advice with composite decking...

[Cray Paper]

I am planning on building a low height deck on our home (+/- 400 sq') and am considering composite decking. I'm a carpenter by trade and have built several decks but only have experience working with composite (Trex) decking once back around 2004. What I recall this decking (2x6x16') was abnormally heavy and the guy I built it for had previously framed his deck with 2x6 on 24 CL and decided to go with a chevron pattern with the 2x6 Trex. The stuff wouldn't span and I had to add joists. I also recall it got really hot laying in the sun and every hole had to be pre-drilled and counter sunk. Even with the Trex screws it still puckered around the head of the screws.

Lots of things to consider and price is a major factor, just looking online the composite decking appears to be about 9x's the cost of cedar?

Who has composite decking and do you think it was worth the costs?

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

WearDeck.

You can do either 16 OC like Trex, or you can get some options that are structural and you can do up to 24 OC.

It’s better than Trex as it contains Owen’s Corning glass fibers.

Plus they offer some colors that don’t get hot at all, or as hot compared to other composites.

Yeah it’s expensive, but do it right once.

 

[Cray Paper]

WearDeck.

You can do either 16 OC like Trex, or you can get some options that are structural and you can do up to 24 OC.

It’s better than Trex as it contains Owen’s Corning glass fibers.

Plus they offer some colors that don’t get hot at all, or as hot compared to other composites.

Yeah it’s expensive, but do it right once.

I will look in to Wear Deck.

I'm in south Everett WA and just starting to research composite decking. At almost 10X's the cost of cedar 5/4 and with my limited experience with the stuff and limited lessons learned it seems like it will be a hard no on initial feasibility / cost analysis. Cedar decking that is taken care of here will last 15 / 20 years. I wonder how long the plastic composite decking will hold color and structural integrity? It weights 2 to 3 times as much as cedar from my limited experience, so structural framing costs also factor in to it total costs.

I'm looking for the benefits of using this stuff versus cedar. The only thing I see as a plus is color choices and am looking for justification / reasons for spending more on a walking surface on a deck.

 

[Raffit78]

We just did our deck, we used TimberTech, here's a couple pics. Looks good, hopefully it lasts. Allegedly they say it's good for 20-30 years?

 

[hallett21]

Just my opinion but it seems like Trex needs to be 12” oc. 16” oc almost makes it feel “bouncy”.

 

[DC-88]

Make sure to use butyl on top of the joists to protect them .

Trex Protect Decking Tape by Trex

<p>Protect your deck, family, and investment with the waterproof strength of the innovative Trex Protect Non-Skid Self-Adhesive Tape. Cover your newly installed joists, beams, ledger boards and more with the long-lasting protection of Trex Protect Non-Skid Joist Butyl Tape. Now featuring an...

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[Melloyellovector]

They all (composite decks) get hot AF in direct sunlight.
both my deck near pool will actually steam from wet feet

when I redo I’ll replace w Ipe wood. Expensive but worth it.

 

[Rbcconst]

I am planning on building a low height deck on our home (+/- 400 sq') and am considering composite decking. I'm a carpenter by trade and have built several decks but only have experience working with composite (Trex) decking once back around 2004. What I recall this decking (2x6x16') was abnormally heavy and the guy I built it for had previously framed his deck with 2x6 on 24 CL and decided to go with a chevron pattern with the 2x6 Trex. The stuff wouldn't span and I had to add joists. I also recall it got really hot laying in the sun and every hole had to be pre-drilled and counter sunk. Even with the Trex screws it still puckered around the head of the screws.

Lots of things to consider and price is a major factor, just looking online the composite decking appears to be about 9x's the cost of cedar?

Who has composite decking and do you think it was worth the costs?

There are 2 different thicknesses for trex, they have a 1" and 1.5". The thin is not great. I would not run a trex with 24 OC I personally would do 16 OC for a normal pattern any kind of diagonal pattern I think I would want 12" oc. If you get snow I would also probably do 12" OC. You also need to look into the concealed screws. Camo Fasteners has several options for all types of decking materials. https://www.camofasteners.com/.

There are several products like trex. Timbertech is also nice. https://www.jwlumber.com/products/decking/

 

[johnnyC]

i had the first gen trex ( 1994) on my house , the 1.5 inch, it was still good after 28 years, it had a brown color and it faded to a light grey, you could walk on it barefoot on a hot day in comparison, redwood would burn your feet. the only problem i had was the substructure or joists started to rot from age but the trex was still good and the screws were rusting away ...trex holds moisture around the screws , you need to have a moisture barrier between the decking and the joists or the joists will rot, use stainless deck screws if you can find them$$, had joists 16 in on center and the deck was bouncing and in retrospect i would lay the joists 12 in on center, when i rebuilt my deck substructure i up sized my deck joists from 2x6 to 2x12 and it firmed it up quite a bit, the only problem with trex is that there is on stiffness to it like regular wood.... the upside to trex is there is no maintenance to it and after 20+ years the trex tended to start to powder on the surface a little but if you scrub it down it was good as new .... this was my experience with it

 

[RVRKID]

We just did our deck, we used TimberTech, here's a couple pics. Looks good, hopefully it lasts. Allegedly they say it's good for 20-30 years?

Looks great and awesome backyard, looks like North Rancho.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

My father in law has trex 1.5" around the pool. Has been great for them. It's been 10 years and it still looks great.

 

[Caydens Cat]

Built a multi-tier Trex deck at my old house. 16" OC with 1.5" boards. I had Winchester grey. It faded a bit over time. Home depot sells "Trex" paint. Looked good as new for many years when repainted. Does get hot, then again it was grey so there's that. Personally, I liked it.

 

[JDKRXW]

Who has composite decking and do you think it was worth the costs?

I have a Trex deck. Built it in about 2002 or 2003. At the time it was around 3-4x the cost of high quality PT.... and you're right - is heavier than hell.
So it's 20+ yrs old and it looks like the day it was installed. If you're going to be staying at the place you're considering it for, it's 110% worth it.