As one of the only certified TrexPro builders in Nashville, Stratton Exteriors gets a fair amount of questions about Trex products–what it is, how it’s different from wood, and why it costs so much more. Mostly: Is it worth it?
The short answer is: It depends on what you want from a deck, porch, or fence.
We still have lots of love for traditional wood decks, and we still build bunches of them for lots of happy customers. But Trex is the exact right solution for some of our customers–those who are looking for the most durable, easiest-to-maintain deck (or porch or fence) and those who value Trex’s green-friendly quotient.
We don’t have to tell you about wood decks; most of you are familiar with how to maintain them and how they seem to require another date with a pressure washer every time you turn around. But we thought we’d take a little time to tell you about Trex decking and how it’s different from wood.
- Trex is made of 95 percent recycled materials–mostly reclaimed wood and plastic. Think sawdust, the overwrap on paper towels, dry cleaner bags, sandwich bags, newspaper sleeves, and grocery and shopping bags. As one of the largest plastic recyclers in the U.S., Trex saves 400 million pounds of plastic and wood from landfills each year. They never cut down a tree to make their product.
- All of this recycled material is wrapped in a protective shell (also made of recycled material) that has a deep, realistic-looking wood grain pattern.
- Decking comes in 16 color; railing comes in 6 colors.
- No splinters.
- It’s mold, mildew, and termite resistant, as well as fade and stain resistant.
- Never needs to be sanded, stained, or painted. Soap and water are sufficient to clean it.
- Trex boards are 50-70% heavier than lumber.
- Comes with a 25-year warranty against fading, staining, or warping.
- The company runs an eco-friendly ship, recycling factory runoff and refuse back into their manufacturing line and running their trailers on vegetable-based oil hydraulics.
- Trex is available in three qualities; you can read about their Good (“Select”), Better (“Enhance”), and Best (“Transcend”) lines here.
So if Trex is made of recycled trash, why does it cost more than wood? Here’s the word from them: “While most of the raw materials used in making Trex are recycled, these materials are carefully processed to ensure the highest level of quality and performance. The end result … lowers your cost over time through lesser maintenance.”
Want to see more? The Before & After galleries on Trex.com are pretty phenomenal. Also, here’s a blog post featuring a Trex deck we built in Brentwood. And you’re welcome to contact us with any questions about Trex decks and porches.