Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Feb 21, 1999 04:08am | #1

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   I put Trex decking on my own deck 5 years this spring, wears great and still looks good, HOWEVER I would not recommend it for railings, flat on the joists and you will be happy.

   cc The Olmsted Carpenters Co.

2. 
   Jeff_Baker | Feb 23, 1999 11:02am | #2

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   CC, any staining or fading problems? Nails popping out?

1. 
   mduval | Mar 03, 1999 09:22am | #3

   *Jeff:I've been looking into some of these composite decking materials and a local home center turned me on to Ironwood. It's cheaper and due to it's high density, requires no protective finish. It's also available with a 25 year warranty!

1. 
   CW_ | Mar 03, 1999 06:38pm | #4

   *cc - Any experience, or theories, with a two tone deck by using wood for the railing and synthetic for the decking?

1. 
   Ed_Herman | Mar 04, 1999 02:16am | #5

   *CW, I built my deck with Trex 5/4 decking and cedar railing. I used DeckMaster fasteners instead of face screwing and everything is looking great 2 years later. The Trex does hold up well. It changed color to a lite gray. This spring Ill need to stain or treat the railing as I paint my cedar siding.

1. 
   CW_ | Mar 04, 1999 07:37pm | #6

   *Thanks for the input Ed. I'd heard good things about the Trex but was leary about how the mix would turn out.CW

2. 
   J_Callahan | Mar 11, 1999 05:28am | #7

   *I was skeptical about Trex but I have become a convert. It weathers very well. The only negative is to watch out for melted candle wax and grease from the BBQ .....it can make a real mess.

3. 
   Guest_ | Mar 11, 1999 10:08am | #8

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   Make sure you have all your Trex together before you start. We did a deck with it this last fall and relied on a couple of yards telling us over the phone that they had loads of it on hand. They were confused and it turned out to be in short supply, causing us to drive all over hell hitting home centers picking through beat up piles of different batches, etc., etc. It seems to be a real good save-the-trees way to build a deck, though.

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 11, 1999 09:40pm | #9

   *Trex saves trees???...It's made from "dinasaur" era trees and uses far more tree than lumber from this centuries trees....What are you thinking....plastic green?

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 11, 1999 10:00pm | #10

   *Yeah!Hey copy cat Jack, what the hell is this trex stuff anyhow?Is it edible?Blue

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 12, 1999 07:56am | #11

   *DinOsaur

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 12, 1999 08:05am | #12

   *Maybe Jack is right, lets go back to using redwood.

4. 
   Jeff_Baker | Mar 12, 1999 08:48am | #13

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   I don't like the idea of the Trex material staining. That is the beauty of the Ecodeck and Carefree material. They also look more like wood than does the Trex decks that I have seen.

   MDuval, can you tell me more about the Ironwood product. Does it stain, expand and break screws, get brittle in the cold, slippery when wet etc?

5. 
   Guest_ | Mar 12, 1999 09:43am | #14

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   I've only used the TREX. Since it is extruded from a uniform matrix, you can cut, route, and shape and the exposed surface matches the face. Also, minor scratches and blemishes can be sanded carefully (a la Corian)

   I've used deckmasters as well as Simpson DeckClips. I prefer something that DOES NOT get in the space between the boards. (This will prevent proper cleaning and lead to rot of the joists.)

   Watch the expansion. Width wise is nothing, but the thermal expansion is extreme. Here I have an 80 degree F range, winter to summer, and those 20 footers do grow. Keep in mind that the spacing between planks is the same on installation as it will be in 5 years (no shrinkage like woods).

   It comes in several colors, but all of 'em don't look like wood. Depending on the home, this may be a plus. I like welded steel railings, perhaps with cables for low visibility, painted to match house trim.

   g' luck

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 12, 1999 09:47am | #15

   *My built in spellchecker is lagging behind "noticeably!"I only gots thirty minutes!!!!!J

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 12, 1999 09:50am | #16

   *All I know is the Adirondacks in 100 year old pictures was nearly tree-less....and now we have more trees than any of the last woodchucks could ever cut down even using the knew "Laser" chainless saws...Show me where the plastic trees grow.J

6. 
   Brian_Carucci | Mar 12, 1999 05:58pm | #17

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   We did a deck with trex. It had a semi-circle stone bar in the middle of it. We set a piece of trex in the sun for an hour and bent it around the bar. Try that with 5/4 anywood.

7. 
   Jeff_Baker | Mar 12, 1999 05:58pm | #18

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   Does anyone have any experience with "Ecodeck", "Trex" or "Carefree" products?

   Specifically; durability, expansion, warping and any other advantages/disadvantages.