# TREX decking extremely disappointing



## KHL

We replaced an aging wood deck with TREX decking last summer (06). Within a few months, we had spots occuring all over it. Our experienced installer and contractor "had never seen it before". We had it gently pressure washed, and still, the spots continued to increase. By this May, the entire 3000 square foot deck had spots. 
We tried contacting TREX, and were referred to their Insurance Claim company that handles all complaints. We were assigned a case number, but nothing was initiated. We had to make all phone calls and do all follow up. We subsequently learned from a supervisor within their system that three years ago, "one plant" produced an inferior product, but it was most likely "not out in the market any more". 
We continued to seek assistance with diagnosis. The manager of our local supplier, Lumberman's, came on site and agreed, he "had never seen it before" and recommended that we get the TREX rep out to examine it. After some time, he came out and agreed, he had "never seen it before".
They brought out an Olympic Deck Stain removal product, and instructed us to apply it full strength, twice if necessary, to attempt to remove spots, which covered almost all of the entire deck. The men agreed that the spots appeared to be a mold that was coming from the interior of the product itself. We applied the cleaning product full strength, and were able to remove some of the spots, which were about the size of a nickel. Some still remained. 
The TREX rep assured us that they would send out a professional to clean it again, but one never materialized.
We continue to be unsatisfied with the TREX product. We sought a complete replacement, but TREX said they had to use one of their own sub contractors, who refused to do anything until TREX agreed to pay him for the work. We sought an optional opportunity to replace the TREX with a product of our own choosing, but TREX refused.
TREX guarantees their product for life. They guarantee it against defects. However, we feel we have a defective product.
Most recently, we received a standard form letter from TREX indicating the problem absolutely was "mold" and "our fault" and "not their problem". We feel the claims TREX makes are false. We refuse to recommend the product to any of our contractor friends, and all who see the product at our home agree it is substandard. 
It is disappointing that for such an expensive, life time guaranteed product, the company in fact does not stand up for it, it hides behind it. 
We are curious if any others have had a similar problem. If so, we would consider a class action law suit. 
It is a shame to have a brand new deck look poor and damaged, and to be making excuses to visitors about the condition of the deck.


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## Ron6519

I would be interested in see pictures of the problem. Please post a few.
Ron


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## RippySkippy

KHL said:


> ...We tried contacting TREX, and were referred to their Insurance Claim company that handles all complaints.


Wow, that's not quality customer service is it? Pictures may help...


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## Zel1

Wow, I have the same spots on the things I built with Trex. I dont know if me, being a homeowner who installed it myself, would be able to be involved, but I spend a good amount of money building steps, benches and tables out back and only a year later, they have the black spots on them like you described. I made no attempt to clean them yet, but I figured I'd pressure wash them with bleech or something first.


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## jaylin

Apparently, these problems w/Trex aren't anything new. Going back to 2004, when a Class Action Suit was filed in N.J. by four homeowners arguing Trex was a defective product ("spotting" and mold among those defects, btw) and that Trex didn't abide by its own guarantee: "No need for any sealant or maintenance other than regular hosing." As you might suspect, the suit was eventually settled out of court. Trex never admitted and made a special point of issuing a statement that "Settlement doesn't amount to our [Trex's] admission of guilt". Duh.

Do a Google search w/criteria "Trex complaints"; "Trex mold"; "Trex class action". You'll be amazed at the number of hits! 

You might be interested in this thread from Garden Web's Home Improvement Forums and this post from a thread on Bob Vila's website (Read the entire threads on both sites for more info). Basically, they reveal why any present complaints to Trex re spotting issues will fall on deaf ears. "Mold and its resultant spotting", to paraphrase, "is caused by an Act of God and therefore not covered by any warrantees or guarantees by Trex". It's also advised not to pressure wash it as the force of the water will only deeper impregnate mold into the product. 

Even though Trex has "been there and done that" via the settled suit, if you can wrangle up more than four other homeowners w/similar complaints (and by virtue of the number of others in your same boat, that shouldn't be a problem) you _might_ have a chance to shake "The Trekkies" up a bit more.:wink:

Try contacting your local (and national) newspapers and/or t.v. watchdog reporters. Nothing like negative national press to build a fire under their butts. Especially since they've already been burned once. Oh, and if all else fails, devote a goodly amount of time to posting on as many forums and complaint blogs as you can, restating your dilemma and issues w/Trex and their...uh..."response". *Then* contact Trex again. Only this time include ALL the links or names of where you posted and what you said. In this day and age, (like it or not) the Internet has replaced or at least well supplemented print media and tv in dispensing information. 

Good luck and, for what it's worth....thanks for the heads up on this product as I was considering using it in construction of our new deck. :no:


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## kcrossley2

I'm sorry to hear about your problems with Trex. We were getting ready to specify Trex for a deck we're building in September. Perhaps we'll use something else. What competitive product do you recommend? Has any company reviewed composite decking? If so, how did Trex fair?

Thanks,
Kelly


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## robertcdf

I will post my opinios about Correct Deck CX. I think it is one of the better products out there on the market... However in my area we dont have mold issues so I cant say from firsthand experiance that it does not mold... But it is not supposed to. And it has been holding up to all the other things it claims to do. I have not yet seen a negative complaint about the CX line molding in the forums I have been on. In fact I have not seen a legit complaint about the CX line at all.


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## Tank

*Check your facts*

To all postings, you have provided some incorrect and misleading information. 
Trex is not a lifetime guaranteed product and never has claimed that. Also, it does stand behind its product and did so by responding to you in a professional and honest way. 
I won't challenge your assertion that you have a mold problem, but it can be managed. I do so currently with my trex deck and rail system. Two cleanings a year is all I need to get the deck looking new again. I use Beh#62 for mold/mildew and behr #63 to finish it up, 45 mins beginning to end, easy stuff!
No matter what product is out on your deck you have the opportunity to grow mold. It is a naturally occuring problem that will settle and grow anywhere there is a food source. All composite deck manufacturers have people like yourself with mold issues. That's a fact.
As to the assertion you can't pressure wash it, you are incorrect. You can, if you keep the pressure washer PSI below 1500. If you go above that you will damage the deck.
You all should take the time to read the warranty and the cleaning instructions, which are available on the web site. There is some usefull information there.
For those of you considering Trex, don't be scared off. All decking materials have the opportunity to mold. Trex was easy to install and looks great. The colors offered, in my opinion, do the best at replicating what a wood deck looks like. Be sure to select a product that has been around for a while and is no danger of going out of business. A few have already this year. Choose the product that looks the best to you. All products install somewhat differently but they all perform similarly. 

Lastly, for all this negative feedback posted here you could find just as much positive feedback if you were to look for it.


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## Zel1

I have to respectfully disagree to a point. I built a nice set of steps off the back door with Trex. I had 2 16' pieces left over. A few months later, I decided to build a set of benches and tables, using Trex as the seating and table surfaces. I had to buy more Trex to finish my project. Now more then a year later, you can clearly see a difference between the first and second batch of Trex I bought. The first batch has the black mold spots and the second batch has none. Its not unfair to say they had a bad run, it would just be in their interest to replace what is obvioulsly bad!


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## HiFi

That post is too long Images will help


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## robertcdf

Tank said:


> To all postings, you have provided some incorrect and misleading information.
> Trex is not a lifetime guaranteed product and never has claimed that. Also, it does stand behind its product and did so by responding to you in a professional and honest way.
> I won't challenge your assertion that you have a mold problem, but it can be managed. I do so currently with my trex deck and rail system. Two cleanings a year is all I need to get the deck looking new again. I use Beh#62 for mold/mildew and behr #63 to finish it up, 45 mins beginning to end, easy stuff!
> No matter what product is out on your deck you have the opportunity to grow mold. It is a naturally occuring problem that will settle and grow anywhere there is a food source. All composite deck manufacturers have people like yourself with mold issues. That's a fact.
> As to the assertion you can't pressure wash it, you are incorrect. You can, if you keep the pressure washer PSI below 1500. If you go above that you will damage the deck.
> You all should take the time to read the warranty and the cleaning instructions, which are available on the web site. There is some usefull information there.
> For those of you considering Trex, don't be scared off. All decking materials have the opportunity to mold. Trex was easy to install and looks great. The colors offered, in my opinion, do the best at replicating what a wood deck looks like. Be sure to select a product that has been around for a while and is no danger of going out of business. A few have already this year. Choose the product that looks the best to you. All products install somewhat differently but they all perform similarly.
> 
> Lastly, for all this negative feedback posted here you could find just as much positive feedback if you were to look for it.


Boy I hate it when company reps come in and try to defend thier products.


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## Tank

*Rep Or Not*

Wether I'm a rep or not doesn't change these facts nor does it have anything to do with what is being discussed. One of the challenges with any construction product is ensuring the customers understand what they are buying, how it performs and what to expect from it. Hopefully those who took the time to read the post were able to gain some valuable and correct information.


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## bigchaz

Wow two cleanings a year tank? Talk about maintenance free!!

when will people realize trex is such trash. I restore a wood deck for fraction of the cost and it will last 10 times as long. Most decks get cleaned every two to three years. Twice a year just to keep a maintance free deck looking good? Forget that


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## Zel1

I would have to respectfully disagree. Wood by nature is rotting and wearing away. You can slow it down, but you cant prevent it forever. The plastic used on composite decks will last much longer, and stay better looking, even when not maintained to "manufacturer specs", in my opinion. 
That being said, I do think Trex is a good product, but had a bad run or a series of bad runs. I have bought it twice from the same place a year apart and the older stuff looks much "dirtier" then the one year newer stuff. Overall, it seems to be a great product.


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## bigchaz

Composite is a mix of plastic and wood. They fail even quicker because the wood in the composite rots out and the plastic gets brittle from uv damage.


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## Joycie1209

*Also Disappointed in TREX Deck!*

We have had a very similar experience with our TREX deck built in June, 2006. Very shortly after it was completed (within about three months) black spots started appearing all over the decking. We researched the Trex Website and saw that mold was a possibility. We used the two Behr products specified on their website and they did clean the spots. However, less than two months later they were back again. We must clean our deck every 1 1/2 to 2 months to get rid of the black spots. This is NOT what I call a maintenance free deck. We spend more time cleaning this deck than entertaining on it. It is very embarrassing when guests come over and ask about the spots. I will do my best to stop anyone I know from even considering TREX deck....period. We spent a lot of money on this deck under the assumption it would save us time in maintenance. What a joke! I realize that TREX does not offer a lifetime warranty but they do offer a 25 year limited warranty which includes defective material....which this is.


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## MikeF

LOL, Trex is the 800 lb gorilla on the block, they are far from THE best product on the market, only the product that was early to market and therefore gained market share faster than anybody else. Move on from Trex, their day was back 1998 when they were revolutionary, now they are considered just one of the bottom ranking products in that field, there are lots of better products that have come along since then. Do a little research and get a much better product.

