# Trex deck cracking and flaking



## wallace32 (Mar 15, 2009)

The house we moved into about a 1.5 years ago has a trex deck that gets a lot of sun. It has recently begun cracking significantly and the top layer has flaked off of several boards exposing the particle material. My question is whether we have any recourse with the trex company as I thought there was a lifetime guarantee?


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## mattman (Mar 9, 2009)

From what I understand Trex has had several issues with their product, and has stood behind it.


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## DecksEtc (Feb 8, 2005)

Not surprised to read this post at all - Trex is #1 on my list of materials I refuse to use.

Despite the previous post, I would be prepared to get a hard time from Trex helping you out. For one, you weren't the original purchaser and if the previous owner installed it himself, Trex is likely to try the "improper install" excuse to get out of it. If they do replace the decking, there's no way they'll cover any labour costs. See if you can find out if a contractor installed the previous deck and they may be able to help you out with Trex.

Either way, good luck and keep us posted as to what happens.


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## windowguy (Jan 27, 2009)

use the Search function on this site.. HUNDREDS of posts about it.


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## OutToPasture (Mar 17, 2009)

And most importantly, when you replace it, don't use TREX. use something like "Correct Deck"


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## Greg24k (Mar 19, 2009)

wallace32 said:


> The house we moved into about a 1.5 years ago has a trex deck that gets a lot of sun. It has recently begun cracking significantly and the top layer has flaked off of several boards exposing the particle material. My question is whether we have any recourse with the trex company as I thought there was a lifetime guarantee?


Go on Trex web-page, find a section where you have a search option for a contractor in your area, put your zip code in and you will get a list of certified Trex installers in your area. The will come out and take care of it for you. Each Trex board has a Lot number, Trex will cover the labor and material to replace your boards. We do this all the time. The new line of Trex been improved dramatically, no comparison to anything they produced years ago.

Good luck


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

"The new line of Trex been improved dramatically, no comparison to anything they produced years ago."



Greg24K I sure hope you are right. I want to get a Trex deck put on and am so upset since I learned of all the class action suits over the mold and mildew staining etc.

is it really better now? I want to get the Trex Accents in Woodland brown cause I am having a hard time finding dark brown composite reasobably priced

I sure don't want to regret this.


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## Greg24k (Mar 19, 2009)

Lisa,

I have been installing Trex decking since Trex is in business, without any problems or complaints. When they first came out in the early 90s, they did have some issues and Trex replaced and covered the labor costs for every deck needed to be replaced. I think out of 80 decks we did during that time, 3 decks needed to be replaced. Since then, they have only improved in quality. There are many composites out there, everyone is trying to beat one another. The only two composites I will work with and recommend to my customers is Trex or Timber-Tech, everything else it looks like plastic to me.

Good luck to you and what ever decking material you chose, I hope you enjoy your deck for many years to come.:thumbsup:




Lisalj said:


> "The new line of Trex been improved dramatically, no comparison to anything they produced years ago."
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## stubits (Dec 30, 2008)

Greg-

I am considering using Trex or TT for an upcoming deck. I like the colors/style of both equally, so I plan on making my decision based on durability. Which do you prefer? Is one better than the other? TT seems to be more expensive than Trex, is it worth it? Which versions of Trex and TT do you like best? 

Any insights would be VERY much appreciated. Thanks!


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## II Weeks (Jan 6, 2009)

Im doing a Timber Tech deck right now. Good product I quess but Im really surprised at how easily it scratches. According to their rep, he said most scratches will fade in in time. Theres no type of repair kit so we're covering the deck as we do it. Taking no chances especially with the conceal screws we're using. What happenes when they move their furniture and stuff . . .?

Personally, Im not sold on the product yet. It looks great, I mean amazing BUT I like real wood still.


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

FWIW, My brother put a beautiful deck on a few years ago with stone pillars, and wrought iron ballisters and a TT floor. Its beautiful but they are having a hellish time with black mildew.

He is the one who warned me on conposites and caused me to come here to get some guidance.

He is a very particular and intellegent person and I am quite sure he is following TT directions on cleaning it but has not had success.

he did just pick up some Corte-Clean composite deck cleaner and is hoping that may do a better job.

But knowing how expensive TT is it s big disappointment.


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## KOHNSTRUCTION (Apr 23, 2009)

IIweeks, 

that timber teck does scratch super easy i have had the same problem. nothing you can do about it.
the material is nice but it seems real soft. however i believe it is better that T.T. in my mind!


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## dgbehrends (May 4, 2008)

Lisalj said:


> FWIW, My brother put a beautiful deck on a few years ago with stone pillars, and wrought iron ballisters and a TT floor. Its beautiful but they are havibg a hellish time with black mildew.
> 
> He is the one who warned me on conposites and caused me to come here to get some guidance.
> 
> ...


