What You Need To Know About Trex Vs Plastic Decking

PVC Decking provides a range of benefits and solutions that homeowners have struggled to find for years with previous decking options. Homeowners have long had the desire for a low maintenance decking product, and PVC, with its no-wood composition, certainly answers that need. Most will look similar, and have basic color choices, require some periodic cleaning, and care should be taken not to scratch or stain the decking.

Wolf® Decking

Despite the fact, they still can’t match the look of wood-plastic composite deck blends. Each PVC plank looks the same, down to the grain patterns and color streaks. Meanwhile, quality composite decking such as Timbertech decking perfectly captures the innate beauty of wood, with authentic wood-grain embossing and natural colors. While both products practically come with the same advantages, each has its own set of qualities that make one the better choice for your backyard. Below, you’ll see why more people choose composite decking for their home addition project.

What To Know About Deck Railing Height

One brand of aluminum decking we tested snaps together, much the way tongue-and-groove flooring does. A vinyl decking product we reviewed snapped in place over metal clips screwed onto the joists. 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. Some composite planks are flexible enough to be easily curved into patterns or shapes that would be expensive to duplicate in solid wood. CR members with digital access can see our Decking Ratings, which reflect our updated, two-year exposure score. Our tests showed that some synthetic decking didn't make the grade for rigidity, and some tonier wood products look worse for wear.

Timbertech Pro Vs Azek: Which Decking Is Best For You?

Before we dive into the pros and cons of PVC and composite decking materials, it’s important to point out that PVC decking is not vinyl decking. The two terms are often used interchangeably at a consumer level. Many popular brands are made from 50 percent wood fibers and 50 percent recycled plastic. Composite decking is a solid color all the way through, so the ends of boards are not as noticeable.

If your decking has cracks, looks dirty, or suffers from mildew, it's time to decide whether to refinish or replace it entirely. We test, evaluate, and compare different types of decking to save you time and money.

The three most commonly used materials for decking arepressure-treated wood, wood-composite , or an all-plastic decking made of polyvinyl chloride . For many who are new to decking, it might be difficult to tell much of a difference between PVC and composite when looking at samples.

Let’s face it, Capped Polymer and Capped Composite decks are going to be more expensive on the front-end than a Cedar or Treated-Pine deck. However, the cost and time savings on maintenance can quickly make up for the additional up-front costs. Lots of people like the fact that the decking material will grey over time.

But synthetic plank decking offers good looks with less upkeep.Composites, which blend ground-up wood and plastic, have chipped away at wood's popularity. One can combine composite with other decking materials, but it can be difficult. Tiles from the same manufacturer often work well for this purpose.

In addition to selecting the color of deck boards, you'll also have to decide on the color of the fascia boards, railings, spindles, hardware, posts and caps. And those aren't easy decisions, especially when all you have to go on is a brochure with tiny color swatches. For more information on decking products, ideas and techniques, search for “decks” at the top of this page.

Some of the more well-known manufacturers of roll-out vinyl decking membrane include Tufdek and Duradek. DuxxBak decking is a unique composite decking that doesn't allow water to pass between the deck boards, keeping the area under the deck dry.

What Is A Composite Decking Board Made Of?

Any composite or plastic decking can come in a tongue-and-groove style. Most manufacturers sell at least one product with this feature. Price, though the cost to install a composite or PVC deck, no matter the material, is fairly consistent. In many cases, pros can install composite boards on a roof deck.

Their decking uses fiber sequencing technology for added strength and long lasting beauty. Serenity Decking uses a proprietary ColorWatch ASA capstock which gives the decking the color variation of real wood and repels moisture and UV rays. Furthermore, the appearance and texture of Trex resembles real wood not plastic. It has a matte finish and wood like grain that you will not find in a PVC decking. PVC decking is shiny and smooth to the touch making it look like faux wood.

• For wood, solid stains typically yield longer-lasting results.
• Don't skimp on support joists if you choose heavier composites or less-rigid plastics.
• When pricing the materials, be sure to figure in the cost of railings, stairs, and supporting structure as well as the planks under foot.
• The cheapest composite decking material costs around $4 to $5 per square foot.
• Along with a circular saw you'll need a drill, preferably cordless.

Composite decking with wood embossed texturing has a better slip resistance than PVC. It is an ideal choice if your deck surrounds a pool or hot tub, or is in a rainy region, where its surface might be frequently wet and a potential hazard for kids and guests. Before you embark on purchasing decking, it pays to know the pros and cons of each all of which have different prices, aesthetics, and maintenance. The average price of PVC decking is $9 and $15 per square foot. When considering PVC decking, it’s important to weigh the positives and negatives of this material. Vinyl decking is sometimes interchangeably referred to as PVC decking at a consumer level. While they’re both made from synthetic material, this is technically incorrect and the two are quite different.

Backed by a 25-year limited warranty, it’s environmentally friendly and designed to remain free of rotting, splitting, splintering, insect damage. Composite decking—like Trex—is a blend of plastic film and wood fibers. The plastic film that goes into composite decking can include polypropylene or polyethylene. These plastics work well with wood fibers to create a strong, resilient material that is more stable than 100% plastic decking. Plastic decking is often confused with composite decking, which contains plastic film, but isn't quite the same thing. Learn more about the various types of plastic decking, the pros and cons of these materials, and how plastic decking stacks up to Trex® composite decking.