The composite industry is evolving and so is Trex, if you look into them you will discover they have a lot of other products derivative of their first one, so what does that tell you? Tells me the first one was usefull back in 1998, but like everybody else they are looking for a better product with each generation.


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## RAD Systems

bigchaz said:


> Composite is a mix of plastic and wood. They fail even quicker because the wood in the composite rots out and the plastic gets brittle from uv damage.


I am involved in an insurance claim where a 7 year old Trex deck (that was cleaned 2-3 times per year with bleach/soap formulas) is to the point that a good Stomp will put your foot through the material. I am not saying this happens often as I don't have factual data other than that which is in front of me. I also cannot condemn composite decks in generla other than the fact that we clean a decent amount of them and after five years they are faded, scratched and look like hell.

If one is seeking something to last a lifetime, a viable option is ipe or one of the other hardwoods coming out of Brazil. Even these woods have their caveats. To maintain the look of the wood they have to be stained every year. They can also be left to turn gray. In my opinion, at least wood is natural to a backyard enviromet. Plastic, well, I personally would think twice before building something so sterile looking. I have to admit though, some of the newer composites are starting to look more realistic.


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## lizrodelli

*New Class Action Lawsuit???*

I am currently fighting with Trex to get them to replace a deck that was installed less then a year ago and is now FILLED with MOLD and is stained! They told me my deck was installed improperly, which it is not, and that I should clean my deck with a bleach based product. They didn't even bother to address the other issues I pointed out........how convenient.

I am currently reaching out to people who have had the same problems and hoping to get another class action lawsuit started. Please contact me if you are interested.... I can be reached directly at [email protected]. 

Thanks!


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## robertcdf

lizrodelli said:


> I am currently fighting with Trex to get them to replace a deck that was installed less then a year ago and is now FILLED with MOLD and is stained! They told me my deck was installed improperly, which it is not, and that I should clean my deck with a bleach based product. They didn't even bother to address the other issues I pointed out........how convenient.
> 
> I am currently reaching out to people who have had the same problems and hoping to get another class action lawsuit started. Please contact me if you are interested.... I can be reached directly at [email protected].
> 
> Thanks!


Look Trex is still putting out a crap product that does not do what it is supposed to do. And everyone keeps saying that the new stuff is better... Guess not.


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## surferjak

*Trex Decking and other Composites*

All composite decking (doesn't matter which brand you buy) is going to have a problem with mold. Out of the composites that I have worked with my two favorites would have to be trex and evergrain. The composite decking these two manufacturers offer are top notch in composite decks in my book. They offer some of the best looking deck boards on the market and both offer 25 year warranties. Doesn't mean the color of the deck is going to remain as good looking as when you bought it for the next 25 years. The sun takes its toll on composite decking. My advice to anyone considering installing a composite deck is to get some sample pieces of the deck your interested in and cut the piece in half. Keep one half inside out of the sunlight and the other half, place in direct sunlight and weather. After about a month compare the two pieces and see how much the piece in the weather has faded. I have seen composites totally change color (from a redwood to a grey in a matter of a month). Composites also tend to stain easily (oil, wine, ketchup, bar-b-que sauce are some examples) go ahead rub some on those sample pieces and see how hard it is to clean off.

For anyone who wants the best synthetic decking as far as appearance, durability, stain resistance, scratch resistance, mold resistance, warranty,blah, blah, blah, check out Procelldecking.com. It is the best synthetic deck board I have seen and doesn't contain wood fiber so it doesn't have the same problems with mold. One of the Draw backs is that it is more slippery than composites when it is wet. It may not be as attractive as some of the composites like trex, evergrain, and timbertech but it is the best looking synthetic deck that I have found in its class. The color of Procell decking doesn't tend to fade like composites do. Procell runs just a little bit more than composites do but to me is well worth the extra money. The prices change all the time but I want to say it goes for something like $3.00 a/l/f. 

Jason Keesling 
President of Atlantic Dock and Boatlifts LLC.


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## Handyman50

I am in the process of settling a claim with Trex. I installed a 12' X 20' deck two years ago. My son, who is a journeyman carpenter and electrician, helped me install it.

We used 20' pieces so we didn't have joints. It is installed on treated 2"X4" framing over a concrete patio. As I said, it is two years old and the surface is crumbling on the ends of about six of the planks. I can't wait to see how they turn it into my fault that their product is sub-standard.

Oh, believe me when I say that I am ready for a fight. There are too many fly by night manufacturers out there today. They get a good reputation, then get new management who decides to add to the bottom line. The outcome is the products go to h--l.


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## lizrodelli

Handyman50, try the tactic I am now using......give them lots and lots of negative publicity! Contact your local news outlets, tv and paper letting them know your situation and how Trex refuses to honor their warranty. Show up at trade shows with a nicely typed pamphlet showing your Trex deck and what a potential client can expect to happen to their deck if they choose the Trex material, be sure to hand these out near the Trex booth, go to Lowes and Home Depot and do the same thing. Write to the Better Business Bureau and contact your States Attorney Generals office and be sure to copy Trex on every email, letter, etc you're sending out. And make sure you contact Trex to tell them since they don't want to honor their warranty, that this is the course of action you will now be taking as well as a possible lawsuit. I just sent a rather long winded email to Trex explaining my next action, and guess what, I got not 1 but 3 phone calls in one day. I am not sure what the outcome will be, but I have contacted a few unhappy Trex owners who are willing to started yet another class action lawsuit.....we all can't be wrong and them right! I would be happy to send you a copy of my email if you are interested in using it to get Trex to do the right thing. Personally I would rather not waste my time suing......I will probably have moved by the time it gets settled so what I really want is to help as many people as I can! Please feel free to contact me directly if you want a copy of the email I sent Trex. [email protected]


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## Handyman50

Thanks for the offer, Liz. I appreciate it.

I will wait to see what happens in my case, before starting a negative ad campaign. If they make it right, it is over. If not, get ready to rumble!:furious:

At least, I don't have the mold problem. Most of my deck is under cover. Also, we live in a climate that has minimal humidity. I can't imagine how it would be in the mid-west or south.

The surprising thing to me is, the end that gets the most moisture from my sprinklers, isn't deteriorating at all. It is the other end that has the problem. Of course, I noticed that these boards didn't look sound when I installed them. I decided not to be my normal picky self and let it go. This was the mistake. I should have returned them there and then.


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## 97catintenn

My exp. with Trex is not good. I no longer use it. The regular old Lowe's brand of composite is easier to get and a more consistent product.

As for the mold, I have no exp. with it. I'm still a newbie.


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## Handyman50

Well, today an independent adjuster hired by Trex came to inspect my problem Trex decking. It is difficult to know when they are telling you what you want to hear or when you are getting the straight story, but I felt that he was leaning towards recommending replacing the entire deck. I wouldn't be surprised, since most of the pieces are bad on one end. This would mean extra work for me, but they also give you $500 for incidentals; screws, etc.

I will let you know how it all works out.


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## bigchaz

Too bad you cant get trex to replace the deck with something that wont simply fail/look bad again in 3 years.


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## Handyman50

bigchaz said:


> Too bad you cant get trex to replace the deck with something that wont simply fail/look bad again in 3 years.


You know, bigchaz, if I knew what I know now, I would have gone with good old treated wood. It would have saved me $300 and some work. Oh well, live and learn.


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## surferjak

*Composite decking*

After using many different types of composites over the years. The only one that I would consider using today is Geodeck. Geodeck has fewer lignins in the decking which means less fading. The thing I don't like about Geodeck is that it is not a solid deck board. I have never used Geodeck but it is the only composite I might consider selling to a customer right now. I saw it advertised for $2.25 a linear foot.

I am still a huge fan of Procell PVC decking. It is by far in my opinion the best synthetic deck board out right now. It doesn't fade, stains clean right off, and is scratch resistant. (If you took a knife and really laid into it, for sure its going to scratch). But it withstands traffic wear really well. Check out their website. I think it is www.procelldecking.com. I think you'll be impressed.

Jason Keesling
President of Atlantic Dock and Boatlifts LLC


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## Barry M

Jason

There is a lot of consumer complaints over on Bob Vila's board about Geodeck just FYI.

I do like that the procelldecking people aren't trying to sell it as maintenance free like some of the other companies, their calling it "low maintenance" at least that's a start in the right direction.


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## robertcdf

Correct Deck CX... Any of the hollow boards suck when installing. I just finished up a crosstimbers deck and vow to NEVER install it again. I dont think I will even consider another hollow board.


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## Ron6519

This post is crap! Poster whined at initial post and never came back. Bury this.
Ron


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## bigchaz

Ron6519 said:


> This post is crap! Poster whined at initial post and never came back. Bury this.
> Ron


Um we arent even addressing the first poster anymore. Plus theres probably 10 other stories about how bad the stuff is. This post is golden for people who need to know the truth about composite


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## Handyman50

Ron6519 said:


> This post is crap! Poster whined at initial post and never came back. Bury this.
> Ron


This is one of those "get it off my chest" threads, Ron. The original poster probably had no intention of ever returning. There was no solution requested.

I will come back and let everybody know how my situation turns out. It would be good if all of the Trex threads could be combined into one. I am not certain this would be that easy to do, however.


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## Handyman50

I'm back!

As I stated in a previous post, Trex sent an independent adjuster out to look at my Trex deck. It was about two weeks ago.

Yesterday, I received a letter from Trex wanting to settle my claim. They will replace all of the decking (25 each - 6" X 20' pcs) and allow me $500 for installation costs and materials. While this will mean extra work for me, it is definitely a fair and equitable settlement. I will definitely accept their terms.


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## robertcdf

Handyman, if I were you I would sell the new decking they send you and buy a better brand of decking. Then you wont have to worry about it again.


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## Handyman50

robertcdf said:


> Handyman, if I were you I would sell the new decking they send you and buy a better brand of decking. Then you wont have to worry about it again.


Thanks for the advice, Robert. I will certainly give it some thought.

I can't see taking a big loss if Trex continues to cover their product. I know, I know, it costs me time and work if I have to replace it again. However, I don't have money to waste and time is plentiful when you're retired.:whistling2:


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## ernestoz

I live in sunny San Diego, my two year old Trex deck immediately began to self destruct plank by plank to the point where all sun exposed planks have signs of degradation. I would not buy this product again, unless Trex is willing to replace this bad lot of decking material.


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## Handyman50

ernestoz said:


> I live in sunny San Diego, my two year old Trex deck immediately began to self destruct plank by plank to the point where all sun exposed planks have signs of degradation. I would not buy this product again, unless Trex is willing to replace this bad lot of decking material.


Ernestoz, this is exactly what my Trex did after 2 years, also. Mine, however, is 90% under a covered patio. Therefore, I only had this problem on the outer edge of about 7 planks. It must have been evident to the "Adjuster" hired by Trex that the problem was going to get worse, since they replaced my entire deck (20'x12') and gave me $500 for expenses.

I went to the Trex website and sent their "Customer Service" a message explaining my problem. I remained respectful but firm. They took care of the problem within 60 days. As I said, they sent me a complete new deck and money to boot. I have nothing but good to say about their customer service. I hope the new decking that I received is new an improved.

