#Trex decks install#

While the benefits listed above may have a homeowner running to the home improvement store, it’s not all sunny days and margaritas with a composite deck.

The wood in the composite comes from sawdust and other leftover wood products, and even if they were cutting trees to make it, they’d use fewer trees per board foot of decking than if it was all wood. You don’t need to worry about trees dying to make your deck when you use Trex composite decking. Your Trex deck will never have any issues with damage from carpenter bees or any other bugs. There are no insects or small animals that enjoy eating plastic, so even if your home and fence are home to termite colonies, your deck will not be. A Trex deck doesn’t get nearly as hot in direct sun, which means no kids crying in pain, or dancing on the deck to get shoes on. Composite Materials Don’t Get As Hot in the Sun As Treated Lumber Doesįor those who grew up in a hot climate, they understand how hot a treated wood deck can be, and have experienced burned feet on treated decks on a July afternoon. Anyone who’s ever walked barefoot on a treated deck and been impaled by a stray sliver of wood will love this feature. The molded boards that constitute Trex decking have wood in them, but they are not wood, so they can’t splinter. Depending on your climate, you may get more or less time, but a 25-year-old deck will be an outlier. Generally, a good rule of thumb when deciding on a treated deck is to plan for a 15-year lifespan. Okay, sure, somebody out there has a 26-year-old treated lumber deck, but it’s not the norm. While this might not be entirely true, the regular sanding and restaining activities that are part of maintaining a treated lumber deck are not necessary for this type of material.įor the labor-averse homeowner, that might be the number one factor in why Trex decking is worth the investment. One of the big selling points of composite decking of any kind is that it’s practically maintenance-free. If you’re building your deck yourself, you’ve got to consider that when you’re looking at upsides. Since composite decking is not all wood, it stands to reason that Trex materials will weigh less than the same materials for a treated lumber deck, which means it will be easier to transport and easier to work with. So first, the good: It’s Lighter Than Wood When a prospective owner asks themselves if trex decking is worth the money, they must look at several issues beyond the initial cost outlay, which, as already established, is higher than that of a treated lumber deck. The company also boasts that a 500 square-foot (27.87 square-meter) Trex deck contains over 140,000 recycled plastic bags.

#Trex decks install#

With composite decking, a homeowner can install a deck and use it without worrying about maintaining it, which is a time-consuming prospect that, for many homeowners, ends up being something of an unpleasant hobby.Ĭomposite decking is more expensive than its wooden counterparts, including Trex decks, which can be a disadvantage, at first, but eventually, it will be a benefit.įor the green-minded homeowner, Trex uses recycled materials and claims to save 400 million pounds of plastic and wood from landfills every year.

The material itself had the look of wood, but since it had plastic components in its makeup, it lasted longer than even the finest treated lumber. One of the oldest manufacturers of composite decking, Trex was founded in 1996 and offered a decking material made from wood and plastics. We’ll look at the pros and cons of Trex decking and see that, square foot for square foot, treated lumber decks will offer an inferior product over the life of your deck. They cost more than a treated lumber one, making up for your extra outlay of cash at the onset, and will last for years longer than the average treated deck, letting you more than recoup your investment. Trex decks are worth it because you get what you pay for. But when it comes to materials, you’re either looking at treated lumber or some sort of composite decking, like Trex, for example. When it comes to building a deck in your backyard or around your pool, you’ve got a lot of choices involving design and use.