I have just collected three quotes to replace my Trex Deck with Ipe which is a Brazilian hardwood. I chose this material because it is very hardy/durable, and unlike Trex, it truly is maintenance free. I can stain the deck once a year to bring back it's lustrous sheen or let it go to a faded gray. Both look great. Both are much better options than the current Trex situation.
Now, what about my current trex boards? I spoke with one decking contractor and he said about the only thing you can do with Trex is toss it in the landfill. This comment came as no surprise to me; I knew that was really all it was good for anyways. I plan on renting a dumpster and taking the Trex deck down all by myself. I'm going to thoroughly enjoy removing EVERY screw, board, railing and post on this deck. I don't know if it's possible to put into words how excited I will be to finally rid my house of Trex and their products.
Please stay tuned as I will post pictures and hopefully videos as I transform my deck into something MUCH better than what it is today.
How big is your new deck and how much did it cost? I'm glad I read your comments--I won't be buying this Trex junk. Do you live in a hot climate and does your deck face south?
ReplyDeleteThe original deck was roughly 15x15 with stairs and rails. I've essentially doubled the size of my deck with the ipe replacement.
ReplyDeleteI live in Wisconsin, so my active decking season is from about May-October. My deck has complete Southern exposure, so sun all day. The thing just bakes in summer but that didn't stop the mold from coming back every 6-8 weeks.
I also don't have any overhanging trees, potted plants, or gutter run off on the deck. These are all common items that Trex points to as causes for mold growth. None of these conditions were present on my Trex deck. As far as I can tell, the only thing causing/growing the mold on my Trex deck was my Trex deck.
If you are looking to build a new deck and you want a composite material may I recommend Azek. Neighbors on both sides of me installed that product a couple years ago and have had no problems with it.
I've also never heard anyone who built a deck out of real wood complain other than having to sand and stain every year. However, when that work is completed your deck looks great. I think real wood is the way to go when building a deck but that's just me.