Eco Friendly Home Improvements
Composite Decking: Share your experience
Posted by recycleholic • 5/12/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS]
Tags: composite decking, deck, trex
A few years ago I built a Trex deck. I love it but it's not without its share of issues.
Here is my feedback after working with the material and seeing it weather a few seasons.
Pros:
- One of the best looking composites available IMO
- Fairly easy to manipulate and bend
- Wood grains look most realistic of the composite decks
- All the colors available look natural
- NO STAINING OR PAINTING!
Cons:
- Expensive (duh)
- Not weathering as well as I thought it would. Faded from a dark gray to a very light gray in a couple years.
- Gathers mold easily and looks like a faded Jackson Pollack painting
- Very dense and as a result had to predrill everything
- The grain is only in one pattern. Looks repetitious if you don't stagger.
Anyone else out there have a Trex deck or any other composite deck? From what I've seen on the net they all have some negative.
User Comments
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Wow, thanks for that! I want to replace my weather-beaten wooden deck and was considering Trex - I'll be interested in hearing what others have to say. -
I ended up opting for a FSC certified cousin of IPE when I put my deck on. I did not like the look of the composites and had heard they don't weather well. Wood decks need maintenance which I have to do this year.
My friend has IPE and loves it. Very dense and you should have someone who knows how to work with it. Tauri (which I have) is brownish color so I did not have to stain it. I used weather boss to stain and protect the deck. It is a more natural type of stain. You can read about it on my site if you would like.
I would love to hear what people have to say. Anna -
I did a short article on it a couple of months ago- www.greenhomeimprovements.info/category/decks-and-decking
Most of the composites with wood fibers tend to bleed (black stains), the harder you scrub the more wood fiber you expose and then more staining. Most of them are easy to scratch and they also stain if you spill food on them.
Azek makes a cellular PVC decking that is hard to scratch, will not stain and looks like painted wood. While PVC is a nasty product to make, but it will outlive all other decking with the exception of IPE. IMHO, it's a green product since it will last a long time and save landfill space.
If you have the budget for IPE look into how it is harvested. Some of the harvesters are destroying the forest and everything in them getting the trees out. The environmental impact of using trees is less than green IMHO.
In reference to Trex and all of the composites that the home centers sell, they are not a wise investment. Most of them get "waves" from them sagging between the joist. Another common issue is splits next to the nails/screws and pieces just breaking off. I don't think that wood fibers and plastic are meant to be bonded and left outdoors.
I could go on and on.......your best bet is to take a look at composite decks that have been installed for 5 years or so and see how they stand up to the weather. Look around the screws to see if there are splits, check for uneven fading, look for mold/mildew build up, lay a board on the deck and check for dips/sags. -
I agree with you on IPE. Make sure it is from a sustainable forest source. Great comment. I am not a fan of anything PVC but understand your opinions. You want it to last not throw it away in a few years. Anna
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Anna, I was reading somewhere about fish with 3 eyes in PA from run off due to PVC. I think the same article talked about the water being so toxic that if you put outside fish in it they would float (dead) within a mater of minutes. While I endorse the product I am always looking for something a little safer for our environment.
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FHI is absolutely right on the sagging too. I went ahead and did 12" on center instead of the recommended 16" for the joist spacing. I believe that made a significant difference in the lack of sag. The inspector said my joist setup was WAY overkill but I thought it was a necessary step.
As far as the cracking by the screws, I avoided this by predrilling before I attached each board. It probably doubled my build time but it saved my drill from burnout and ruining any of the boards. PLUS those special screws can strip quite easily.-
Recycleholic, Most of the brands now offer slotted decking that use invisible fasteners. You can now do a whole deck without screws(except a few on the edges)! This puts an end to the pre-drilling and surface screws. Stay clear of the Tiger Claw system, their clips are very hard to use on decking that is not slotted.
Random thoughts:
Stainless steel screws, lags bolts and joist hangers will last a lifetime, the galv garbage is having issues with the PT framing causing it to rust and fail.
Rhino Guard (I think) make a covering that goes over the top of your joists so water can not site on them. This product will extend the life of your joist.
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We put one in last summer--a cottage deck using composite materials. Have to look up the name. This spring it looks good as it did when new! No mold, no fading of color. We love it so far. -
Just following up on my earlier comment on composite decking. Looked up the name of the one we used at the cottage: Crosstimbers by ELK Composite Building Products, Inc. www.elkcorp.com.
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I came across a not so recent issue with Geodeck. Apparently there was an issue with Geodeck manufacturing between April 2002 and October 2003 making it prone to oxidative degradation. The defect would not surface immediately since it's a result of exposure to the elements. Over time the decks would fail and possibly crack and break.
You can read more about it at one of these sites.
geodeckclassaction.com/
www.bobvila.com/BBS/GeoDeck_Issues-Deck_and_Patio-1-T1144.html#1144
This seems to be an isolated issue but I would do my research into this product like any other before committing. Trex had issues too and some say they still do
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