If you want to avoid the problems associated with composites you could look into an all Vinyl product. In my opinion, the drawbacks of Vinyl are that it is usually less wood looking then a composite and will expand and contract more leading to potential squeeks in cold weather. However mildew/mold will never feed off the Vinyl material like it can a composite. With that said, any surface can develop mildew/mold in the right conditions and any deck for that matter. Just think about a shower curtain. All mildew/mold needs is a food source and moisture. With any deck you could have dirt/dust build up (food), and a wet rainey spell (moisture), and bingo you have some mildew. With Vinyl you just spray it down and it's gone, with composite you pray that it doesn't attack the material itself.


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## Pat M (Oct 1, 2008)

*wallace 32*

Wallace 32

I am a representative of Trex and would like to address your decking concerns. Please contact us at 800-BUY-TREX or [email protected].

Pat M
Trex Company


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

HELP!

I am paying many thousands of dollars for my Trx deck and the guys doing it have SCRATCHED THE LIVING HELL OUT OF IT.

I am sick over this.

I understand it is soft but this is ridiculous. I am not talking scuffs, I mean deep cuts across 3-4 boards. In several spots.

How can they think this is acceptable?

I think the gouged up boards need replaced at their expense.

Please advise what is reasonable here.


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## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

Lisa,
Tell them you want those boards replaced and withhold your final payment until they are.


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

Does Trex have a scratch cover???

We have the Woodland Brown.


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

Bob they just told me they can't get the screws out, they tried I saw them fideling with it.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Lisalj said:


> Does Trex have a scratch cover???
> 
> We have the Woodland Brown.


A scratch cover? What do you mean?
If the installer scratches it it is not covered by warranty
If you mean something that you can "paint" over the scratsches - No
One disadvantage, you can't sand it down to refinish it

They should replace the boards they scratched
Possibly they can just turn them over ?


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

Yes I meant something to darken the scratches so as to conceal it.
They had asked if I knew if Trex had a scratch cover.

No they can't turn it over because the other side is smooth.
Its the Trex Accent.

I am really suffering over this.

I pray they do the right thing.

I have paid them more than I should have so far
so they may just walk off.

I hope they wouldn't do such a thing.


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## Pat M (Oct 1, 2008)

LisalJ

I am a representative of Trex and would like to comment on your decking question. If there are surface scratches on the boards, these should fade and weather in time. However, deep gouges should be addressed by your installer. I will be happy to review pictures of the cuts if you send them to [email protected].

Pat M
Trex Company


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## Greg24k (Mar 19, 2009)

Lisa,

You should bring this to your contractor attention and he should replace the damaged boards without any questions asked ...deep cuts or gouges is not standard or acceptable practice and I assume that he used damaged boards which came damaged or got damaged on site due to an accident.





Lisalj said:


> HELP!
> 
> I am paying many thousands of dollars for my Trx deck and the guys doing it have SCRATCHED THE LIVING HELL OUT OF IT.
> 
> ...


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

Well he can't get the screws out and the screwmaker :confused1:
is overnighting some gizmo to get the screws out.

They said they will put new boards down.

Thank God. I am sorry to put them through this
but these big gouges are not OK with us.

Thanks for supporting me on this.

I hope it all ends up OK.

Do you think they'll likely do any damage pulling up those boards?


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

He refuses to correct the problem by replacing the boards. 
he said he can't get them up.
All he is willing to do is wipe oil on the deck.

He already splotched it up with oil without asking us
of he could apply oil.

This is a nightmare.


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

No Greg he dragged things across the boards and scratched it up.
Big scratches the across 4-5 boards. He was careless and rough
and anxious to get on his next job.

he also has the mill writing ON THIS INSIDE OF THE DECK.

Can someone tell me how to get those letters off?

Please?


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## Christy-Spencer (Apr 29, 2009)

*Mold and Mildew on Trex Deck*

It sounds like you have had a tough time here.

The builder seems to have been very careless. You really have to hold him responsible for damaging the product during installation.

The other issue is very different, as to the Mold and Mildew on TREX.

Trex knows about this problem with their product, and has since started to produce a new line of products 

http://www.trex.com/escapes/

You can also look at these brands as well, which contain NO WOOD...

LifeTime Lumber uses Polyurethane and Fly Ash, for minimal toxicity

http://www.ltlumber.com/

Azek uses PVC

http://www.azek.com/

Hope this helps !!!


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

Why do I always get the answer after it is useless to me?
 I called Trex too and no one told me only certain
types of Trex are free if mold and mildew.

I already installed the Accent as my post indicates.

Does Accent still develop mold and mildew then?

I sure wish I had gotten this info 2 weeks ago. 

This experience has been a nightmare
but there is no one to blame but the contractor.


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## mattman (Mar 9, 2009)

I think all outside building products can develope mold and mildew.

I lived in Southwest Washington for a while and I think Clorox could mold /mildew/moss there.

I live in Virginia now and my siding is mildewed on one side of the house.