One other thought. My original decking is the same as yours; Trex Accent: Saddle. They didn't send the same color this time. They sent Trex Accent: Winchester Grey. At first, I thought that it was a mistake. However, I began to believe that the color may have been the problem. The pigment in the color may be causing it to break down. Just a thought.

Sending them your pictures would help considerably. They would know that the problem is general, at least with the Trex Accent: Saddle. The pictures the "Adjuster" took of my deck looked exactly like yours. Your pictures are proof that your decking was installed according to their instructions, also.

Good luck!


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## thedeckman

KHL said:


> We replaced an aging wood deck with TREX decking last summer (06). Within a few months, we had spots occuring all over it. Our experienced installer and contractor "had never seen it before". We had it gently pressure washed, and still, the spots continued to increase. By this May, the entire 3000 square foot deck had spots.
> We tried contacting TREX, and were referred to their Insurance Claim company that handles all complaints. We were assigned a case number, but nothing was initiated. We had to make all phone calls and do all follow up. We subsequently learned from a supervisor within their system that three years ago, "one plant" produced an inferior product, but it was most likely "not out in the market any more".
> We continued to seek assistance with diagnosis. The manager of our local supplier, Lumberman's, came on site and agreed, he "had never seen it before" and recommended that we get the TREX rep out to examine it. After some time, he came out and agreed, he had "never seen it before".
> They brought out an Olympic Deck Stain removal product, and instructed us to apply it full strength, twice if necessary, to attempt to remove spots, which covered almost all of the entire deck. The men agreed that the spots appeared to be a mold that was coming from the interior of the product itself. We applied the cleaning product full strength, and were able to remove some of the spots, which were about the size of a nickel. Some still remained.
> The TREX rep assured us that they would send out a professional to clean it again, but one never materialized.
> We continue to be unsatisfied with the TREX product. We sought a complete replacement, but TREX said they had to use one of their own sub contractors, who refused to do anything until TREX agreed to pay him for the work. We sought an optional opportunity to replace the TREX with a product of our own choosing, but TREX refused.
> TREX guarantees their product for life. They guarantee it against defects. However, we feel we have a defective product.
> Most recently, we received a standard form letter from TREX indicating the problem absolutely was "mold" and "our fault" and "not their problem". We feel the claims TREX makes are false. We refuse to recommend the product to any of our contractor friends, and all who see the product at our home agree it is substandard.
> It is disappointing that for such an expensive, life time guaranteed product, the company in fact does not stand up for it, it hides behind it.
> We are curious if any others have had a similar problem. If so, we would consider a class action law suit.
> It is a shame to have a brand new deck look poor and damaged, and to be making excuses to visitors about the condition of the deck.


Your deck just needs washed it comes off very easily with the right cleaner pressure washing is not recommended. Your experienced builder just doesnt know the product very well. Visit my website click on care we will be very happy in making your spots go away. trexgoldpro.com


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## maggies1

Hello,
I installed trex in 2005, it is now splitting etc, trex is not working with us well, I am on the westcoast. There was a problem from their factory in Nevada, that is where our trex came from. 
We would like to move forward with a class action suit.
maggies1


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## mcd

*Decomposing Trex Deck*

We installed a large Trex deck in approximately 2 and half years ago and it began to bubble and decompose within the first year in spots, The process continued to spread to other boards. The Parr lumber Company from which we purchased the material took no responsibility and the Trex Company sent their representative a company called brite serve to inspect the deck. They determined that the deck was indeed decomposing through no fault of our own. However, the Trex company has not yet responded to our request to replace the deck. Has anyone had any luck working with the Trex Company on replacing decks becuase of faulty material? I have pictures but could not attach it to this message.


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## Randall C

TREX is giving me a new deck. The contractor starts on Monday. 18 months ago we installed 1,200 sq ft of Saddle Accent. 12 months later the sun-exposed planks are literally disintegrating. You can scrape the top layers off with your fingernail. They are showing dark spots (mold), warpage and significant discoloration also. This is a garbage product. I am stuck with TREX because that is what the warranty provides. But if I had another $12,000 to spend on another new deck it surely would not be TREX. I am hugely disappointed in this product. The company however stepped up and made good on their warranty. In this day and age, that's something to consider.
Randy


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## Handyman50

mcd said:


> We installed a large Trex deck in approximately 2 and half years ago and it began to bubble and decompose within the first year in spots, The process continued to spread to other boards. The Parr lumber Company from which we purchased the material took no responsibility and the Trex Company sent their representative a company called brite serve to inspect the deck. They determined that the deck was indeed decomposing through no fault of our own. However, the Trex company has not yet responded to our request to replace the deck. Has anyone had any luck working with the Trex Company on replacing decks becuase of faulty material? I have pictures but could not attach it to this message.


Yes, I sent them an email message on their website when our Trex began to disintegrate before our eyes. They sent an adjuster from Brite Serve to determine the problem, also. The adjuster determined that our decking was installed correctly and the degradation was no fault of ours. We installed the deck ourselves. Trex sent us new decking within weeks and $500 for incidentals.:thumbup: I would definitely rethink our decision to go with Trex, if we had it to do over again.


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## lanispet

Sad... i was involved in the recycled plastic lumber industry back in 1992-'94, and there really hasn't been much technological advancement since then... just better marketing. 

If you want to go with plastic lumber, get pure recycled plastic (HDPE) for the decking, rather than a plastic/composite mix, then use pressure-treated for the structure... Just make sure to read the manufacturers info on the decking before designing the structure, because the biggest problem with HDPE lumber (other than cost) is the flexibility... Particularly in hot climates, it can't handle as great a span as composites or traditional lumber with the same dimensions. Aside from that, it has some great properties.


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## TC1

*Homeowner - 0 Trex - Too many*

Well I finally got word after trying for 20 months that *TREX* will not pay for the labor to replace the deck...They sent a check to the lumber yard to cover for new material but will not pay to have it replaced. I apparently will have to dig into my own pocket. I had 2 reps from *TREX* out to see there product since it was installed and they both said it was a bad batch (I wished I had a recorder) they however told me today it was basically my fault, that I shouldn't have installed it in the first place (some had blisters on them) and that part is true I will give them that *I SHOULD NEVER HAVE USED TREX*, because they won't stand behind there product. Every single butt joint has now split and the color of the deck has completely changed, not just faded but changed. :furious: I will never use there product again...


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## tigerbalm2424

Does anyone have a Trex deck that hasnt fallen apart?  

I built my 640 sq ft deck approx 18 months ago but it still looks new. I really hope it doesnt start to fall apart! Something about removing all the hidden fasteners with a drill from underneath the deck doesnt sound appealing to me. Also, I paid cash for my decking........yuck.


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## thedeckman

*14 years and no advancement in technology*

 Have you been hiding under a rock for 14 years or did you just pick up plastic bags at the end of driveways?


lanispet said:


> Sad... i was involved in the recycled plastic lumber industry back in 1992-'94, and there really hasn't been much technological advancement since then... just better marketing.
> 
> If you want to go with plastic lumber, get pure recycled plastic (HDPE) for the decking, rather than a plastic/composite mix, then use pressure-treated for the structure... Just make sure to read the manufacturers info on the decking before designing the structure, because the biggest problem with HDPE lumber (other than cost) is the flexibility... Particularly in hot climates, it can't handle as great a span as composites or traditional lumber with the same dimensions. Aside from that, it has some great properties.


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## TC1

*What should I use?*

Hi all, I have 2 decks to build here pretty soon, since I will never use trex again and at this point I'm a little scared of composite decking does anyone have suggestions on a wood material that will hold up to Colorado weather and look nice but somewhat easily maintained. Thanks


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## buildenterprises

All we're selling here is PVC. Azek Deck, Veka Deck, Timbertech XLM to name a few. Trex actually just came out with one called Escapes, it's priced way too high though.




TC1 said:


> Hi all, I have 2 decks to build here pretty soon, since I will never use trex again and at this point I'm a little scared of composite decking does anyone have suggestions on a wood material that will hold up to Colorado weather and look nice but somewhat easily maintained. Thanks


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## [email protected]

*Trex*

*Well...this is really interesting! My sister and her husband are spending over $80,000 on additions to their Greensboro, N.C. home. I went over there yesterday and found that the contractor was just completing a 12' X 20' Trex deck. My sister was totally excited about the Trex. It DID look good. Upon closer inspection I started seeing just a few black spots on one of the boards used on the railing. A few weeks ago when the company delivered the Trex boards, there were quite a few dark boards in comparison to the grey that she and her husband had picked out. It took her THREE weeks to get them to pick those boards up and replace them after having to eventually lose her temper and becoming very frustrated! But now she's HAPPY...hmmmmmm. When I saw the dark spots I was a little concerned, but not overly. I am planning a deck and talked with her contractor about giving me an estimate...he is not connected to Trex and builds what You want. I later came home and was up until 3:45 am doing my research because what I found was both shocking and very disturbing. Apparently my sis and her husband DID NOT do their research! What I found were first of all beautiful decks made of these beautiful composite products. Then I found this forum and read ALL the comments! I became very disturbed and continued to research through out the night. The more info I researched, the more shocking it was. MY final analysis is this::thumbdown: *
*1. **These products have a LONG way to go before I would *
*build with this product.*
*2. Mold is going to be The problem until the industry can*
*somehow eliminate this terrible problem. Who in their*
*RIGHT MIND would use this product KNOWING that *
*there is a BIG possibly that big problems may be ahead.*
*:no: *
*3. Before I spend that kind of money on a product, I want *
*it in writing that I am fully protected against these *
*atrocities. But who would put themselves this through*
*this hassle after the info a complete research reveals?*
*I would be furious! :furious: *
*4.Composite Decking (at this point in time): :thumbdown: *

*Just imagine spending $14,000 on a new deck only to begin seeing dark spots and possibly flacking and/or corrosion in a few weeks/months or just a year or two or maybe three...*
*NIGHTMARE!!*
*Bottom line for me: I'm sticking to WOOD! I know what I can do with and where I stand with wood. *

*Thank you for your time and, No...I am not employed nor paid by any wood products company or connected in any way with the wood industry.*

*Doug Smith*
*Asheboro, N.C.*


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## TC1

*TREX Defects*

I'm glad you researched Trex before buying it. I hope it works well for your sister because its extremely disappointing when it goes bad. :thumbsup: I think you have made a wise choice. I'm thinking I need to consider wood again as well. .


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## [email protected]

TC1 said:


> I'm glad you researched Trex before buying it. I hope it works well for your sister because its extremely disappointing when it goes bad. :thumbsup: I think you have made a wise choice. I'm thinking I need to consider wood again as well. .


