****. Visit your home center paint department and ask for deck brightener. Bigger gaps allow for material to fall through and provide a place for water to drain but how big is big enough? Trex Decking Installation Cost. “I was lured by the durability and lack of maintenance as advertised. This is … Once you install the next board remove the nails and drive new ones next to the board you just installed. A deck may get more use in the summer and spring than the fall, but unless your backyard is off-limits during the winter, ice can be an issue. We hope our guide helped you solve some of your Trex decking issues. It’s permanent and won’t wash off. A simple garden hose with a lower pressure fitting, coupled with detergent and a mop for tough spots, is your best bet for cleaning Trex deck. Excessive bounce could become a problem in the future. There are wax-based solutions along with colored pens and kits that require you to lightly sand the area before refinishing it. These products contain bleach that will brighten your deck and kill the mold spores. If you have decking boards that are damaged, not scratched, you typically have to options with composite decking. VERY unhappy with this product! So Trex agreed to replace the defective decking but decided as a matter of ‘policy’ that they would only replace 113 of the 144 defective boards. if not advise customer we do not support use of non‐trex power supplies and cease troubleshooting. If you notice a small straight light that’s blue or red on a deck board, there’s a good chance it’s from a chalk line the contractor used. Wood will always warp, crack, and split. I work with a law firm that filed a lawsuit against Trex for misrepresenting their materials and then failing to … Pro Tip: Check with Trex before using any cleaning product on the deck. So, what are the biggest problems with Trex decking, and what can you do about them? Trex has absolutely had problems in the past but their constantly trying to improve and perfect their decking products. Fading issues are unpredictable and hard to understand. Because with a Trex deck you can’t sand or refinish the deck. If you want a larger or smaller gap just buy bigger or smaller nails. Get Notified About New Articles, GREAT DEALS on Home Goods, Videos & Product Reviews. We build using Trex composite decking regularly because it’s known for it’s gorgeous style and long lifespan. Typically if you install Trex decking on a 45 degree angle you need 12″ o.c. Leaves are easy to remove with a blower or broom, but they can leave tannins behind if you don’t move quickly enough. And this creates a secondary issue where some of the deck is in sunlight and some isn’t. These work fine but we prefer using the nails. Any type of deck board can be bouncy if the joists aren’t spaced properly, that’s why deck joists are supposed to be 16″ o.c. Trex lost a lawsuit a few years ago because their deck materials didnÂt stand up as advertised. failure. Improper installation will void the warranty in most cases so make sure if a problem occurs it’s the product that’s the problem and not the installer. If you have a larger scratch, dent, or dings, it is best to replace the entire board. DO NOT run wires between joists and deck boards. However, after installation, I realized that it is more difficult to remove dirt footprints off the Trex decking than off of regular wood decks. That’s partly due to the number of options available to homeowners today, but also because of installation issues and decking problems across the industry. This is where Trex hidden deck fasteners come into play. Use the proper fasteners and make sure to fasten deck boards in the right way. Tannin can then leach into your deck causing discolorations. From chewing gum and tar to suntan lotion or ketchup, most of these messes can be cleaned up quickly with the right tools. Failure to do so will void the warranty. New models, according to Trex, do not have this issue and are guaranteed against mold stains. Premium grade Trex decking seams to perform much better in the field as does newer decking. Decomposed first generation Trex decking. I have scrubbed on knees, power washed the deck three times and followed the customer service step by step instructions with no success. But it certainly shows up and when it does the deck can become unusable. Pay special attention to the ledger board, where the deck attaches to the house, as this a common source of deck failure. Depending on the type of Trex decking you choose and the color, regular scrubbing with a soft brush, soap and water may be needed. If a stain occurs and can’t be cleaned the only remedy is replacing the entire board. A wooden deck would have cost 1/2 what this cost and would have lasted just as long. The product fades, warps, holds water, molds terrible, and now it’s literally falling apart! Staining is a major problem with older model Trex decking and a huge issue with older composite decking products in general. We contacted Trex, got the runaround. Removing Snow or Ice from Composite Decking, Composite Decking Reviews: Brands, Colors and Cost, How to Install Trex Decking | Composites Installation, Wood Deck Railing Reviews, Installation and Cost, Stainless Steel Cable Railing Reviews, Installation and Cost, Aluminum Railing Reviews, Installation and Cost, Glass Railing Reviews, Installation and Cost, Wrought Iron Railing Reviews, Installation and Cost, Hog Wire Deck Railing Reviews, Installation and Cost, 12 Tips for Choosing the Best Flooring Options in Every Room, Ceiling Tiles Reviews and Installation Cost, Decorative Ceiling Tiles Reviews and Costs. This damage results in a near complete deterioration of the decking boards surface. Just a few months after installation, mold started to appear. The lower deck is new and is 24 feet wide and extends out 16 feet from the original deck. Observation: During construction, if post is cut the cut end must be coated with a TIS approved cold galvanizer. Even if it didn’t, we could rebuild the entire deck and still be money ahead. I could just go out and sweep most of the dirt off and hose most everything else. Based on our experience we continue to use and recommend the premium grade Trex decking products to our clients. You’ll pay more for the installation going with a pro, but it is worth it. Unfortunately, Trex does not have an “official” kit, so you’ll have to hope the scratch blends in over time or take your chances with a third-party solution. This can be an issue with an older deck once fading has occurred since the new deck boards won’t match the old. NOTE: Avoid railing brackets and locations for deck rail lights when running wires up posts. Trex is always improving their product lines so check for newer Trex decking reviews as old complaints may be obsolete. Now it seems more people are becoming dissatisfied with the longevity and quality of Trex products. Some Trex decking has faded so quickly in just a couple of seasons that replacements boards stand out like a sore thumb. It quickly absorbs into the decking and will never come out. Every material in the construction trade can have a bad manufacturing run. If your deck boards aren’t gapped right, you can experience issues like this throughout the year. “We purchased the Trex in 2008, and it was an expensive mistake. We recommend using Trex Elevations light gauge steel framing for most of our projects. Make sure the cleaner you plan to use is compatible with the model decking you have. Again, it seems completely random when this happens, but it happens often enough that you should know about it. Just install the fasteners and deck boards, your gaps will all be perfect. or 12″ o.c. I selected Trex’s Brasilia product in Burnished Amber, which has a grain-like pattern through it that … We highly recommend them. Smaller is nicer but too small can be a problem. Note: This section refers only to older model Trex decking sold up until 2013. This is a composite decking problem that’s impossible to predict until a deck has been in the weather for several months, which can lead to a very expensive problem. The fact is you spilled your problem with your new trex deck out on this forum & don't like the answers you're getting. Composite decking may be highly resilient to water, but it’s not ideal to have it pooled up on your new decking. Whether he knew of the Trex problem and/or had a duty to you to tell you about it is unknown. 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