Pergola

specwood

Any thoughts on using Trex for a pergola? It's non-structural nature is a problem for sure. Wrapping frame members in 3/4" trex might look wierd.

The only other maintenance free alternative is vinyl. Anyone use the vinyl pergola kits out there?

BuiltByMAC

My thoughts on using TREX for a pergola are: Don't. don't put that stuff above someone's head unless it's purely an aesthetic touch or unless it's fully supported itself.

Don't have any experience with vinyl kits, have done several w/ cedar or redwood where I prestained all the pieces before assembling it on-site. It looks nice but yes, it does need the treatment occasionally. Perhaps hook up w/ a painter and offer the service of reoccuring treatment (like adding insurance to a purchase), you'd offer to extend the life of their purchase by staining it every year/2 years for the first 10 years. You bill them when it happens, they know the charge is coming and you can adjust it for increased materials costs if neccessary.

Mac

Mike Finley

Build it out of Ipe and let it weather. It won't turn to splinters and it will look great. If down the road they ever decide they do want to stain it, all it would take is some wood brigtener and some penofin exotic and bang, it would look like it was just built.

Dezmer

I don't know Mike Finley. I live in maryland. I almost exclusively use ipe for pergolas. Mike knows of what he speaks