reviews, and you’ll read 1 and 2 star reviews all day long. Color difference – many decks were faded with uneven color resulting in some boards being lighter and others getting darker. Many of the synthetic products are available in colors such as white, gray, and several shades of brown. Surface textures include smooth , subtle wood grain, ridges, and other decidedly nonwood-like patterns.

If I opt into the settlement I appear to be releasing them from any future claims if, as is likely, the balance of the deck goes bad. Since the manufacturer admits the decking does absorb moisture, anyone with Trex decking needs it to dry as soon as possible when it gets wet. This does become problematic in areas that experience lots of rain over months of time. To prevent the growth of mushrooms, fungus and mold on the underside of your decking, you may want to consider implementing what I’m doing. The front porch I’m rebuilding is going to have new and vastly improved ventilation.

Trex Composite Decking Reviews: Transcend, Enhance And Select

We build using Trex composite decking regularly because it’s known for it’s gorgeous style and long lifespan. When homeowners ask us how long will Trex decking last, we start with the minimum 25 to 30 year span covered by the warranty. But we also let them know that composite decks can last far longer. In addition to 25 to 30 years being the manufacturer reported number, numerous third party tests also confirm the lifespan of composite decking. You’ll pay more for the installation going with a pro, but it is worth it. Trex has a hard time denying the warranty if your contractor follows the proper procedures.

Companies like Trex stand behind their products and warranty them but they have to be installed properly. Improper installation will void the warranty in most cases so make sure if a problem occurs it’s the product that’s the problem and not the installer. Hire a certified Trex pro or a builder with experience installing Trex brand products. Use Trex hidden deck fasteners the spacing will stay as it should for the life of the deck and the deck boards will all be securely fastened.

Trex offered to pay for all our materials but not for the labor. At this point we just wanted it fixed so we took the settlement and bought new boards. We bought our new deck boards at Lowes and used a different brand. I just receive a settlement from Trex for my deck.

She recommended that the whole deck be replaced in her report. Now waiting to hear from Trex as to how they are going to resolve the issue. They say they will replace the material but I must pay for the labor which will be $2500 or more. My contractor said that the year he built my deck he built 3 others and all of them experienced the same issues. One person replaced their's after only 18 months and now they are replacing it again. Trex is supposed to be paying for the labor also.

Skip Composite And Stick With Real Wood

In addition, Elevations joists are now available in one-foot increment lengths, requiring fewer materials overall. Elevations also comes with a 25-year limited residential warranty, making it a smart investment. Trex products should not be ripped to reduce thickness, but can be ripped to reduce width. As long as the board can still be installed per the installation instructions, the warranty will be valid. Please use care when fastening ripped boards, as pre-drilling may be necessary. Beyond that, Trex offers a variety of high-performance railing choices to meet different levels of style, performance and affordability.