Thank you, TCI. I talked with my sister earlier and told her that I was going to go with something else and she asked why and i told her 'just my preference'. I didn't say anything to her because ...actually it's too late! Yes, hopefully she has no trouble, but.........I think she will eventually. Besides wood, I am also very seriously considering AZEK...more expensive, but the PVC is more of a 'maintenance-free product than anything else. Ck it out. http://www.athomect.com/decks.php :thumbup:


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## RiaTM

*Very unhappy with Trex*

We had our deck built in 2002 and it looks absolutely horrible. I put a claim in with a Trex a few weeks but they want receipts from the lumberyard/dealer where the Trex was purchased. I even sent them 33 pictures of my deck including the boards that are badly cracked and all the boards have expanded so much that there are no longer gaps between them. The dealer does not have records back that far. Does Trex really think that the contractor would give me a copy showing the actual cost they paid for the Trex? I don't think so!! I am still trying to get them to reimburse us for the deck, but even if they do I still need to pay another contractor to install it. Any ideas on how to get them to reconsider my claim with "proper documentation"? Also any ideas on how to get them to give me a refund instead of more product because I DO NOT want to use Trex again. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Maria


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## Handyman50

RiaTM said:


> We had our deck built in 2002 and it looks absolutely horrible. I put a claim in with a Trex a few weeks but they want receipts from the lumberyard/dealer where the Trex was purchased. I even sent them 33 pictures of my deck including the boards that are badly cracked and all the boards have expanded so much that there are no longer gaps between them. The dealer does not have records back that far. Does Trex really think that the contractor would give me a copy showing the actual cost they paid for the Trex? I don't think so!! I am still trying to get them to reimburse us for the deck, but even if they do I still need to pay another contractor to install it. Any ideas on how to get them to reconsider my claim with "proper documentation"? Also any ideas on how to get them to give me a refund instead of more product because I DO NOT want to use Trex again. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> Maria


Maria, you should not be required to provide anything other than an invoice showing that you had "Trex" installed by a contractor. The actual cost paid by the contractor is a moot subject. He simply provides you with a copy of the invoice that he gave you when the job was complete.

Also, you could send them, Trex, a message stating the kind of bad press that they are receiving on this and other forums. I would keep it professional as this is normally the best tone to use with large companies. If they get upset, they can close the case very quickly. You can read my posts above to see how I handled my situation.

One last thought. The way that you keep from having to depend on a contractor for invoices is to keep copies of your own. I have a large manila envelope that I keep every receipt for projects that I do to my home. I moved into my home in 1995 and have remodeled it completely. I have every receipt from every purchase that I have made. At one time, this was necessary for tax purposes. Now, I do it for this exact reason. The envelope doesn't take-up allot of space and I always have what I need if I have a problem with a product. Large companies always require proof of purchase, but they also know that few will have the invoice. This gives them a good reason to deny the claim. Don't give them an out.:no:


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## RiaTM

Handyman50 said:


> Maria, you should not be required to provide anything other than an invoice showing that you had "Trex" installed by a contractor. The actual cost paid by the contractor is a moot subject. He simply provides you with a copy of the invoice that he gave you when the job was complete.
> 
> Also, you could send them, Trex, a message stating the kind of bad press that they are receiving on this and other forums. I would keep it professional as this is normally the best tone to use with large companies. If they get upset, they can close the case very quickly. You can read my posts above to see how I handled my situation.
> 
> One last thought. The way that you keep from having to depend on a contractor for invoices is to keep copies of your own. I have a large manila envelope that I keep every receipt for projects that I do to my home. I moved into my home in 1995 and have remodeled it completely. I have every receipt from every purchase that I have made. At one time, this was necessary for tax purposes. Now, I do it for this exact reason. The envelope doesn't take-up allot of space and I always have what I need if I have a problem with a product. Large companies always require proof of purchase, but they also know that few will have the invoice. This gives them a good reason to deny the claim. Don't give them an out.:no:


Thanks for the advice - I will keep on them. Our deck was actually installed by a friend who purchased the material himself. He never gave us any kind of receipt. All I have is the plan for the deck. I too keep copies of everything that was done to our home. Unfortunately we tried to save money by having it installed by a friend and get screwed in the end!! Oh well, I'll keep trying with Trex.


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## jpizzirusso

I posted this in another trex thread, too - I am a class action attorney investigating Trex claims. If anyone would like to discuss problems with trex decking (including mold, splitting, crumbling, discoloration, etc...), please contact me at: [email protected]


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## chris kruse

*Molded Trex*

:furious::furious::furious: I am a single mother of three boys and have wroked very hard to supply for my family... alone without any assistance. I had saved over 12,000.oo to pay for the size deck that I was wanted to build on the back of my home. I hd researched many products and when I deciede upon Trex I not only when to my local lumber store but contacted Trex and asked about any molding problems. I was told that they had never experienced this problem and if there was to be a problem I needed to remember that Trex has a lifetime warrenty. This was in 2000. With that guarentee and peace of mind I set forth with my plans for a deck and choose Trex. 12,000 dollars later I can find no one that will assist with my problem. As it stands every year it looks worse. I was even thinking of painting with KILZ then painting over it but I don't think there is anything that will adhere. My option to purchase a product that was maintenance free has become maintenance intensive. Can anyone give guidence. The joke appears to be on me :jester:.:furious::cursing:


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## [email protected]

I have decided to build my deck with Super Pro Dek (Vinyl!!!). There is actually a LIFETIME warranty on this and to clean?...wash off! Did my research. It is the most expensive decking, but should be well worth it. 
http://www.arndtandherman.com/ Click on 'Products' and in the dropdown, select Super Pro Dek and browse awhile. Enjoy!


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## tresimarie

*horrible trex product*

We are extremely dissappointed with this product also. For years, we have tried to remove all the spotting from the decking-even dirt won't wash off. We have tried to replace several pieces and have been unsuccessful in matching the piece because it fades so much. We filled out their compliant form, sent pictures and copies of all receipts only for them to say that discolorations/mold are not covered in the warranty. WE spent so much on this product and they are not standing behind their product. We don't know what to do???? Any suggestions??? Thanks.


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## TC1

*Trex bad*

:furious::furious:Well I don't think it does any good to contact Trex but you might try the attorney a couple of postings up. I fought with Trex for 2 years and never got anywhere. Good Luck


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## adj9777

*The Complete Truth*

I can tell you for an absolute fact that #1) there was a bad batch of Trex produced in a plant on the West coast a couple of years back and it got installed on approximately several 100 thousand decks before the problem was detected. #2) THE FIRST YEAR, Trex was standing by their warranty and replacing the deteriorated decks for Homeowners (INCLUDING ALL LABOR COSTS), with no more than a phone call to their 1-800 warranty department. #3) After the first year, or I guess after the money that was set aside for this issue was gone, they started getting a WHOLE lot pickier about what they would replace, and sometimes rejecting the claims entirely with no reasonable explanation. #4) Starting January 1st of 2008 they started their new policy of NEVER paying for labor costs and offering cash settlements to all Homeowners. #5) For some ungodly reason, the defective product is still being sold and installed on new decks today because there are claims out for brand new decks.

So... with that said, I am a firm believer that the entire company will not be around very much longer and I personally would NEVER use the product.:no:


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## Handyman50

adj9777 said:


> I can tell you for an absolute fact that #1) there was a bad batch of Trex produced in a plant on the West coast a couple of years back and it got installed on approximately several 100 thousand decks before the problem was detected. #2) THE FIRST YEAR, Trex was standing by their warranty and replacing the deteriorated decks for Homeowners (INCLUDING ALL LABOR COSTS), with no more than a phone call to their 1-800 warranty department. #3) After the first year, or I guess after the money that was set aside for this issue was gone, they started getting a WHOLE lot pickier about what they would replace, and sometimes rejecting the claims entirely with no reasonable explanation. #4) Starting January 1st of 2008 they started their new policy of NEVER paying for labor costs and offering cash settlements to all Homeowners. #5) For some ungodly reason, the defective product is still being sold and installed on new decks today because there are claims out for brand new decks.
> 
> So... with that said, I am a firm believer that the entire company will not be around very much longer and I personally would NEVER use the product.:no:


So true. We got some of the bad product. They did replace it, but with a different color than the original. I believe that is because the "Saddle" may have been the color of the bad batch. Also, they gave us $500 for incidentals. I am about to install the new product. Hopefully, it will last longer than 2 years.:wink:


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## scrubub

*Trex Spotting*

To all of the people who think that the spotting they are seeing is a mold related issue. You are more than likely inccorrect. I too have a Trex deck and am seeing these spots which by nature if you look at them are similar in their morphology and spatial arrangement on the deck. After going through the cleaning route which only slightly helped. I start looking into this further and took a deep and exhaustive dive researching what this could be other than that of mold. I took a section of the deck looked at it under a microscope, after reveiwing the profile of the spot, it has become increasingly evident that we are dealing with an issue with the chemistry of the composite. The composite material is made with recycled plastic, usually of the Polyethylene variety and contains a variety of components that can make up the chemistry of the polymer. Since my background is in polymer chemistry, I realize many plastics have components such as plastizers, ozone and oxidation inhibitors that when exposed to outside elements such as UV can cause the pigments in the plastic to react thus causing a color change. I challenged my findings with a rather large cleaning outfit (CHOMPS) and they validated my thoughts and have been doing numerous testing experiments to prove this out. The bad news is there is no known solution other than to possibly put some type of sunscreen on the deck. I forgot to mention this - most of you who are seeing this problem have your decks located mostly in the sunlight during the day. I am not sure Trex knows this info I suspect they do. This is a big problem with no fix and I like others feel like I was sold a bill of goods and want information on any kind of class action suit I can join.


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## Handyman50

From my research, it appears that there was a bad batch of decking produced in a plant in the Pacific Northwest. It affected approximately 100,000 customers. The problem, not all of the bad was pulled from the market and continued to be sold.

Hopefully, my new batch is better. I will keep everyone updated. I will be installing to new deck in the near future.


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## sushi96720

scrubub said:


> To all of the people who think that the spotting they are seeing is a mold related issue. You are more than likely inccorrect. I too have a Trex deck and am seeing these spots which by nature if you look at them are similar in their morphology and spatial arrangement on the deck. After going through the cleaning route which only slightly helped. I start looking into this further and took a deep and exhaustive dive researching what this could be other than that of mold. I took a section of the deck looked at it under a microscope, after reveiwing the profile of the spot, it has become increasingly evident that we are dealing with an issue with the chemistry of the composite. The composite material is made with recycled plastic, usually of the Polyethylene variety and contains a variety of components that can make up the chemistry of the polymer. Since my background is in polymer chemistry, I realize many plastics have components such as plastizers, ozone and oxidation inhibitors that when exposed to outside elements such as UV can cause the pigments in the plastic to react thus causing a color change. I challenged my findings with a rather large cleaning outfit (CHOMPS) and they validated my thoughts and have been doing numerous testing experiments to prove this out. The bad news is there is no known solution other than to possibly put some type of sunscreen on the deck. I forgot to mention this - most of you who are seeing this problem have your decks located mostly in the sunlight during the day. I am not sure Trex knows this info I suspect they do. This is a big problem with no fix and I like others feel like I was sold a bill of goods and want information on any kind of class action suit I can join.


