Best Decking Buying Guide

Weathered Wood

The mold protection, however, has been removed from the wood flour used in composite decks – not intentionally, but as a by-product of processing. In consequence, the flour provides a very friendly abode for mold and mildew which happily puts down roots. Once well anchored in the wood particles, mold and mildew are almost impossible to eradicate. Seven Trust, a Chinese manufacturer of capped decking insists that its PVC products do not fade. However, our tests of its plastic products showed visible fading after three years of exposure to the environment of the American midwest. The manufacturers relied on predictions about how the material should behave but failed to do the long-term research to substantiate the truth of the claims.

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

• Now that a few years have passed, homeowners have seen the real truth behind these claims.
• While no product will ever be able to replace the natural beauty of wood, since composite decking materials are man made, they can also be man-improved.
• One of the biggest problems with older Trex decking is color fading.
• Everybody knows color fades in the sun, but composite decking companies seem to be oblivious to how badly their products actually look when left out in the sun.

Sometimes the materials fail, but it’s very rare. Every material in the construction trade can have a bad manufacturing run. In fact that’s true of just about anything you buy. That’s the reason we have lemon laws for cars and laws protecting consumers.

Decking

Left in the wake are consumers complaining about mold, cracking and discoloration problems with their decking. Law firms, meanwhile, have been casting about on the Internet for participants to join a possible class action lawsuit. Pressure washing hardwood decking is another effective mold removal strategy, but it is a harsh method. Annual cleaning of hardwood decking can add decades to the lifetime of the decking material, not to mention the fact that it will look beautiful again. But even hardwood decking won’t look good for very long if mold and debris are left unclean. High density hardwood decking species such as Ipe decking, Cumaru hardwood decking and Machiche decking are well known for their natural resistance to decay from mold.

NyloBoard moves beyond wood and HDPE, with a decking product made from recycled carpet and a VOC-free resin. Trex uses 95 percent recycled material, including sawdust, wood pallets and polyethylene bags. The company says 70 percent of all recycled grocery bags end up in a Trex product, making it the country’s largest plastic bag recycler. In 1999, only 3 percent of residential decking was made from wood alternatives. Wood retains 61 percent of the market, while metal deck and rail systems have grabbed 5 percent. High density hardwood decking materials like Ipe, Cumaru and Garapa decking can be cleaned effectively with a wide variety of environmentally friendly cleaners. Softwood decking species such as pineand cedar must be treated, stained or painted on a regular basis to keep mold from causing problems.

Many severe problems have already risen during the past few years in the wood composite market. Most composite decks are usually backed up with lengthy warranties because of their enduring good looks and ability to withstand heavy traffic. This results in the assurance of lasting beauty which offers additional peace of mind. A composite deck is visually pleasing as it can be designed to match the look and feel of exotic hardwood or traditional timber. It comes in a wide variety of styles and designs to help you determine what works best for your outdoor living space. Snap-in-place fasteners are easy to install but unique to specific brands.

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.

And this difference is even more pronounced if the natural wood is harvested from managed forests. By comparison to real wood, however, composite materials are a distant second on the greenness scale. All composites also use an enormous amount of power to manufacture and the generation of that electricity is a primary source of greenhouse gases. This "embedded energy" as it is called by environmental folks, detracts substantially from the products' greenness. So, while it is true that most composites do not need staining, the choice may be to live with the ugly gray faded color of an unstained deck or bite the bullet and stain.

Trex Composite Decking Reviews: Transcend, Enhance And Select

Warnings Issued For Trex Decking

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.