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I’m about to start a deck project on the back of my house, and am considering manmade planking instead of PT 5/4×6. The brands I’m looking at are Trex, Epoch, and Timber Tech. I’m leaning to Timber Tech, even though it’s twice the price of Trex, as it seems to be better “engineered”, with T&G fit and blind fastening.
I’d appreciate any feedback on experience in installing and using. Thanks in advance.
Clint Searl
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We just installed a Timbertech deck. Be careful in the fastening, because material can split if not screwed correctly.
*Feedback: search the achives before posting a question that has been repeated a zillion times. :)
*I did. Really sorry it upset you.Clint Searl
*I know I sound mean (not upset exactly). But there is plenty to look at, really, and not much new to say for now, on Timbertech and trex. Trex can be blind fastened.Better to post specific Q's, anyway.
*...i like the solid products...i can mill them, edge then, or finish them anyway i want..all the products like Timbertech you have to figure out how you're going to treat the ends....not enough flexibility in design with that problem...and "engineered"? what does that do for your deck?...tell me about the engineered part when your wife has you out there trying to get the dirt out of the tongues with a toothbrush....hah, hah, hah... you asked this one for April Fools day , din't ya?
*Gee Mike, it sounds like you have a pretty demanding wife.
*I used Trex 5/4 for a home I have under construction. It seems to be a good material- very solid. One problem is that the stuff is more flexable than it would seem- after the PT joists dried and went through their changes, I was left with a noticably wavy deck that I have been shimming and cussing at.If you use it, my advice would be to purchase your framing lumber well in advance at let it dry, etc. A 1/4" difference in adjacent joist height will be telegraphed by the decking and you will see it. Another little problem is the can of cedar tone stain I spilled on it- Trex told me I can sand it lightly but it clogs sandpaper quickly. I'm going to try a deck cleaning solution next...
*Amazing how those cans of stain tip themselves over, isn't it?
*Thanks for all the comments. It sounds like I may decline the honor of being the first on the block with a composite deck. PT's going to be less expensive and cause less heartburn.Clint Searl
*Clint... i looked over all these posts and i must have missed the one where the recommendation was to use PT...why did you decide to use PT?..do you like maintenance, splinters , checks, occasional rot, hard to work with if you are not an experienced carpenter... is it the cost? the first time you have to stain the PT deck to try to reduce the splitting and checking, you lose the cost savings...we use PT for framing only .. it is just about our last choice for decking....we never liked it before they came out with the composites....luan, ipe, alaskan cedar , they're all better choices than PT...b but hey, whadda i know?
*How would this stuff work close to the ground - like lay some sleepers on a gravel bed and fill between with pea gravel? I was considering one of the solid or at least hollow sections with four sides and let gravel support between sleepers. I'd like to use the same stuff for sleepers since there is no span.
*Bill... it works great in direct ground contact..level a couple 2x4 pt on compacted base and space your trex planks and have at it... you can wander around with it too, throw in a few tapers here and there...
*I like the timber tech but thought something with a flat bottom side would work better on garvel. Thoughts?
*I wasn't so taken by timertech; at least, Trex seemed more like "wood." It doesn't appear to be at all compressible, so I can't see a problem with resting a load on it if it's evenly supported.I have to agree, pt for decking is not the best choice. There are significant maintenance hassles, and even when compared to other types of WOOD pt is extremely ill-behaved. I have to resuscitate a deck built by a cabinetmaker (oops) over the next few days ... he evidently was unaware of what the elements fo to wood left exposed (no gaps, no backprime, terrible drainage details, no ledger flashing, inappropriate exterior hardware, etc.).If you choose pt, maintain it properly (as almost no one I've seen does).Liking my Trex deck, if only I had time to finish the redwood railing, andrew d...
*I see timber tech has released a "deck topper" that is a very thin section of their product. Interesting repair. I'd suspect that the pt wood would last for a long time structurally.
*Who's next? Saran Wrap?