[CITY DECKS INC]

Happy Holidays Fellow builders!
I have not really pursued this through Trex but wandering if any one has priced or used it?

If you priced it what are we looking at over PT or standard g-60 or g-90 LMS? If you have used it is it 16g? The only difference I can tell is that it has an epoxy paint coating on it along with complete package with all of the brackets screws etc.

Just gathering up some ideas and experiences.
I hope the new years brings you/us all good health happiness and profit.

Thank you again in advance for the time.

Yannis
citydecksinc.com

 

[knucklehead]

I did a deck with this stuff. I think the labor is at least twice as much.

 

[knucklehead]

 

[Calidecks]

Happy Holidays Fellow builders! I have not really pursued this through Trex but wandering if any one has priced or used it? If you priced it what are we looking at over PT or standard g-60 or g-90 LMS? If you have used it is it 16g? The only difference I can tell is that it has an epoxy paint coating on it along with complete package with all of the brackets screws etc. Just gathering up some ideas and experiences. I hope the new years brings you/us all good health happiness and profit. Thank you again in advance for the time. Yannis citydecksinc.com

This depends City, you can span it something like 18 feet between piers, so the money saved in footings can offset some of the cost. Especially if your decks are over an insane cliff. In this case the footings can be very expensive. Also you can span the joists like 16 or 18 feet so mid span beams Ca be eliminated. The material is galvanized and painted. So also if you underneath is exposed you save money on painting as well. Not to mention a full engineered drawing comes with a material order as a curtesy for Trex. You just send them a rough sketch and they take it from there. They also do the material takeoff for you. I think a 2x8 16 foot joist runs about 60 bucks. You can now get metal posts as well.

 

[RobertCDF]

It's a joke... But you'd expect to hear that from me. They may have changed it but the last time I looked it came in 14ga for the beams only and 18ga for joists in 1 5/8" wide flanges. 2" flanges are better and if you Max span their joists you'll have quite a bit of deflection. Most stuff we use 16ga min and 2" flanges for all joists. I doubt their beam can span 18' unless the joists span is only 10'.

 

[Calidecks]

It's a joke... But you'd expect to hear that from me. They may have changed it but the last time I looked it came in 14ga for the beams only and 18ga for joists in 1 5/8" wide flanges. 2" flanges are better and if you Max span their joists you'll have quite a bit of deflection. Most stuff we use 16ga min and 2" flanges for all joists. I doubt their beam can span 18' unless the joists span is only 10'.

You can get Trex in 2" flange, not trying to argue with you at all Robert, I know you know much more about this then I. But here is everything you ever needed to know about Trex Elevations. http://www.trex.com/trex/groups/content/@mktg/documents/document/trexmd_002362.pdf

 

[kambrooks]

You can get Trex in 2" flange, not trying to argue with you at all Robert, I know you know much more about this then I. But here is everything you ever needed to know about Trex Elevations. http://www.trex.com/trex/groups/content/@mktg/documents/document/trexmd_002362.pdf

I could have sworn Robert was quoted or something, along with pictures- in an elevations power point my local deck supplier showed me?

 

[Calidecks]

I could have sworn Robert was quoted or something, along with pictures- in an elevations power point my local deck supplier showed me?

He will deny it to his grave. :laughing:

 

[CITY DECKS INC]

ok can we get a breakdown.

how big is the deck?
how long does it normally take you to an equivalent size with wood framing?

twice as long meaning it would been done in 4days in wood and 8 in metal? is it because it was your 1st time with metal? not too many deck under the belt which would be slower then cali, rob or me?

also what didi the framing package cost and please do not forget the sf.

thanks

 

[CITY DECKS INC]

This depends City, you can span it something like 18 feet between piers, so the money saved in footings can offset some of the cost. Especially if your decks are over an insane cliff. In this case the footings can be very expensive. Also you can span the joists like 16 or 18 feet so mid span beams Ca be eliminated. The material is galvanized and painted. So also if you underneath is exposed you save money on painting as well. Not to mention a full engineered drawing comes with a material order as a curtesy for Trex. You just send them a rough sketch and they take it from there. They also do the material takeoff for you. I think a 2x8 16 foot joist runs about 60 bucks. You can now get metal posts as well.

Cali. I can span 18ft with 2x12 now. My decks are up high we span party wall to part wall. I don't actually build in the roof. The saving from footings would come into play on the ground decks.
pt 2x10x16 $22. 2x12x16 $31 this is #1 perfect lumber. so your were about 3x the cost per joist.
I am working on a sample design to send over for pricing.

 

[parkers5150]

you will save a grip of cash if you do the leg work and go thru a steel stud supplier

 

[Calidecks]

Cali. I can span 18ft with 2x12 now. My decks are up high we span party wall to part wall. I don't actually build in the roof. The saving from footings would come into play on the ground decks. pt 2x10x16 $22. 2x12x16 $31 this is #1 perfect lumber. so your were about 3x the cost per joist. I am working on a sample design to send over for pricing.