You should check this site that I came across tonight.
http://www.lieffcabraser.com/contact/contact-trex-deck.htm


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## Dilberta

*Bright claim inspector just left*

We purchased a model home with a Trex deck and moved in only two months ago. We realized immediately there was a problem with the deck. We filed a claim with Trex right away and the bright claim inspector came out today. Based on what I'm reading in these threads I'm not holding my breath though. The decks on our boards are literally rotting away - see photo from two months ago. The boards are ten times worse already since the photo.  I wonder if we can go after the builder under the one-year home warranty if Trex fails to honor it's warranty.


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## sushi96720

Without question, Trex should honor the warranty. Your deck is beyond what others are experiencing.
I noticed that small pieces about a sixteenth of an inch or so have fallen off , as though the adhesive or the resin did not quite bond well with the wood chip or whatever material they add to the resin.
Now that the deck is bleached out, the black spots aren't as noticeable because the whole deck area looks spotty.
What an inferior product for the price I paid for.


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## Freckles

*Anyone successful claiming thru New Jersey 04 Trex class action?*

adj9777 has it right--not only does the amount reimbursed change since the class action suit, the warranty is also shrinking. When we looked in 2003, it was said to be 50; when we built in 04, it was 25; when we hade one deck replaced in 07, we got labor too; claims now through Bright Serve offer half labor and new product that is currently drawing another class action suit. We qualify for the first New Jersey class action and are thinking of bypassing Brightserve to get full labor -- but lawyer and Trex legal will not return calls. Has anyone successfully sent a claim to Oregon claims and been reimbursed full labor to remove & replace? How long did it take? Any names & numbers? Thanks.


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## Knucklez

wow. i was researching what deck materials to use for next year. i will NOT be using TREX! 

i hope their company rep reads this post and then realizes what bad PR can do to their bottom line. they need to fix their crap. so that we see majority "its wonderful" posts.. but 90% of what's out there is negative. that's gotta tell you something.


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## CareBear

*It's not just Trex that has mold problems*

People are beating up on Trex, but I gotta wonder if this is due to the fact that Trex is the most common product. I've heard that any deck that incorporates wood particles can have this problem happen. Here are pictures of the same thing happening to TimberTech: http://www.diychatroom.com/album.php?albumid=65. 

People may want to consider fully synthetic decking if they want to guarantee mold-free deck.


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## khj

My trex decking now 2 yrs old is decomposing, chunks are actually coming out of the boards! How are you doing with getting satisfaction from Trex? I am about ready to file paperwork with them for a claim. Please keep posting your dealings with the company everyone doing their research for new decking material should know where they stand with this product.


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## houstonbrama

It is a shame so many of you have experienced such stressful time with these products. However, I am very glad you all have shared your story here. It will ensure many other people do not waste their hard earned money for these products. It may be very possible to get a Class action law suit against the manufacturers. At least get them to stop peddling trash to the consumers. I know several people that were going to buy Trex and I simply told them to check this site and do a little research. None of them bought it. They all went with wood. Thank you all again for sharing your story.


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## kevinsmith2050

*Building*

Hii John

I would like to construct a building in the Lokandwala area..

Kevin Smith

Nebraska Drug Addiction


----------



## Freckles

*3 links for class action but Help?*

I have decided to join 2004 NJ class action re: Trex deck - 
anyone successful with filing form for class action ????????? 

www.trex.com/legal/classaction.asp

As mentioned earlier, other folks have mentioned class action suits now being organized by:

www.lieffcabraser.com

and by a lawyer 

[email protected]

I do not know anything about these 2 sites. Good luck.


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## Leon L Olsen

Reply to Tank.
I have had over $3,500.00 worth of Trex installed. The material bought in Feb. 2005, for my front deck, is deteriorating. Not mold or mildew but flaking off of surface. This deck has had only clear water wash down with pure Walla Walla, WA. water. Trex sent two people to evaluate my problem and their report to Trex resulted in them offering me $380.84 for replacing 220 lin ft. of decking. My quote from Lumbermens for this replacement material amounted to $647.44. It will cost me another $400.00 in labor to dismantle and reinstall.---My back deck , installed late in 2005, has so far, shown problems on only 2 boards, 20 ft. long.---The problem starts with bubbling and then completely deteriorates by flaking off of surface material.--This was obviously a bad run of material, as several other decks of same time period have had exactly the same problem. Lumbermens have said they have been good about replacing the material but in my case they do not want to replace this much material. I have heard nothing from them since refusing their offer.Their warranty on their product is 25 yrs.--They want me to accept half price of material, do all the labor myself and sign a full and final release for all of my Trex decking. I bought 1540 lin. ft @Approx. $2.20 per ft. when doing my decks. The same material is now $2.60 per lin.ft.--* Your defence of Trex is objectionable as you obviously have never seen a problem such as a lot of us have had. Hold your comments until you have seen first* *hand the problems.--* *MY ONLY SOLUTION IS JOINING A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT WHICH IS SURE TO*_ *COME IF ENOUGH OF US SIGN ON.*_ Until then my deck will be in plain sight for all to see and I will be placing personal notes in classsified inviting anyone intending to put down a Trex deck, to come see my *UGLY TREX DECK!!!*


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## GAD

*Class Action Suit*

A $10,000 Trex deck only one year old and full of black mold spots. I would be glad to sign up for a class action suit. Count me in.


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## robert kain

*trex discoloration*

hello,i am new,I thought i would check and see if anyone else is unhappy with trex,I was shocked at how many people are having the same problems,my deck is also one year this month,i have $11k into materials alone,my ballister are saddle color,i called and complained the week it was done,they said give it a year to fade evenly,well this is a year this month and it is worse.It is so bad some of them are like white,iam currently dealing with trex,they have offered to cover cost of ballister but no labor,we also have the same black marks all over everywhere,they also said it was mildew.This deck is 5 feet above ground,no trees around,and in full sun,how can it be mildew.I was thinking about getting my lawyer involved,this is still in the early stages with trex so we will see.If any one knows about this lawsuit let me know,why should trex keep screwing everybody!


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## pws

*trex Failure*

I bought 1,500 sf of trex for a new deck also in 2004...Apparently, I too, got that bad lot of material....Within 6 months, the boards were actually just deteriorating away....No problem with spots, however! 

I'll try to attach photos...

Anyway,the Trex Warranty company eventually sent in a guy and they provided a full lot of replacement boards and a small check....I had to remove and replace all the boards, but the new ones are much heavier and appear to be holding up great. My experience with their Warranty was ok considering....


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## robert kain

*trex*

That is about where we are at they want to settle for cost of materials/ballister only we are currently fighting over the black spots all over,they dont want to cover any labor but its unbeleivable that they are willing to pay for materials so quickly.That is why im not gonna settle so quick.


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## Matt_N

*Investigating Trex decking*

Our law firm is currently investigating Trex decking for defects resulting from molding and deterioration. If you or someone you know has had these or similar problems with Trex decking, please contact us about your situation at (612) 605-4098, [email protected] or www.halunenlaw.com.


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## sdsurfer

I purchased and installed 532 sqft of Trex Brasilia in May 2005. By May 2006, several boards were deteriorating and flaking away. The product failure has continued to spread in area and severity. The regional distributor for Trex, OREPAC and the retailer, Parr Lumber Company, from which I purchased the Trex were aware of the product failure, however there was no product recall. In my research of this issue I also learned that the Trex Company had completely replaced other decks (materials and labor), both contractor installed and self installed, with the same manufacturing failure. However, I have been attempting to resolve this issue with the Trex Company for almost a year. Thus far the Trex Company has refused to pay for the removal, disposal and replacement of the decomposing Trex deck. They have refused to respond to my claim as they have to earlier claims. Replacing this deck amounts to about $9,000. Here are some pictures of my failed Trex deck.


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## chalk_hill

sdsurfer said:


> I purchased and installed 532 sqft of Trex Brasilia in May 2005. By May 2006, several boards were deteriorating and flaking away.


I have been replacing Trex decks under their warranty program in Arizona for almost a year. Of all the decks I have inspected only a couple spring to mind that have been denied, with all the others being replaced (labor + materials) at no charge to the homeowner.

The only ones not covered were for color changes. As long as it was deteriorating as your pictures show, it was replaced. Most of the product I have been replacing seems to have been installed 2002 - to 2005.

For the record I have installed a variety of other composite decks and many of them have had their "issues". Trex has been better about dealing with their defects than some others I could name. They are all better than wood IMO (and I have installed tens of thousdands of feet of fine redwood and cedar).


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## Patricia Folsom

*Trex Decking is a Disaster!*

To Newbie:

I totally understand where you are coming from. We installed our Trex decking in 2006 at the cost of $15,000. Today it is flaking, splitting, and rotting. We have had the same run around from Trex and to date they have given us an offer to cover the costs of the boards only. Of course, the rip out, haul out, and labor costs to replace the deck is ours to bear. 

The only way to beat Trex is for homeowners to get together and start a law suit against Trex. And, to let others know, to beware and not throw their money away on a total worthless product.


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## chalk_hill

Leon L Olsen said:


> Their warranty on their product is 25 yrs.--They want me to accept half price of material, do all the labor myself and sign a full and final release for all of my Trex decking.


My suggestion is that you send a polite and reasoned letter in response stating that you really want to like Trex decking and recommend it to all your neighbors and chatroom acquaintances, but that their offer is simply unacceptable because it requires you to pay twice to have their defective material installed.

From what I've seen, these cases can sit for 30-60 days while someone responds. If you don't get a response in that time, i suggest calling up and politely but firmly asking for a status report. This seems to have worked for a couple of my clients.

What region are you in? Who are you dealing with - a Trex Rep or a warranty company?


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## Patricia Folsom

Do you suppose one should install a Trex deck for $15,000 and have it splinter, crack and flake within 3 years..............................and that is just a routine matter. Indeed, there is no product that is guaranteed for life, but a consumer should expect an expensive product like Trex, and a product Trex claims has a 25 year life.........to last more than 3 years.
Our deck is rotting and falling apart and Trex is only offering to replace some of the boards! They feel we should pay for the tear out, for the haul away, and for all the labor costs in a replacement deck.
What an incredibly pathetic company and everyone should be warned about conducting any business concerning Trex and their products! And, any reasonable and honest builder or contractor should make the problems clearly aware to their clients!


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## chalk_hill

Patricia Folsom said:


> And, any reasonable and honest builder or contractor should make the problems clearly aware to their clients!


 I have had occasion to see Trex decks I put down a decade ago - holding up just fine with happy owners. Not many wood decks I could say that for. It seems that Trex is making a 'first offer' that is far less than full replacement. Auto insurance companies do this all the time too. You don't have to accept it.


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## Patricia Folsom

*Roger - Trex Problems*

And, as an inspector for Trex, you have seen just as many that have failed.


