There are plenty of threads on here about the various composite decking manufacturers if you use the search function.

Trex makes a good product, they also make some not-so-good products. Almost all of the manufacturers have had problems with their product at some point. Trex is the biggest player so it stands to reason that they would have the biggest problem and the publicity that goes along with it.

I received good advice from another deck builder. "All of these manufacturers make a premium product, it's the one that you should sell and install. All of their other products are, in some way, lesser. The savings isn't worth the risk."

I like the look of Trex. I prefer Fiberon as a product but I'll install either on happily. I don't have a long history with composite other than repairing it or tearing it off of older decks. I didn't start installing it until a couple years ago.

 

I'm a trex guy/pro but I'm not anti anything else. I'll agree with the above poster and tell all our clients if you're going with a composite product go with the top of the line stuff because the difference in price in minimal. Unless they're dead set on a color I stick with the trandscend line.

Other than appearance (color/grain) the only significant difference between the big boys is what they do with their cap around the deck board. Trex covers the top and sides, I believe Fiberon wraps the entire board, etc and they each claim theirs is the best way to do it. I personally just like to stick with one product and know everything I can about it, I've toured the plant, etc.

Good luck

 

When I hand a person a $40,000 proposal I don't say "if you go with select you can save 300 bucks. It's inappropriate IMO. So I don't even offer the lesser quality "bargain material". JMPOV

 

I agree with your point about offering a lesser quality "bargain product" but, as you know, the difference on a 40 grand deck is substantially more than $300.00 :whistling. Otherwise, why would they continue to offer the lesser products?

 

Yes, some of the other composite companies are considered superior to trex. Fiberon & Timbertech are what I suggest for higher end customers as I refuse to use trex, lost very few deck jobs over that policy.

 

Fiberon maybe, but I refuse to sell Timbertech after just walking on the deck during install scuffs the cap.

 

Trex is a nice product, i sell it...(first post so hello!) HOWEVER, if it were me i would go to the Timber-Tech if you had your heart set on composite.
The fact of the matter is, no matter how any of these deck boards are coated they are made with wood fibers... which in time will soak up moisture, and who knows how that will affect the bond with the material coating the surface. Had a fella tell me that he had to cut off an azek rail post because the cap had busted, water had been inside the post and expanded the composite to the point that it was splitting the pvc on the outside.
TT is coated on all sides, whereas Trex is only on the top surface.
Also the TT legacy series is incredible. Nothing else like it on the market. And no im not a TT fanboy, WOLF really....

Great warranties on both however so a decent choice either way

As far as Fiberon goes i dont like how they take a saw and slice their grooves in the side of the board... .sounds like problems in the future. plus i can peel the coating up with my fingernail

 

You can peel the pvc coating off Fiberon? Must have been a defective board.

I've wondered why they put the groove in after the pvc coating instead of before. Only conclusion I can come up with is for a consistant sized groove so the clips work well. Still a point water can absorb into like trex's bottom side.

One thing I'm not happy about with the Fiberon, they only sell the non grooved boards in 20' lengths. Why not sell the 12's & 16's non grooved too?

 

Water doen't nor can't absorb into trex bottom side. I've left it in a bucket of water for weeks then cut it and it had no absorption.

 

We have been using Trex Transcend for a while now and that is all we use. I have had customers ask about the lower priced Trex but we don't think the little bit of money you save is worth the risk.

We also clean and stain a lot of the older trex decking and have had to watch homeowners feel slighted. These were not decks we built but after spending that kind of money on a deck not one of them could stomach the cost to rip it out and put the new Transcend in. We have even done a few boat docks and no problems to date (2 yrs later).

 

Yep, the old accents feel apart, but that was the case with other UNCAPPED composites as well. I really think the newest capped products are here to stay. I've never heard one complaint about Transcends. I've never sold a select deck. Although all warranty claims are now being replaced with capped. So if anyone has a bad "Accents" deck and you file a claim it will be replaced with select decking. I'm working on a warranty replacement as we speak. Trex is paying it all. It is my first Select deck.

 

I don't get to use composites much around here but the few times I have it's been trex and all of them now look like crap. It was the cheaper trex though which prob didn't help but for the cost it didn't keep well. Never did get anywhere with their warranty on them decks either.

I would have no problem using the newer stuff but like the say once bitten twice shy. I would use another brand just because of the poss poor warranty before. Same reason I don't use Kohler any more.

 

I've replaced the old accents and trex paid the bill. As a matter of fact Trex will pay all the labor if they use me as their contractor. They don't work with third parties such as contractors to fulfill a claim. The only reason the HO didn't get it replaced is because they didn't pursue the claim properly.

 

I just wouldn't use them because of previous experience. This was about 6 years ago but I wouldn't use them again just because of how it went down back then. There was stupid amounts of complaints online back then with the same exact issues as I had on them but didn't get anywhere. One was a 1300sqft deck with their handrail that went bad in just a few months. They ended up selling the house a few months after so never did hear how that went but it's still the same material on that deck when I drive past it. The others just gave up bothering but lucky enough they were great customers and it was a product they all picked. I had nothing to do with material selection.

I doubt I would have a problem with their new range but I just won't deal with a company when they treat customers like they did.

