The Latest On Composite And Plastic Deck Durability

Weathered Wood

It’s not wood, so it shouldn’t be expanding and moving the same, right? It actually moves more AND more unexpectedly than wood decks. Some composite decking won’t move a bit and others have been found to shrink, swell, warp, twist, bow, and any other word you want to use in amounts unheard of, even with wood.

Anything—and I mean, literally anything—that falls on the Envision decking stains it. Even the plastic protective bottoms of our chairs have made stains. Is there anything at all that can be put on this product without making a mark?

Trex Composite Decking Company Information

• Some manufacturers have had some success with the longevity of their products.
• With this type of material price is a contributing factor.
• If you are considering using a composite decking material, do your research.
• It can be cleaned regularly with a garden hose and a soft bristled brush.
• In this instance the phrase, "You get what you pay for" may be very important.

But there’s also a lot of high quality options that don’t do the things you say. Then there are PVC options and inorganic composite options like Deckorators that simply outperform everything.

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.

Plus, the high-performance composite shell of Trex decking resists rotting, staining and cracking. Trex uses recycled plastic film and reclaimed wood to build a better decking material. Composite decking requires minimal upkeep and can last between 25 and 30 years. On average, plastic decking has a similar lifespan to composite decking and can last nearly 30 years. Geographic location and weather patterns can play a role in its lifespan since plastics can expand, contract, and crack with extreme weather conditions. Wood is the original and traditional material used for decks.

Typically if you install Trex decking on a 45 degree angle you need 12″ o.c. Setting the gaps for your deck boards is a tricky issue. Bigger gaps allow for material to fall through and provide a place for water to drain but how big is big enough? This is where Trex hidden deck fasteners come into play. They not only look great because you don’t see the screws but they also set each gap perfectly. Just install the fasteners and deck boards, your gaps will all be perfect.

The wood particles in the decking are exposed to weather and all sorts of unpleasant things begin to happen. The UV inhibitors in the binder are not permanent. No one has yet come up with an inhibitor that can be used in a composite mix that lasts more than a few years. The basic problem is that the UV-inhibiting additives are themselves broken down by exposure to UV radiation and lose effectiveness over time. This is the primary reason composite decks turn gray. Wood in its natural state contains chemicals that fight off fungus.

Never was a big believer in composite decking but have changed my mind. I have a large dog and haven’t experienced the scratches others claim, I power wash once a year with Corte Clean and it looks like new. But if using the matching fascia boards, there are no hidden fasteners used to install these boards, so one must use the color- matched screws without plugs. Seems Trex could offer plugs for that reason, but they apparently haven't thought that one through very well. Exposed screws, color-matched or not, look bad, and considering the expense of Trex versus wood, the end result is somewhat lacking. Other reviewers here have mentioned many issues with weathering, spotting, warping, etc.

Trex Composite Decking Reviews: Transcend, Enhance And Select

From premium hardwoods to treated lumber, like high-end IPE, traditional wood offers no capping or surface protection against mold or moisture damage. In fact, when hardwoods start to get moldy it's difficult to effectively clean the deck boards and remove the attached spores. We are literally having a contractor come in 2 days to tear out our existing wood deck, and we were going to install Trex. Thanks to all who posted, because we are going to go with a redwood deck instead. Even if Trex has completely fixed their problems with the decking, I will not help their bottom line when Trex treats customers so cavalierly and badly. All other composite decks seem to have some problems also .

And, since plastic does not expand and contract evenly, those gaps may still be there the following July. There is not a lot that can be done about it – it's the nature of the material. Composites may look like wood but they are not wood, and they don't act like wood. So, don't expect a perfectly convincing wood-like appearance. All materials expand when heated and contract when cooled. Wood expands and contracts but very little along the length of the board.

Is Trex Decking board one of those that over heats or are they safe. I was planning to replace existing wood deck and expand, my project cost has been estimated at 22k. In the last year, the Trex decking has started to form blisters and leech what looks like oil.

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.

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.