I have a wood deck and it is mildewed.

I live near...very near where Trex is made and I am not a fan, but in some cases I do not think nature is avoidable.


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## Christy-Spencer (Apr 29, 2009)

*Question to Decks Etc*

So Decks Etc.

What brands of Composite Lumber DO YOU USE ???

I looked at your web site and it seems like you only use cedar and pressure treated.

http://www.decksetc.ca/


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## VaViaCo (May 6, 2009)

He can get the boards up by drilling out the screws with a drill bit. It will ruin the trex but that is his problem. 
No way should he be oiling the deck.

"he also has the mill writing ON THIS INSIDE OF THE DECK."

Trex has writing only on the edges. 
Do you mean on the rail cap?
This could either face in or out and I'd probably forgive the guys if they forgot to spin the boards so it faces out.


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

After all this carnage the mill numbers are the least of my worries.

I only owe him a small amt a few hundred. No way I can have another contractor fix this within that price range so i am paying more out of pocket to get his damage repaired.

What does a person do?

Honestly?


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## Pat M (Oct 1, 2008)

*Lisalj*

Lisalj

You can remove the mill markings from Trex decking with acetone and a soft, clean rag. 

Please let me know if you need any further assistance.

Pat M
Trex Company


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

Thanks Pat!

At least something can be fixed withiut great expense!

I appreciate the input.

We do have the dark brown, it won't remove any color will it?


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## LifeTimeLumber (Jun 4, 2009)

*Lisalj - you need to talk to the BBB*

Lisalj,

I think you should consider going to the local BBB regarding this matter.

To be fair to Trex, the installer is to blame here. 

From what I know about Trex, you DO NOT want to put oil on the material.


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

No kidding its the installers fault.

100% his fault.

You mustn't have read anything I have written.


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## PFHandyman (Jun 5, 2009)

wallace32 said:


> The house we moved into about a 1.5 years ago has a trex deck that gets a lot of sun. It has recently begun cracking significantly and the top layer has flaked off of several boards exposing the particle material. My question is whether we have any recourse with the trex company as I thought there was a lifetime guarantee?


I have the exact same problem with the Trex deck I installed myself only 2 years ago; multiple (but not all) boards flaking. I took great pains to install it correctly and I know installation is not at fault for flaking. Our weather is very moderate (Fallbrook, California). 

We are in the process of trying to get Trex to live up to their stated guarantee. I'll keep y'all posted!


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## Pat M (Oct 1, 2008)

*Mill Markings - LisalJ*

LisalJ

Structurally the acetone will not harm the Trex material. I would be careful not to get the acetone on the decking surface, as this can slightly remove the colorant. I would test it on a small area first.

Pat M
Trex Company


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## JD4 (Jun 9, 2009)

We purchased a Trex deck about 18 months ago and spent $12,000 overall including installation. It has started to peel away and looks really ugly and is impossible to clean up. I have tried everything. So much for low maintenance. I called the lumber store where I bought it and they told me that I can go through a long process with the company and Trex might replace the material but the company wouldn't cover any of the labor or installation costs. VERY disappointing and frustrating.


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## Greg24k (Mar 19, 2009)

Where did you purchased Trex? lumber yard, one of the big stores like HD,etc or a private distributor that had a great price? The reason I am asking, there has been allot of Trex Material that did not meet the standards of Trex to be sent overseas, Trex will not warrantee this material and big amount of that material was left in the ports when the economy went down and the stuff was purchased by whom ever and sold at $1.29 per foot vs. $3.00 per foot regular price.



JD4 said:


> We purchased a Trex deck about 18 months ago and spent $12,000 overall including installation. It has started to peel away and looks really ugly and is impossible to clean up. I have tried everything. So much for low maintenance. I called the lumber store where I bought it and they told me that I can go through a long process with the company and Trex might replace the material but the company wouldn't cover any of the labor or installation costs. VERY disappointing and frustrating.


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## Lisalj (Apr 28, 2009)

Pat M said:


> LisalJ
> 
> Structurally the acetone will not harm the Trex material. I would be careful not to get the acetone on the decking surface, as this can slightly remove the colorant. I would test it on a small area first.
> 
> ...


You sound like you are contradicting yourself. If it takes the color off the decking it is harming it is it not?


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## stubits (Dec 30, 2008)

Greg-

I am considering using Trex for a deck this summer and wanted to follow-up on your previous post. Do you recommend buying Trex at a big box store, or no? 

Thanks!


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## Greg24k (Mar 19, 2009)

You can purchase Trex decking at the box store or any reputable Trex dealer. The difference in price will be very small. But if HD sells a Trex board for $60 and someone tells you they have it for $30 then something is wrong there.





stubits said:


> Greg-
> 
> I am considering using Trex for a deck this summer and wanted to follow-up on your previous post. Do you recommend buying Trex at a big box store, or no?
> 
> Thanks!


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