What are the pros and cons of Trex decking?
In conclusion, a Trex deck can offer many benefits for outdoor living spaces, including low maintenance, durability, and environmental friendliness. However, weighing the pros and cons before deciding, including the cost, potential expansion and contraction issues, and limited warranty, is important.
Trex decking is considered a high-quality composite material that can add value to a home. While installing a Trex deck may cost more up-front than installing a deck made out of traditional lumber, composite is known for its durability and ease of maintenance. The benefits of Trex make it a worthwhile investment.
Wood decking, however, requires more maintenance than composite decking. While you may save on your initial investment, you will end up spending more money and time to maintain your deck. Trex composite decking resists fading, staining, scratching and mold, and will not rot, warp, crack or splinter.
The four disadvantages of composite decking are that it fades with sunlight, warps in hot weather, wears down in high-traffic areas, and, worst of all, causes timber subframes to rot and become unsafe. Interestingly, all these issues can be solved by choosing an aluminium decking board that has an integral gutter.
Trex vs.
AZEK contains no wood, and uses about 50% recycled material. AZEK boards are also significantly lighter than Trex boards and absorb less heat. AZEK Boards are also more expensive than Trex boards–especially in their value-priced offerings.
Trex Composite Decking Is Warrantied For 27 Years
Basically, this means that you can expect your composite deck to last at least 27 years without serious structural issues like rotting, moisture damage, sun damage/fading, and other such problems.
TimberTech offers extremely reliable, high-quality products with tons of customization options. Like Trex, TimberTech is also a giant within the decking industry. That means you can build a project with TimberTech decking, railing, lighting, and hidden fasteners all in one place.
Trex decking is a low-maintenance decking solution that requires a fraction of the work of wood decks and is less likely to get slippery when wet. It still requires occasional attention to keep it looking its best, but you'll be delighted with the finished results.
Trex composite fence is made out of a mixture of recycled plastics and wood, a Trex composite fence gate weighs about 100 lbs. Over time your new Trex composite fence gate may come out of alignment and start to sag due to expansion and contraction in the wood particles and the weight of the gate on the hinges.
While the new decking is made to withstand sun, harsh weather, and constant foot traffic, some fading will occur in the first 12-16 weeks. Some colors fade more than others. With the warranty though, you should be worry free for 25 years against any major changes in color.
Does Trex decking need maintenance?
For early generation composite decking (Trex Accents), periodic cleaning with a deck wash is required. Trex high-performance decking (Trex Transcend, Trex Enhance and Trex Select) require less work - a simple soap and water cleaning is all that is necessary to maintain the beauty of the products.
All Decking Material Will Get Hot
Trex decking will generally remain cooler than natural wood and many other outdoor surfaces. It will also offer slip and weather resistance and present even more vitality for your outdoor area.

Warping occurs when the surface of your deck becomes too hot and gradually starts to distort. Thermal expansion or temperature changes are the most common causes of deck warping. Here, the heat absorbed by your deck during periods of hot weather causes the body of the board to expand, bend and become flexible.
Your composite deck may not warp, but it can sag and buckle. Most sagging is caused by improper spacing between the joists when it is installed. Also, thermal expansion, the fluctuation of temperatures, can have a more significant effect on composite decking than on natural wood decking.
While Trex composite decking has a host of incredible benefits, composite deck boards have no structural value, so if you have 61-centimetre on-centre joists, the composite decking will sag between the joists, causing a bouncy, saggy, unstable floor.
If you're looking for the best of the best, Trex Transcend is your answer. It's the most expensive Trex decking level, but it offers the highest level of quality and performance that composite decking has to offer. Like Select and Enhance, Trex Transcend boards are made from recycled materials and are low-maintenance.
Cooler Under the Sun*
Reflects the sun and your sense of style. Transcend Lineage is engineered to keep your deck cooler, even on the hottest days.
We recommend and carry their three best lines: Trex Transcend, Trex Select, and Trex Enhance Naturals. Below, we'll run through the differences between each of the three lines and the variety of looks, colors, and features in each line to help you pick the board that best fits your deck goals.
Trex is stain and mold-resistant, so even the best of us can slack on cleaning our decks sometimes. But waiting too long can lead to staining and mold growth from leftover food, drinks, dirt, pollen, etc.
In 1970 British paleontologist Barney Newman posited that the arms actually served as braces to prevent the front of the body from skidding forward as the animal rose from a prone position using its hindlimbs. During such activity, the forelimbs would have been extended in an action reminiscent of a push-up.
Who is Trex biggest competitor?
Should you be buying Trex stock or one of its competitors? The main competitors of Trex include Louisiana-Pacific (LPX), ChampionX (CHX), Simpson Manufacturing (SSD), Eagle Materials (EXP), UFP Industries (UFPI), TopBuild (BLD), KBR (KBR), Comfort Systems USA (FIX), Altair Engineering (ALTR), and THOR Industries (THO).
Trex Company's competitors and similar companies include The AZEK Company, Hebei Minmetals, Midland Brick and Meber. Trex Company is the world's number one decking and railing brand, and leader in high-performance, low-maintenance outdoor living products.
Whereas Trex decking is fade- and stain-resistant, uncapped, early-generation composite boards were: Subject to discoloration and staining over time. Need periodic cleaning with a deck wash. Were susceptible to mold and mildew, fading, staining and scratching.
The two main factors that determine how hot composite decking will get are if it's in direct sunlight and the color of the boards. So we did our research and found various tests comparing the temperature differences between Trex colors, a few types of wood, and patio materials for comparison.
- Transcend Island Mist.
- Transcend Spiced Rum.
- Transcend Tiki Torch.
- Enhance Naturals Rocky Harbor.
- Enhance Naturals Toasted Sand.
- Enhance Basics Clam Shell.
Abrasive substances can damage the composite deck surface, but salt is not coarse enough to damage the surface. However, we would still recommend you to rub or press the salt against composite decking. With little care and attention composite decks can last over long periods.
It is likely more advantageous to stain Trex composite decking as these decks are porous and can accept stain often better than latex paint. If you decide to stain, choose a product with mildew and UV inhibitors. Additionally, use a stain-blocking primer before staining.
However, you should also do a semi-annual cleaning in spring and fall using a composite deck cleaner. Because the older Trex generation boards (installed prior to 2009) weren't as durable (there was no cap on the composite core of the board like there is today), pollen and debris buildup are more likely to grow mold.
While standing water can't harm your composite deck boards, it is still a good idea to remove the water for a couple of reasons: Water on deck boards can cause your deck surface to become a bit slick. Standing water can affect the vulnerable deck substructure which is made of traditional wood.
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