Azec (plastic) Trim Boards

Bukemdano

Hi all !

I was wondering if any of you have dealt with this type of board before. I am having a heck of time keeping the side (factory cut or self cut edge) clean. The edges are really porus. The dirt and dirty finger prints stick very easy and sticks out like a sore thumb and when I try to whipe it clean with a wet rag, it just smears it. Anyone of you guys have any tricks, products or suggestions to help clean these boards up? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks !

Dan

Teetorbilt

Sounds like you may be in too deep to back out of the project but sometimes you have to bite that bullet.
Many plastics, you have to have special equipment. Especially the softer ones. They are cut with knives, not saws. Expanded foams can be cut with a regular saw UNTIL it starts to laod up, then the blade begins to melt its way through.
I have to deal with this stuff due to restaurants and other accounts like PetSmart. If the money wasn't so good, I'd flip them off.
You may want to reconsider future business with this customer.
For the immediate problem, try razor knives. It sucks, but you learn as you go.

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Tom R

I use Azek fairly often, - - not sure how to cut it with razors, - - but when I run it through my saw, - - I feed it about 1 1/2 times faster than I feed wood, - - and don't 'stop' at any point during the cut. As Teetor says, - - you need to cut through it, - - not melt through it. Wear gloves to keep off the 'oily' fingerprints, - - and any marks you do get on the edges will disappear with a piece of light sandpaper (120 or 150 - depending on how dark the mark). It also helps to lightly sand the edges (by hand) before you install. I dab the nail-holes with GE white silicone caulk, - - and 'wipe-away' with a dry paper towel.

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Bjd

We use this materail often, and I would suggest rubber gloves.
As to the cuts, leave them long and sand with a belt sander fine paper.

Good Luck
bjd

Bukemdano

THanks for the replies guys. I am not sure what teet is talking about. Melting the board with the saw is not a problem at all, although I do appreciate the insite I just got done wrapping a porch and it turned out pretty good. I tried the sand paper and it worked awesome, it was like magic getting the black marks off the face. I guess the only anser is not getting it dirty in the first place I also did caulk the nail holes with caulk, just not sure it was GE or not. Which brings me the next question. The problem with the caulk I use shrinks. I am wondering if the GE you mention has the same problem or if it is possible to use vinyle spackle, since you can sand the boards which I didnt know before. I think that would work better. who knows

Thanks again for the help

-Dan

Tom R

The GE silicone caulk won't shrink, but you wouldn't sand it, just dry-wipe it (once) and you're done. I wouldn't trust vinyl spackling for exterior use, - - but can't say I've actually tried it.

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Bukemdano

Okay cool... Your right, spackle would not be a good choice outside.. forgot about that .lol.... thanks for the info

Dan

Tom R

Also, - - they make the GE silicone caulk in a 'toothpaste'-sized tube (HD has it), - - it's much easier to use on nail holes (and less 'bulky-waste' than a caulk gun).

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luxbuildsmall

Has anyone have tips for bending AZEK? Doing hardi-plank siding with AZEK trim with an oval and a half circle window that needs to be trimmed. A quote for pre-made was $900 for the oval. Forget it! My building rep say this product can be easily bent with a heat gun. He also said there is a heat pad that can be purchased to do same. My siding guys never trimed ovals with.

TAKT

I saw the product heated and bent with a heat blanket. Worked great. It wasn't AZEK pvc trim it was from CertainTeed. They call it Restoration Millwork. The big dog is barking again.

underdog1753

We have done some bending on the Azek and also on the Versatex product in our shop. I am not so sure you will get a decent job with a heat gun. We use heat blankets and it works fairly well.

Another option would be to simply buy it by the sheet and template what you need and cut it out with a jigsaw. We do that much more than we bend the product. It is faster----less set up time---and does a better job.

$900 is a crazy number. We do radius to the builder at $165 each and an oval would be at twice that price or $330. We are amkeing good money at those numbers so I can only imagine what they are making at $900 for the job.

I would buy the sheet and cut it out myself. It takes very little skill and not really all that much time.

Sider' Brian

We use vinyl spackle-never had a problem

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noticeablejames

Yes, Azek makes a heat kit for bending. It costs about $1200. This may not be worth it for a one time use.
I have also heard of making a bending tube from pvc pipe, attaching it to a torpedo kerosene heater with the far end of the pipe closed. The azek is heated for a time, removed from the tube and clamped into the desired bent position. Good luck. Let me know how it turns out.

Tommy V

Also just for cleaning, ammonia and windex works great for cleaning the dirt off. Just got done putting up about 700 lf, 8", 6", made my own window surounds pocket screwing them togeather with stainless steel screws, they look fantastic! The adheasive works great, but can be a little messy. All in all, I think it's a pretty good product.

rebob

Dan, I found that product impossible to keep clean. I have switched to a product called select trim by Gossen Corporation. It is produced with smooth edges. Hope that helps.

kylemfk

The pre made Akek/Koma/Cellular PVC market is growing quickly. It seems like everyday I have a new salesman at my supply house with a new product. That being said I really like the Intex (koma), Advanced TrimWorks, and Millwork Unlimited (azek) Products. You should be able to find better pricing on that oval, also with a built in J/nailing fin if you like. Try your local suppliers see if any of them deal with these companies.

KentWhitten

I used this stuff for the first time last year. It has it's pros and cons. We had white pvc cement from gorilla glue which is probably the norm. But man, if you cut the stuff 1/16" too long and try to fit the board in, it will buckle.

I've seen alot of it buckling, but it does look nice, especially from a distance. And it's theoretically going to be there forever.

I would also use the sheet goods, but wholly crapahola is it expensive!

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CCLSALES

I work at a lumberyard and our millwork shop uses a hot box to bend the product, but many of my customers have uses sonotubes taped together with a space heater on one end and the other end blocked up. A soon as the material is hot enough, pull it out and bend it around a form and let cool. Allow the end near the saw to be cut off before installation. This same technique has been used for bending Trex decking for years.

Patrick

Your in New Hampshire? Harvey will bend them for you if you buy the material from them and its pretty cheap money too

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Originally Posted by Celtic
Like I said...I'm sure you are very good at what you do ~ whatever that is and where ever it happens.

neolitic

Ummmm, he was in NH...two and a half
years ago.

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