Had a woman in PA call me yesterday who see a post on here about Kohler tubs de laminating. She getting the run around like I did and since then I ain't used that brand for anything. Yet I know they have good products.

It's kind of like festool. If the service I got with the fav happened again I would seriously consider not buying there tools and jumping to another brand. These issues cost me money and time and there's plenty of other company's willing to take my money.

 

Actually Mike.

That was never true of Moisture Shield. And still is not true.

Just Saying is all.

JonMon www.deckmastersllc.com

 

It fades and looks like chit after a few years. I know this for fact. I wouldn't use anything non capped.

 

How do you know that for a fact ?

I have been putting it down for 10 years and never noticed bad fade or looking like chit in a few years.

Got some photo proof of a Moisture Shield deck that went bad ? Or any record of a class action ? Or any legal action at all ? if you don't count trex stealing from them.

That's all I am going to say bout that.BC and the boys have already said what I think about trex.

J.

 

How do you know that for a fact ?

I have been putting it down for 10 years and never noticed bad fade or looking like chit in a few years.

Got some photo proof of a Moisture Shield deck that went bad ? Or any record of a class action ? Or any legal action at all ? if you don't count trex stealing from them.

That's all I am going to say bout that.BC and the boys have already said what I think about trex.

J.

But if you insist. By your own words you say it fades.

Whether it's good or bad is subjective.

 

Forget what you know about trex and all the other composites before the capped stuff came out. Totally transformed the entire product line across the board for everyone

 

I like Azek but would consider other brands if a customer wanted a different color or pattern. I would only buy cap stock though, not solid composite.

 

That is the natural beauty of Trex Selects, the new cheaper version (last couple of years).

 

We haven't used Trex since 2008, unless someone forces us to which is what happened when the customer in Commerce Township, picked it out for his 52,000 deck. I have many many, pictures to back up anything I have to say.

This was not an attack on you, it was info for those who may or may not choose to use Trex.

 

I thought he built the decks?

 

Evelyn Wood where r u when I need you.
I build, and sell.
Here r some fine pictures of "improperly stored decking" that has not failed will not fail. Fiberon and NewTechWood. As Trex has.
You have to be tough decking to make it to the killer store and stay for any length of time.
What is on the ground now I will install as KillerDecks by June

 

I am so glad you Two got together. Just wish I had some popcorn.

As a gift from a Supplier I went to the Chicago Land race and figured why not I had the provided rental so I drifted on over to the Killer store just to see.

One thing this Guy is not >> a bulll****ter << After and while doing that number of projects there are going to be x number of folks that are not happy,no way to ovoid it.

I had one Lady get on Angies to bad review a phone call we had. No work was done at all. It happens to all of us given time and numbers.

JonMon www.deckmastersllc.com

 

Never had it happen to me. So it doesn't happen to all of us. I would say you and killer are together, not me. :laughing:

 

Holy chit...KillerDecks, when did they let you back in here??

 

He's a colorful gentleman. :laughing:

 

One can clearly see who builds and who is trying to be KING of Contractor Talk simply by measuring the Start date of posts vs # of posts.

Excepting of course moderators who have to be here to keep things in check

 

Yeah I'm trying to be king. :laughing: why haven't you been posting in the last year or so? Oh yeah you were running your mouth and got banned. That's even funnier.

 

So killer do you really do more product a year than lowes stores or norandex do or do they just hand them certificates out willy nilly? I can't picture that kind of volume through one little warehouse.

 

I am a firm believer in turnover. If you ever managed a retail lumber yard, as I have, from 82-84 you will learn about turns.

Turns assumes 1 essential thing unlimited supply and great logistical support.

Turns is as simple as this, should one have $250,000 to invest in anything and he turns it over once in a year @ 10% they will make 25k.

But lets says someone has 250,000 to invest and turns it over 12 times a year @ 10% he will have made 300k.

Which one should you want to be and price yourself accordingly.

That being said I have to go relax to some AC/DC

 

I'm only in business to make money I became a carpenter because I like the work. He who can make a boat load of money doing both is what separates one another. It isn't the material, not even close.

 

I get why both sides like what they like. I'm one of the wood lovers and prefer PT over even the nice composite. Yeah crazy I know but I just think there's something about the look of PT being used on a deck and looks like a deck should look. Yeah it's a maintenance nightmare and it's gonna look like **** in a couple years but the way it turns is what I like about it. But if I could find customers in this area willing to spend out on composites I wouldn't hesitate using it.

It's kind of like that clinical look you get with modern design. It's cold and has no character buts that my opinion of course. Plus putting a deck 1/4th what my house is worth out back is stupid also lol.

 

The differences in the look and the preferences is a valid a argument, but to say you are a better craftsman because of the material you use is non sense. I've seen some pretty piss poor jobs done with every kind material out there.

 

I would do a treated wood floor b4 I would do a cedar floor. The guys in Georgia have great success w/ it. 1 guy I know uses a quarter sawn treated pine.

Where is the flag man

Fell asleep listening to AC/DC just too laid back I guess.

 

Here are some cookie cutter decks we build:
http://www.killerdecks.com/gallery?album=2
a few more:
http://www.killerdecks.com/gallery?album=1