Composite Decking

As tranquil and blissful as your backyard deck could be, maintaining that large amount of timber can be an out and out pain as well as being expensive. When the less demanding plastic-composite decking appeared in the 1990s, homeowners happily embraced it, despite the higher price and limited colour selection (gray).

A decade later, as companies began to offer new products that looked like fresh-cut cedar and Brazilian walnut that never turned gray, sales of composites took off for anyone with an outdoor living space.

This was a big boost for the environment, too, because most composites are made from waste like plastic shopping bags, plastic milk containers  and recycled timber and is very eco friendly. Composites are made up of  up to 95 % recycled materials and high performance  environmentally friendly deck boards.

Many companies design their deck boards with a wood grain effect. The fact that composites don’t feel like real wood isn’t a concern for most people.  Once a composite deck has been installed, it just does its job. Day in and day out. An added bonus is that composites don’t need much more than an annual wash-down. Its virtually maintenance free. That  leaves you plenty of time to enjoy the space with your family and friends. 

Most manufacturers offer between a 10 and 25 year limited warranty or limited lifetime warranty  on structural integrity.  Some warranties are transferable from one homeowner to another, others are not.  Fading, scratches, and stains aren’t covered by all manufacturers. It’s a good idea  to check your preferred manufacturers warranty before making a final decision.

Composites are made in a range of profiles to make boards lighter, easier to install, or both. The profile you pick determines the fixing system  that will be used to fasten your deck to the frame underneath. This will  affect the  look of your deck (do you want to see screw heads or not?) and the installation speed.

The History of Trex Decking

Trex Decking is the world’s largest manufacturer of timber alternative decking products and was the first company to create composite decking.  Trex formed in 1996 and went public in 1999.

Trex reinvented the idea of long lasting deck boards and  became the first decking brand to combine recycled plastic products with wood fibers. It created a sustainable alternative to the traditional timber based product that don’t need staining or painting.

Many imitators of Trex emerged in the market, but in 2010, Trex came up with their “game-changer”: the development of the Trex Transcend decking. This product could be used to build a deck resistant to fading, scratching, and stains.

Trex decks look remarkably like wooden decks but are made of significantly different materials. Since the company began, Trex has never felled a single tree—for the making of its products or otherwise. It now uses over 180 million kilos of plastic and wood scrap from landfills every year.  Trex products contain 95% recycled materials.

Since the company began over twenty years ago, Trex has become the largest of composite decking boards worldwide.

In addition to recycling plastics. Trex uses reclaimed wood from woodworking projects, used pallets, and more than 90 million kilos of sawdust every year. If you are looking to use an environmentally friendly decking board for your next deck project, trex should be at the top of your list. It’s perfect for a decking project in Sydney.