Decking Material: Trex or Azek
I am getting bid on tearing down and replacing my deck. I live in Minnesota where we have extreme temperatures and I have a southern exposure deck that bakes in the sun all day. My pooch and I are outdoors as much as possible when there isn't snow on the ground. I am tired of having to refinish my deck every year, so I am thinking about going with composite or pvc. I have narrowed down my choices to Trex or Azek.
I have been leaning towards Azek for a couple of reasons. The two most important reasons are because I am barefoot all the time and Azek is supposed to be a lot cooler than Trex and because the warranty is double that of the Trex, 50 years vs 25 years. Also, since it does not have wood fiber in it, it is less prone to mold and mildew than Trex.
In doing my own research, I have read that Azek has a lot more movement than Trex. Out of the 3 bids, each contractor had a different installation method. One was where they would screw the perimeter boards, that were the "frame" of the deck flooring and then the boards would be slid into a clip system along the edges. The second contractor used Hidfast, where the fastener is shot into the side of the deckboard and the next deck board is hammered into it, so there are no penetrations into the floor surface. It is an approved system by Azek. And lastly screwed deckboards that are "hidden" with caps. The last contractor said this is the best way to minimize movement.
So, I mentioned my dog, did I mention he tears across the deck every time he goes outside so he can try to reach the squirrels before they reach the trees? (thank goodness the squirrels are much faster than he is) For this reason, I started to reconsider as Trex is much more scratch resistant than Azek, and even the top of the line Transcend is cheaper than Azek's cheapest version, Harvest. And my dog and I both love being outside barefoot. I understand with Trex this will have to stop. So, what is the point of having a deck to spend time on, if my best friend cannot be with me?
On another post I read that someone put a carpet on Azek and it permanently stained the boards. Has anyone had experience with putting outdoor carpets on Trex?
Does anyone have experience with both products? Which product should I use?
Comments (6)
7 years agoI don’t know if there are different kinds or Azek, but we have it as the trim around our windows. It doesn’t get moldy like the old wood trim used to, but because it does have a lot more movement, it has cracked in spots; the fastening and caulk have held solidly and the only give was the azek.
Also, at least this azek is quite lightweight and feels like it would dent fairly easily, while the trex I have seen for decks feels much more dense. Good luck.
cosmera thanked H B- 7 years ago
We have had a large Azek deck for about six years on coastal Massachusetts and love it. I wouldn’t say it’s cool in summer but it’s definitely not as hot as trex. Our main reason for choosing it over trex was the absence of wood fibers and we have had no trouble with mildew or staining. We don’t have a rug, so can’t speak to that aspect. My husband turned our contractor onto the Camo deck fastener system and even bought them the tool. They loved it and said they would never use anything else. One key advantage is that if you ever need to remove a board, you can simply remove that board, not all of them up to the one you need to change. This is unusual. Our deck is around 40 feet long and in places spans more than 20 feet deep, almost all up about 9 feet. We’ve had no issues with movement at all, but it is very well supported. Hope this helps.
cosmera thanked ngcurt - 7 years ago
Just FYI we also have all azek trim in our house and no issues with cracking or movement at all.
- 7 years ago
Probably best to watch a few YouTube’s to better understand. Just google “camo deck fastening system YouTube”. Also check reviews online. Good luck
cosmera thanked ngcurt
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