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## chalk_hill

The difference is that all the failed decking I have seen was manufactured in 2002 - 2004 (and supposedly all in one plant) AND Trex has paid to replace them. 
All things considered, (and remember, I have no dog in this fight) I still think Trex is as good as anything on the market. 
For clarification, I am an independent contractor and an inspector OF Trex, not FOR Trex.


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## sdsurfer

Chalk Hill,

I want to thank you for sharing your insight on this topic. I sincerely appreciate hearing from a professional in the business about their experiences with Trex. I have sent five polite but firm requests to Trex requesting a satisfactory resolution, but so far, I've been unsuccessful. With most of those letters, the offers have very slowly improved, but have fallen well short (~$1,000 short) of a full labor and materials replacement. I just wish I could figure out how some homeowners have been able to get a fair resolution (i.e., full labor and materials) and I have not. Trex could very easily make this right with me, but so far they haven't really even tried.


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## chalk_hill

sdsurfer said:


> I have sent five polite but firm requests to Trex requesting a satisfactory resolution, but so far, I've been unsuccessful. With most of those letters, the offers have very slowly improved, but have fallen well short (~$1,000 short) of a full labor and materials replacement. I just wish I could figure out how some homeowners have been able to get a fair resolution (i.e., full labor and materials) and I have not.


How are you calculating labor and materials compared to them? In my area they use estimating software such as that used by insurance writers to calculate market rates. This should include removal and disposal of the old material, and incidental costs such as railings that have to be detached and reset if they impede replacement of the deck material.

I find their estimates to be fair (with some caveats) as long as the installer is set up for production and knows what he is doing.

It has been relayed to me that they are trying to avoid replacing any material that is not currently deteriorating - even if it from the same batch. I can only guess that this is to slow down their rate of expenditure to even up the balance sheet a bit, even though it seems a sure way to prolong the agony.

The best I can offer is that you detail your demands with as much documentation as possible and request the same from them.


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## sdsurfer

Trex has offered to cover the value of materials for the entire deck, so that hasn't been an issue for me; it's been the costs of deconstruction, disposal, and installation that has been the sticking point. I have obtained three bids from Trex certified installers to do the work, which I submitted to Trex, but Trex has been well short of the lowest bid. I sent another letter yesterday, so we'll see. Unfortunately, the value of my wasted time and frustration will never be recouped.


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## Matt_N

Our office has been bombarded with complaints about defective Trex decking. We are filing suits against the company in various different states. The decking posted by sdsurfer is very typical. Our investigation indicates that Trex has known for years the design of this product is defective yet they continue selling it. They already settled one class action for the same discoloration/deterioration in 2004. We are interested in talking to others who have had similar problems as sdsurfer. If you would like to discuss your case, please contact me at: www.halunenlaw.com or [email protected].


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## chalk_hill

sdsurfer said:


> Trex has offered to cover the value of materials for the entire deck, so that hasn't been an issue for me; it's been the costs of deconstruction, disposal, and installation that has been the sticking point. I have obtained three bids from Trex certified installers to do the work, which I submitted to Trex, but Trex has been well short of the lowest bid.


Interesting. Over here they come up with an estimate (which includes all of they above) and I can accept it (or not). For the most part I am able to work within their numbers.

Apparently they need to expand the program to your state.


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## robertcdf

chalk_hill said:


> All things considered, (and remember, I have no dog in this fight) I still think Trex is as good as anything on the market.


You must have you head in the sand if you think trex is as good as anything else on the market. 

Try looking into these products in this order

Correct Deck CX

Azek Deck

TimbeTech XLM 

All 3 of these are FAR superior to trex anyday of the week. In fact I would even go as far as to say that Hem-Fir would last longer than trex.


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## chalk_hill

Everything has its pro's and con's.

Vinyl has its own issues. If you read around you'll hear the same complaints about Correct Deck as read here about Trex. I have had TimberTech problems that they refused to deal with too.

Contractors and builders all get sold on one thing or another by the local rep or promo. It all looks great when we walk away and for the most part, unless there is a problem we never see it again.

We're into about the third generation of composite decking now and they are getting better. Much of the differentiation is (unfortunately I think) straight out of the Good /Better/Best School of Marketing as various players try to cook up some plastic wood to carve some imaginary niche in what is apparently a very profitable enterprise. So, as usual, watch out for the low end products and the new improved breakthrough products and read the maintenance sheet carefully.

If you want Hem Fir, well, go right ahead. :wink:


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## Rick T.

*Spots not from within - but from weather induced reaction?*

We purchased Trex one year ago to replace our old pressure treated deck, about 300 square feet. When we bought our first batch to self-install, we ordered three planks short. Three weeks later we purchased three planks. They were darker than the original. We installed them anyway.

Today we suffer from the leopard spots. I thought they were from jet fuel because we live near Dulles Airport, VA and the spots were less apparent under the house eves. In trying to wash the deck, I moved the umbrella stand and noticed not one leopard spot under the round stand!

Also, the darker planks are not spotted.

I spray washed the initial installation three months after installing. The darker planks are still unaffected.

I will not approach Trex given their poor track record noted in this chatroom - I will try to clean and live with them until replacement - probably redesign and go to a tile on-grade deck perhaps - certainly do not want a repeat of the pressure washed wood.

Conclusion: Perhaps the manufacturering process is to blame for the initial planking we purchased.


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## robertcdf

chalk_hill said:


> Everything has its pro's and con's.
> 
> Vinyl has its own issues. If you read around you'll hear the same complaints about Correct Deck as read here about Trex. I have had TimberTech problems that they refused to deal with too.
> 
> Contractors and builders all get sold on one thing or another by the local rep or promo. It all looks great when we walk away and for the most part, unless there is a problem we never see it again.
> 
> We're into about the third generation of composite decking now and they are getting better. Much of the differentiation is (unfortunately I think) straight out of the Good /Better/Best School of Marketing as various players try to cook up some plastic wood to carve some imaginary niche in what is apparently a very profitable enterprise. So, as usual, watch out for the low end products and the new improved breakthrough products and read the maintenance sheet carefully.
> 
> If you want Hem Fir, well, go right ahead. :wink:


You have PERSONAL experience with Correct Deck CX failing???? I would like to see this. I live in Colorado and it is VERY tough on ANY outdoor product. CX is the only thing that has held up. In fact I had an extra board in my garage and MOTOR OIL was spilled on it. I did not bother cleaning it as a test for OVER A MONTH!! it sat on the surface... Well just the other day I pulled it and cleaned it and used it on a set of steps. Cleaned up perfect and matches the new batch colors perfectly. 

BTW I did not get sold on CD CX by ANYONE. I used it a few times and learned from personal experience that it is the best I could find (with all the features I am looking for)


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## chalk_hill

robertcdf said:


> You have PERSONAL experience with Correct Deck CX failing????


My post says: 


> If you *read *around you'll hear the same complaints about Correct Deck as read here about Trex.


The exterior shell of the CX is plastic not composite, so its no surprise that motor-oil does not stain it.

Everything has its pluses and minuses, be it wood, composite or plastic.


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## robertcdf

chalk_hill said:


> My post says:
> 
> 
> The exterior shell of the CX is plastic not composite, so its no surprise that motor-oil does not stain it.
> 
> Everything has its pluses and minuses, be it wood, composite or plastic.


I have read around... I dont recall seing complaints about Correct Deck CX. Please post some links to complaints about CX falling apart. I have some in the harshest UV enviroment around and it looks just like new.


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## sdsurfer

*More Trex stonewalling...*

To update others on my experience with the Trex Corporation, today I recieved my sixth response letter. In the letter they admit that they fully replaced the failed decks (both materials and labor costs) through January 2008. After January 2008, they elected to enact a new policy of only replacing the failing material, and not covering removal, disposal, or installation costs. So bottom line, I will have to pay an additional $1,500 to fix the problem with their material failure, throwing more good money after bad. 

Chalk Hill (or anyone else out there), are you aware of any examples of Trex covering labor costs after January 2008? Thanks.

-Frustrated Trex Victim


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## chalk_hill

I have replaced at least 5 or six Trex decks this year. However, I don't know when the original purchase or claim was dated. Three claims that I can recall went back to the prior year.

I think Trex changed the warranty a year or so ago to "materials only". The original warranty was lifetime (if I recall correctly) and that may have changed a couple of times over the years. 

What does *your *warranty say? They can change the terms all they want but it is only applicable going forward. Your warranty is whatever was promised at the time of purchase.

There is also the possibility that Trex is adjusting according to state law - so for example, CA may require less than AZ. No information - just thinking out loud here.


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## gpraven

*Trex Contractor Problems in Castle Rock Colorado*

Much of our problems with the Trex product can be attributed to poor workmanship by a local contractor here who touts himself as a Trex 'specialist' who has built over 1000 decks in the past 20 years, or 50 per year. Yes, this number is impossible for a three person crue and we should have known beter. Avoid at all costs Joe Sporer aka 'The Deck Guy'! He is a shoddy operator who will change costs and not construct the framing of your deck to basic standards. He will not stand behind his work and refuses to perform warranty repairs associated with his work. 

Now, the trex decking warranty issue is another matter and has been brought to the attention of Trex, Colorado BBB councils and local supply houses. The decking is splitting and has some separation issues after 1 year, extremely discolored thru fading (was saddle, now almost a powdery white color, and has foreign object protruding out of the planks. Trex has said this is normal in a recycled product, however we certainly weren't told this at time of purchase by Joe Sporer aka 'The Deck Guy' or the Deck Super Store in Denver, or anyone else we spoke to prior to choosing the Trex product. Of course having green plastic strands sticking out of new Trex decking is not acceptable and Trex should not sell a product they won't stand behind. 

Who can help me learn more about the new class action lawsuit against Trex here in Colorado?


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## robertcdf

I tell anyone that I meet that trex is not a good product. I warn that in the Colorado enviroment that brown turns to concrete gray. Sounds to me that they have not changed one bit. 

As far as 50 decks a year... Easy... We dont do that many but I know a 1 man crew that can complete a 10x20 basic redwood in 1.5 days all by himself and they look better than any other contractor I have seen. He can do a 10x20 composite with a full flight of stairs in 2-3 days all by himself.

Still waiting for Chalk to post the links to Correct Deck CX failing... waiting... waiting... I doubt he can produce.


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## Meredith

*Trex decking problems*

Hi All, 

Do you have a deck made with Trex wood-alternative material? 

Trex lost a lawsuit a few years ago because their deck materials didn’t stand up as advertised. Now, other homeowners are seeing their Trex decks rot, warp and fall apart. 

I work with a law firm that filed a lawsuit against Trex for misrepresenting their materials and then failing to help homeowners with repair costs. The suit represents everyone who has a deck made from Trex materials and are experiencing rot, warp or degrading of any kind. Anyone who’s experienced problems since 2004 can join. It’s worth checking out.

You can learn more about the case by visiting the Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro website and selecting Trex Company under the list of Featured Cases.