Personally City, I would stick with PT. One of the biggest reasons I don't use metal framing is I have to put all the fasteners in one at a time and I can't use the TCG clips with the tiger claw gun. Not to mention I'm just not a metal guy. My comfort zone is sawdust. I know there is a lot of pluses with metal, but wood serves my market well. And yes three times is about right. The weight is a big plus also. One guy can put up a pretty long beam by himself. I have reservations about the look of all the exposed screws also. Hell Trex has even offered to pay half of my material costs on my first build ( Actually Trexes Vendor )if I ever build one and send out people to help with the installation. I just don't have the market for it. They won't warranty it if it's, I think within three miles as a crow flies from the coast either. This is a problem for me to sell, because chit I'm in S. Cal for gawds sake.

If I was you, I would triple the material cost and maybe double your install, especially on your first one. Don't forget the tools and blades in the equation.

 

[Calidecks]

you will save a grip of cash if you do the leg work and go thru a steel stud supplier

Then he will have to get it engineered, where Trex will give you a drawing and engineering free with the purchase. Although you have to send it in to them. I think their turn around time is pretty Quick though. Also Trex comes powdercoated.

 

[RobertCDF]

I could have sworn Robert was quoted or something, along with pictures- in an elevations power point my local deck supplier showed me?

I'd love to see it if you find it, they never got my permission to publish anything with my name attached. I've written extensively on how to NOT use their system since before trex bought the line.

 

[RobertCDF]

Then he will have to get it engineered, where Trex will give you a drawing and engineering free with the purchase. Although you have to send it in to them. I think their turn around time is pretty Quick though. Also Trex comes powdercoated.

The savings far offsets the engineering cost. The color has never been an issue, if they think it might be ugly just show them a wood frame... Much uglier.

 

[Calidecks]

I'd love to see it if you find it, they never got my permission to publish anything with my name attached. I've written extensively on how to NOT use their system since before trex bought the line.

Yes I believe the originator of elevations is from your area. He works for Trex now.

 

[Calidecks]

The savings far offsets the engineering cost. The color has never been an issue, if they think it might be ugly just show them a wood frame... Much uglier.

So do you paint yours?

 

[CITY DECKS INC]

Personally City, I would stick with PT. One of the biggest reasons I don't use metal framing is I have to put all the fasteners in one at a time and I can't use the TCG clips with the tiger claw gun. Not to mention I'm just not a metal guy. My comfort zone is sawdust. I know there is a lot of pluses with metal, but wood serves my market well. And yes three times is about right. The weight is a big plus also. One guy can put up a pretty long beam by himself. I have reservations about the look of all the exposed screws also. Hell Trex has even offered to pay half of my material costs on my first build ( Actually Trexes Vendor )if I ever build one and send out people to help with the installation. I just don't have the market for it. They won't warranty it if it's, I think within three miles as a crow flies from the coast either. This is a problem for me to sell, because chit I'm in S. Cal for gawds sake.

If I was you, I would triple the material cost and maybe double your install, especially on your first one. Don't forget the tools and blades in the equation.

3000 ft from salt water. I have done several steel decks but on less then 3ft off the ground. I'm pretty fast at framing with wood. Framing the metal felt slower but only took about 1/2 - 1/ day more. I kept time for future builds. I know I can do better with pricing. As far as engineer sign off Dietric sends it with every order also have a semi retired engineer that charges me peanuts for sealing my plans. We've been doing business with me for about 10/yrs and trust me. I'm doing a cost analysts for things in the pipe. At the end of day there something really nice about just burning wood

as far as the tools i can get everything precut to size and then it's just a cordless package.

 

[CITY DECKS INC]

Cali tiger claw make screws you can shoot into metal studs. It's the same tcg we use. There is a glitch with it. I spoke with there R&D people and there working it out. The glitch is that it works best when the gun is on the flat metal stud side. It's not as stable when it's up against the open side of the joist and since metal joist work better when there alternated the gun needs a better head. Also doesn't appear that you can Shoot angled deck boards.

 

[RobertCDF]

So do you paint yours?

Nope, no need to. People need to have their perspective changed, they think that anything different is ugly, they fail to see how ugly what they currently have is.

We've experimented with painting in the past and just doesn't really do anything. If someone wants it we can spray on a DTM paint in a couple hours (and still be cheaper than elevations) but most people don't mind the metal at all. In fact many really like it so they can show off how much better their deck is than the neighbors deck.

Kam, the guys who sold to trex came from Castle Rock Co. Under the name outdoor escapes and iron deck, it may have been one of them quoted. If it did have my name attached I'd like to see it.