Just read the article in this month’s JLC about the Azek PVC trim (apparently it used to be called “Trimtec”?).
Azek trim seems to be the answer to my prayers — I’m a So Calif homeowner near the coast, in a “faux-Tudor” style home, and the climate has ravaged all the wood fascias, corner boards, & trim over years (house has “real” stucco” siding) .
I’m very conservative when it comes to building materials… does anyone have first hand, longer term (5-10 years +) experience with Azek ? (I am not very swayed by Azek’s 25-year warranty, as it does not begin to cover the cost of tearoff and labor).
Is Azek installation straightforward & “forgiving” if the contractor has never done it before? (providing they follow instructions). I don’t believe I’ve seen any PVC boards & trim used in new construction around me.
Is Azek’s technical or field support good?
And finally, would anyone have ballpark figures for RELATIVE total installed costs of Azek vs traditional wood? I’m sure the raw material is much more expensive but what about relative labor costs? At least the cost of 6-sided priming & painting is saved (if white is used).
Thx In Advance
Replies
Some feedback for you...Azek is fairly new in our market, so long term reliablility claims might be a little suspect. We've stocked it about four years & sell around 10,000 pieces of various sizes per year. Initially we had a few problems with edges coming in out of square and "hockey sticking" the last four or five feet. Both issues were quickly dealt with and have never been a problem since. About the only complaints we get at all are that it attracts dirt and it is easy to mar during handling & installation. As far as dirt attraction, sorry, can't help you there. But I suspect there's static build up during handling that may dissipate within a few weeks. During install, lacquer thinner has removed any kind of mark on it I've ever come up with. I also stumbled across something I've never seen in their lit or any other place. For the invariable smaller dents, dings, & scuffs that occur, try a heat gun on a medium setting. It will take a little practice but it's amazing to watch a mark disappear. If you over do it though, the stuff toasts like a marshmellow. I'll take the credit if it works well for you because it works for me. But don't come looking for me if you charbroil your expensive trim! Seriously, give it a try, but don't have the lacquer thinner nearby. Pricewise, in our area it is a top of the line item. Depending on what we compare it to, it could be two or three times the material cost of other items. Labor is about the same. Not having to prime & paint is the really saver. But if you do need to, I've had excellent results with alkyd paint.
Al
Al
Where is this casing/trim material to be found? Can you get it in any shape? I've got some round-tops I'll be installing, also in a coastal application
Thanks
I used it one one job to trim a small single story bumpout. It worked real well on flats and as corner boards.....sucked mitering corners for the angled bays......cut nice...but real slippery running across the table saw....and the knife sharp edge was real unforgiving....showed every tiny bump and saw mark.......not as forgiving as wood....maybe cuts too cleanly!
Route ans shapes real nice.....a regular old router bit cuts a nice clean detail.
I was installing this stuff in the dead of winter.......mornings got down to single digits...at those temps......we discovered it can explode when gun shot......better to wait till it warms up a bit! Most of the install happened in aprox 30 deg weather......we held a fat 8th gap between the stiles and rails...and I checked back this summer on a 90 deg day...they were swelled tight...but not bowed of distorted.
This was last Nov when we started...the stuff was called TrimTec at the time. I was kinda disappointed at the quality of the stuff delivered. Not a single piece was unmarked in some way. For something that's to be dead-on perfect from the factory..this stuff ain't.
he stock were could get was the standard...nomimal.....1x stock....from 1x4 to 1x 12.....all 18 foot long. Some pieces has pretty good crooks that wouldn't bend straight...as with wood. We tried to glue the edges as per factory recomendations...but it just wouldn't take...but I think it was just too cold for that.
There definitely is a learning curve to it......like my budy said.....it just ain't wood!
Jeff.......Sometimes on the toll road of life.....a handful of change is good.......
I've used the trim on a small project and found that while using stainless steal nails you have to be both quick and accurate with the hammering. If not the nail will bend like nailing into oak. You may wish to pre-drill prior to nailing or use trim screws. Once the ring shank SS nail has been driven in even a little the resign in the stuff heats up and cools just as quick making removal that much more difficult.
I did not try any other nails. Also cutting it outside while a little drizzle was falling made it very slippery and then the plastic dust turns to mush that is everywhere. One last thing. Because it comes in 18' lengths you'll need to set up an out feed table because it's like cooked spaghetti.
I intend to use it for trim that I don't want to paint, although I think the literature said that you can paint it.
Does anyone know if the stuff can be glued in a way that it could be used for trim around a door ( on the gable end of a house with vinly ) that has no overhang to protect it from rain. In short act as its own J channnel.
Hope this info helps, turtleboy
If you search JLC - finish carpentry - a guy sells the stuff and recomends PVC glue. Said it creates a near-molecular-bond.
An outfit in W. Springfield Mass. called New England Lumber Specialties makes stock and custom mouldings with the stuff. They even make a gutter which looks just like old wood gutters, but pricey. http://www.nelumberspec.com
We're about to use New England Lumber Specialties (as an outsource to Copper Beech in Northampton) to do some compound-curve exterior railings, newels and balusters that I designed for a Colonial Revival residence here in NJ. The cost is very competitive to wood and I'll see if I can post photos when completed. The intent is to fabricate a box of Azek and run it through a traditional molder-planer process, then heat-bend it in place to a full-scale mockup of the stairway.
TJC
I see now that I've revived an old post - any updated info on Azek performance?
Edited 12/29/2004 10:46 pm ET by Jeff
They only make Azek in board form right now. I don't know if they'll introduce moulding profiles at some point. As far as where to buy, go to http://www.azek.com & click "Product Info". One of the options that will be available is a dealer locator. I believe they want to market through independent dealers ("real" lumber yards) than big boxes.
Al
Hi, Tom (and others)-
One of my customers forwarded me your questions regarding AZEK as he thought I would have something to add. I am a sales reprsentative working directly for AZEK, so keep that in mind (my disclaimer.)
AZEK has been used for a number of years as a replacement for marine-grade plywood (sheets) in non-structural applications and as an exterior sign product (sheets again, 16 years.)
As a trim, it has been used for 4-5 years on the East Coast predominately, but we are now nationwide.
As for "forgiveness" of use, it handles very similarly to white pine with excellent workability. You can fasten near the edge without splits and it routs and cuts beautifully. I have some neat, e-mailable pictures that show the workability aspects of this product beyond simple trim and would be happy to e-mail those. The JLC article does a great job of covering almost all bases for optimum installation.
As for field support, AZEK has 12 outside salespeople (I cover Virginia, Maryland and Delaware) and our primary job is contractor and architect visits and all we do is AZEK trim. In your area, Herman Lopez is your rep ([email protected]) As for your final question about cost, Herman could probably walk you through that better than I as I am on the opposite side of the country! I will mention that for 2002 we have a First Time User Program that Herman can tell you about it and might help defray some of the cost.
Hope this has not been too much of a "commercial" for you guys! If I can answer any other questions let me know at [email protected]
Best Regards-
Tonya Farina
AZEK Trimboards