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## chalk_hill

robertcdf said:


> I tell anyone that I meet that trex is not a good product. I warn that in the Colorado enviroment that brown turns to concrete gray. Sounds to me that they have not changed one bit.
> 
> As far as 50 decks a year... Easy... We dont do that many but I know a 1 man crew that can complete a 10x20 basic redwood in 1.5 days all by himself and they look better than any other contractor I have seen. He can do a 10x20 composite with a full flight of stairs in 2-3 days all by himself.
> 
> Still waiting for Chalk to post the links to Correct Deck CX failing... waiting... waiting... I doubt he can produce.


 When I searched for CorrectDeck issues, I got numerous hits. (Among the discussions on other boards I found you again ardently championing Correct Deck CX.) So it seems CorrectDeck had mildew issues and introduced a revised product. Earlier customers got no satisfaction from the manufacturer. Trex has also updated their product - so what is the difference? I'm don't have a dog in this fight, I just want to add perspective. Its about managing expectations and looking at all sides. Wood decking is not environmentally responsible - since it is usually virgin lumber and lately often from rain-forest extraction. Most decks are gone and replaced in ten or fifteen years and I think its rather sad to cut down forests and throw them away a decade later. Composite decking comes in many varieties - only some of which have recycled content, but all of which require less maintenance than wood. You prefer CorrectDeckCX, and others tout Trex, Premier, or Timbertech or Boardwalk as superior. There is no perfect product - they all have drawbacks. They get too hot in the summer, or they are only available in short lengths, or they chalk, or they fade, or they have hollow cores ... etc. Choose the one that best fits your taste, wallet and environment and remember that its more like buying a car than a house. In a few years it will be used up and superseded by better things, so you need to get out there and sing, dance, and laugh on it now, to get your money's worth!


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## nmtermite

*Trex lot consistency*

We put in a very large deck with Trex on our new home. We got two different lots of Trex which are significantly different. Our supplier did not even come out to look at the decking. Trex's manufacturer's rep told us that the lack of consistency is not a warranty item. Several thousands of dollars of decking look like a cheap job using left over materials.


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## chalk_hill

nmtermite said:


> We got two different lots of Trex which are significantly different.


 Was that not apparent at delivery? It is really the responsibility of the installer to make sure lots match. This is a common issue with all kinds of products, but one you need hammer out with your supplier before you install the product. 

Fairly, the supplier should know if he is sourcing the product from different stocks there could be compatibility concerns. However, once you install it, you accept that it is adequate for your project. 

If the color differences were not apparent before installation, I can understand why you're less than satisfied. How long has it been installed? Trex takes weeks to months (depending on exposure), to reach final tone.


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## Roniwow

*Trex Deck Rot*

Trex is an awful product.

My deck was purchase and installed in July 2005. The materials were shipped in 2 different deliveries. The first delivery was installed while we waited for the second to arrive. The second delivery appeared to be a different color and texture. When I called Trex; I was advised that the colors would adjust with exposure and was assured that the different products performance would not be different. Neither happened and the defects can easily been seen in photos *

Did I mention that the deck is literally rotting out beneath my feet?*













I would like to know what my options are. My previous attempts to work with Trex Company have been very dissappointing and yielded no results whatsoever. I am considering legal action; now that Trex has acknowledged in a news release statement dated January 16, 2009 a "manufacturing problem' with products from its Fenley Nevada plant and that is isolated to parts of the west coast.


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## chalk_hill

Roniwow said:


> I would like to know what my options are. My previous attempts to work with Trex Company have been very dissappointing and yielded no results whatsoever.


 Last I heard, Trex was supplying replacement material only for defective product. Based on your photos, Trex should supply you with fresh material - although that won't help you with the labor. You should be aware however that your deck does not appear to be installed per the product spec - which requires a ¼" gap between all boards (this is printed on every plank). This is a potential reason for your failure, because it impedes water from draining off the deck. There is a lawsuit in some stage of progress that you may be able to join, so you might search around for that if you want to try the legal route.


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## Thurman

Open statement to "lizrodelli". I do not disagree with your opinion of what actions to take in this matter, BUT. I used this method once at my local Lowe's store with a matter involving Whirlpool's Energy Smart Electric Water Heaters after I found that they were having massive problems with them and Lowe's was still selling them but were not warranting them. I had installed five (5) of these units that had failed. Would you like to guess who was taking the blame for no hot water? After entering Lowe's and handing out leaflets imprinted with factual information as to the problem with these water heaters I was promptly arrested and removed, nicely, from the store. After I was taken downtown I was informed I should have gotten a "parade permit" for this stores address and I could have done this. After posting bail, I immediately applied for a parade permit for this location for a 24 hr. period so I could hand out these leaflets legally. OH, did I mention that I had to walk seven miles back to the store? Remember, the police do not offer two way rides. It was worth it. Maybe my efforts weren't wasted, but Lowe's still sells these Whirlpool Water Heaters. Thanks, David


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## dhag

Cedar deck is easier to maintain than Trex. What a POS.


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## gpraven

In fact, with regard to our Trex decking color-fast problems, it has taken over 2 years for replaced board to come close to the original saddle color. To date, there's about a 20% difference; the new bds are still darker than the originals. It has been noted and understood that Trex product is horrible and should not be used. I wish I'd known that 3 years and $15K dollars ago! This is why Trex is liable folks, marketing materials make false and flat out untrue statements. This is why they settle thru class action. Good luck!


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## chalk_hill

It is understandable - expected even - that a thread propagated by disaffected Trex customers will hardly be a balanced discussion, and far be it from me to defend Trex for the way they have changed their warranty policies. As with ANY colored product, color variation is to be expected and when using recycled content this is only amplified. Mixing old and new is always fraught with peril and it is remarkable that you were able to integrate them at all (try that with carpet or tile!). I'm fairly sure the formulation on the product has changed in the interim as Trex now incorporates mildewcides. For those who simply need a place to vent - carry on. For those more open, I merely offer the counterpoint that I have seen and installed a LOT of Trex and for the most part it has far out-performed natural wood products in every respect.


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## gpraven

Chalk - I would agree but if you're in business to manufacture a product sold to the public, your marketing materials must state truthful facts. The whole argument regarding recycled product does not hold water as those caveats not adequately disclosed in terms of what the consumer should expect. Green particles sticking out, bubbling, warping, discoloration, delamination speak for themselves and this product should not be sold unless Trex disclosed fully, the shortcomings of the product. This in not a venting platform, but rather a post site so people can know which products to avoid. Hindsite is always 20/20.


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## chalk_hill

gpraven said:


> marketing materials must state truthful facts. The whole argument regarding recycled product does not hold water as those caveats not adequately disclosed in terms of what the consumer should expect. Green particles sticking out, bubbling, warping, discoloration, delamination speak for themselves and this product should not be sold unless Trex disclosed fully, the shortcomings of the product.


 I have had occasion to read lots of Trex promo and see a lot of the product over the last 10+ years. 

I haven't seen any 'green particles' sticking out of planks for many years - that was pretty much confined to the first version made. Trex has become a lot more refined since then - more dense, uniform and wood-grained. I do see a surface "bubble" now and again, though I have never seen one grow or burst and when I've cut through one there was no void inside the plank. I either cut around them or return that plank. Don't install them. 

I can't recall Trex advertising that perfectly uniform color was a product feature. They have always been up front about fading over time. Even when they were paying for complete deck replacements due to the "Nevada plant issue" color variation was never warranted. I did see significant color changes in that material, and in my experience it got replaced because of the other defects - surface deterioration. 

Trex is not a laminated product, so it can't DE-laminate; I presume you are speaking to the deterioration issues and since Trex (like all the composites) is a pliable product, any "warping" is a result of framing defects. 

Fifteen years ago, no-one expected their decks to be trouble-free and maintenance exempt, so its fair to say that composite decks have been somewhat over-hyped. There are literally dozens of variations on the market and its mostly capitalizing on ground that Trex pioneered. 

I'm not excusing Trex PR or warranty service, just pointing out that its a moving target and as difficult as it may be to determine what the BEST product is at any time for any given location and need, it's all a big step ahead of where it started; with biennial deck refinishing as the norm. I think that's a healthy context to frame the discussion within. 

As they say in car sales - your mileage may vary.


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## MADVS

My husband and I have been doing a ton of research on what to replace our 800 sq. ft. of decking and 800 sq. feet of dock at our lake home. We first looked at Trex and went to the local Lowes Home Improvement center to see the product. They had three deck models of Trex outside and each one of them had spots of mold. We couldn't believe that Lowes or Trex would want to have this product look like that and expect the public to put down money to purchase it. It is much more expensive than wood and still has maintenance. We have looked into other 100% virgin vinyl products such as Eon and we are thankful that forums such as this one exist. We have now read that Eon doesn't carry the load it claims, and cracks in extreme cold temps. 

We are now considering Brazilian Ipe wood. It is more expensive than pressure treated wood but has a tighter grain and can last over 25 years. We know we will still have to stain and clean it, but it should look great for years to come. 

Buy carefully, and check the internet. We have found several products that don't live up to their claims. 
MADVS


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## chalk_hill

MADVS said:


> We are now considering Brazilian Ipe wood. It is more expensive than pressure treated wood but has a tighter grain and can last over 25 years. We know we will still have to stain and clean it, but it should look great for years to come.
> 
> Buy carefully, and check the internet. We have found several products that don't live up to their claims.
> MADVS


 While you are considering Ipe, don't forget that much of it is harvested illegally from tropical rainforests amid significant ecological destruction. While it is often claimed to be sustainably harvested (and some of it is) up to 80% is not. http://lieuallenindustries.com/brazilianipe.aspx


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## II Weeks

who installed this deck Ron?? Wheres the spacing??

Ive done a few jobs with Trex but I wouldnt want it in my house. Too soft. They're an ingredient away from having a good product


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## punamele

*Trex Wrecks*

*It is unbelievable how Trex can go on year after year ad-
vertising their deck material as "low maintenance". It is
anything but. It's a total nightmare! Not only is it splotchy;
it's the perfect medium for growing all sorts of flora -
in our case BRILLIANT ORANGE MUSHROOMS. We con-
tacted Trex and got the classic runaround: "send us a 
letter describing ..." WE DID "Send us photos" WE DID
"With whom did you speak?" "He's out of the office ..."
"Let me transfer your call" "Who? No, he doesn"t work
here anymore" "Could you send us a photo?" "Have you
talked with your local distributor (they in the meantime
- now a couple of years - have ceased carrying Trex)?"
etc. My advice: if you're considering Trex for your deck,
MAKE TREX FOR THE BORDER ... unless you're considering-
starting a mushroom farm! Customer service? None
that we've witnessed. It too appears not easily main-
tained
*


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## texas115115

*BIGCHAZ how right you are!!!!!!*

Why to go. Wood is superrior to any other man made product anyone could name. The problem is most people including professionals dont install wood corectly. People just startint looking around do you see houses that are more than 100 years old, what are they made of? -Wood- If you protect the end grain you will have a WOOD deck that will last you a lifetime with a little maintance. By the way it wont look like wood it will be wood. Composites--just because they are new dosent make them better.:thumbup:WOOD THE ONLY WAY.


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## sjjacks

I have used Choice Deck from Lowes. It is a dark grey when installed and bleaches out to a beautiful gray. There are no spots and I am totally satisfied with the product. Use the special screws that won't mushroom in plastic. I also found you don't have to screw this every 16 inches. Also, I bought this in two different batches and both were great. You wont be disappointed.


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## clgreen

I'm considering replacing a wooden deck with Choice Decking sold at Lowe's. It's very expensive! Does anyone have any comments of this composite decking brand? It comes with a limited lifetime warranty.


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## Scuba_Dave

"Limited lifetime warranty"

Do they cover labor?
Pro-rated by years in use?


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## chalk_hill

ChoiceDek Warranty; http://aertinc.com/warranty.pd


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## chalk_hill

texas115115 said:


> WOOD THE ONLY WAY.


 What warranty do you get with wood? 

:whistling2:


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## Scuba_Dave

chalk_hill said:


> What warranty do you get with wood?
> 
> :whistling2:


The warranty of decades of prior use :yes:


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## chalk_hill

Scuba_Dave said:


> The warranty of decades of prior use :yes:


How do I claim on that when I don't gap my planks or keep up on the maintenance? :no:


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## Scuba_Dave

If you are too stupid to maintain a deck then you shouldn't have one. If you don't know how to build one then don't. Trex & others are advertised as maintenance free, they are not.
My deck was built in 2007 & I haven't had to do a thing to it
I've taken apart 10-15 year old decks & re-used the wood

My last house I sanded & restained the deck that was in place for 18 years. It still looked good after 25 years when I sold the house
It's now 30 years old & still there


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## sjjacks

My back deck is Mahogany. It is beautiful but It has to be powerwashed and treated with Cabots Austrailian Timber Oil to maintain it's beauty and condition. The Choice Deck has been down three years now and looks BETTER than the day it was installed. Remember I mentioned it is a rather ugly gray in the store but actually weathers to a beautifully natural Cape Cod grey. The 5/4 stock is a little less than $2.00 a foot if I remember, but I don't think I will have to replace it in my lifetime. (I'm seventy and figure I ought to last to 85 or so! LOL


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## texas115115

chalk_hill If you DON'T build the deck right it won't last, and you void the warrenty. If you get treated lumber you get a lifetime warranty. BUT like I will always say Seal the end grain or it will rot...I have been in construction a long time and have done many restoration and remodel projects and it is amazing hoe long wood last when used and installed properly. In the town where I live I see houses every day that are 150 years old and look great. They ARE MADE OF WOOD. There is NO such thing as MANTANCE FREE. Composit materials are playing on the "green building idea". Wait isn't plastic a petroluim based product. Wood come from trees, that grow. We can manage tree clearing by replanting, but we can't reoil the earth. WOOD is the best product, composit if the new in thing. Hope you understand my point. I don't mean to hurt anyones feelings, these are just my thoughs.


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## VaViaCo

*Trex doing Okay*

We built our dock with Trex saddle about 2 years ago now.
There are a few black spots.
None of it is decomposing at all (thank goodness).
We didn't use pressure treated wood because my wife didn't want her son sitting and rolling around on all those chemicals, and then on splinters.
PVC is an environmental nightmare--look into it.
Overall we love our dock.
I can only hope our luck holds up.


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## chalk_hill

Texas; no hurt feelings. I love wood and for many purposes there is no satisfactory substitute. But decking is not one of those purposes. My post was somewhat tongue-in-cheek since "wood" is not a manufactured product it does not come with any explicit post-installation warranty, and certainly your chances of getting a lumber mill to build you a new deck are slim. I don't think any composite decks are advertised as "maintenance free". "Low maintenance" maybe, and compared with wood they are indeed low maintenance. Hence the consumer interest. Many composite decks have a high recycled content - using "plastic" that has already been used once (obviously this is NOT the case with virgin vinyl) and wood flour that is waste-product from other processes. This is a big step up from plundering tropical rain forests for old-growth wood that on average makes its way to a landfill within 15 years, and YES that recycled content makes it "green". Using 100 yr old lumber for decks that last 15 years is obviously not sustainable. Yes, there is some sustainably harvested deck lumber, but the vast majority is not. And yes, IF wood decks are dutifully maintained they CAN last a very long time. TYPICALLY that is not the case.


texas115115 said:


> chalk_hill If you DON'T build the deck right it won't last, and you void the warrenty. If you get treated lumber you get a lifetime warranty. BUT like I will always say Seal the end grain or it will rot...I have been in construction a long time and have done many restoration and remodel projects and it is amazing hoe long wood last when used and installed properly. In the town where I live I see houses every day that are 150 years old and look great. They ARE MADE OF WOOD. There is NO such thing as MANTANCE FREE. Composit materials are playing on the "green building idea". Wait isn't plastic a petroluim based product. Wood come from trees, that grow. We can manage tree clearing by replanting, but we can't reoil the earth. WOOD is the best product, composit if the new in thing. Hope you understand my point. I don't mean to hurt anyones feelings, these are just my thoughs.


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## texas115115

Chalk Hill your right, I agree about your green points. My problem is when people use wood they dont install it right and dont take of it latter. 

Vaviaco dont worry about all those chemicals. After the cutting is done and the lumber has dryed you will come into contact with more chemicles sitting in your car driving to work or taking kids to school. And I would wonder what the Trex off gasses?? Any one know?? Maybe one more reason I dont like composit. Glad your deck is doing well. Just like anything else some good some bad and normaly we here the most about the bad.


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## Scuba_Dave

> In the _Forest Products Journal_. Scientist findings on Composite decking tested *can and does rot if they’re not treated with a preservative*
> 
> To improve composite decking, recently many Composites now boast that they are using preservatives on the surface or in the material to protect the deck board from rotting. Which means it contains some kind of chemical now.
> 
> For instance,composite decking boards are weaker than wood
> 
> Because Composites will fade some in time, are subject to mold and susceptible to stains. Cleaning and a mold remover can help, but if not attended to you end up with an ugly looking deck. To bring back these decks to pristine appearance may require future painting of the deck


...........................................................................


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## chalk_hill

Scuba_Dave said:


> ...........................................................................


This is almost too general to be of value (note the source!). There are many kinds of composite and many more that have vanished from the marketplace (including some that perhaps should never have been introduced at all) - so which ones are they talking about? 

I think every product explicitly states it is not to be used for structural applications, so the strength issues are well disclosed. 

Mildew grows in wood - so in composites it grows in the wood part of the composite, so some manufacturers now include a mildewcide in their product. How does the Forest Products Council recommend you get mildew off your wood deck? With chemicals. :whistling2:


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## harleysilo

One thing I've noticed in my 22 year old deck that is rotting out from underneath us is that the biggest problem appear to be the construction. 

The decking, 2x6's, was nailed in to the joists. The result years later is that the joist have a split running lengthwise in the top. Water has gotten in there over the years and now the top halves of the majority of the joist are rotten. Possibly screws would have created less spliting in the joists. Possibly covering the tops of each joist with some flashing would have kept the water out. 

I guess when it comes time to rebuild it (coming up soon), i'll research the best way to avoid this dilemma. :whistling2:


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## Scuba_Dave

chalk_hill said:


> This is almost too general to be of value (note the source!)


Right....the fact that composite have chemicals in them too
Not of value :whistling2:


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## harleysilo

Joe Swantack said:


> I'd recommend that you consider a completely unique alternative to the Trex Decking, try modular outdoor flooring decking tiles. :thumbup1:


I've been looking at those, can't find any prices online however.


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## ScottR

Isn't pure PVC by definition not a composite?


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## lisabrown

*TREX deck mold/mildew issues*

Hi -

I found this website after Googling "TREX and mildew problems". My Trex deck was installed by my builder in late 2007 at the time our house was built. I wanted a composite deck because I thought there would be less maintenance than required on our wood deck. I did not expect it to be "maintence free". It was purchased through a builders source store and not a "big box" store. Last Summer, I noticed black spots appearing on my deck. The deck gets plenty of sun from about noon on so staying damp is not the issue. Initially, I thought the spots were from our gas grill; however, these spots covered the deck completely and included the both sets of steps. After doing some on-line research, I discovered the problem was most-likely mildew stains. I purchased products which did not contain a high concentration of bleach as the deck has faded so much, I didn't want it to fade even more. In any event, this product did not work. The spots still remain; however, the mildew remover did lighten the deck even more. I am so disappointed with the Trex product. Even my wood deck (which was most-likely pine) never faded to this extent nor did I have such severe mildew/mold growth. The Trex deck cost me about 3 times more than our wood deck. I am really disappointed to hear that Trex accepts no liability. As I mentioned, I didn't expect this composite deck to be "maintenance freee", but in light of the expense I did at least expect it to meet certain expectations, namely, having to spend less time on maintenance. Otherwise, what is the advantage?.


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## rwdiveoso

*Rwd*

I saw that several people have mentioned that their decks have faded. There is a product on the market called deck max green (www.shutterrenu.com). The product will bring back the color of faded PVC decks and make the deck look great. It will not work on decks that are made of "recycled" plastics or poly propylene.


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## Techmom

*Join the Trex Decking Sucks Network!*

Horrible product and horrible customer service. Our deck is crumbling and moldy and they will not reimburse us to replace it. DON'T BUY TREX! Go to *Trex Decking Sucks* to discuss your issues about Trex, upload photos or to find out the problems thousands of consumers are having with this bad product.


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## haugerb

*Bbb*

I've heard of other people having the same issuea. I started replacing my deck using trex and stopped when I heard about the problems and they aren't standing behind the product. That tells you alot about the company. I must of told 20 people so far to do your homework before buying this product. 

I would recommend contacting the Better Business Bureau via their website. It's easy and they will get results. I've used them in the past and won every case.


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## Birch

*Deck of Decay*

We just got our response from TREX this week...They'll send us replacement material and remit a token $250 to fulfill their warranty requirement. That's it, no more, can't talk to anyone else, straight from the CEO (so I was told). Our deck is less than 5 years old and all the 2x6's are rotting apart. So I guess they expect us to pay to replace it 5 times over the 25 year warranty. The Origins Natural was no longer in production so they will be sending the Accents material, but it exhibits the same problems (posts 38 & 39). In talking to Contractors and Retailers they say that TREX has been having major problems the past 2 years. That's about how long this thread has been running. Our claims adjustor is 100 miles away, but spends 3 days a week in our area verifying claims. Trex may not be in business for the long haul with their attitude and lack of quality control.


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## Scuba_Dave

Their product sucks & their warranty sucks
No maintenance?
Not true
Warranty, as you have just found out, near worthless


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## mynd66

I just read through this thread. It seems that Trex is a strait up gamble. Because it is made up of plastics/wood/chemicals etc in different ratios/batches... how the hell are you supposed to know how that will hold up in your enviorment? 

I'm with ScubaDave. The nature of wood is predictable. If you get the right wood and maintain it you will know exactly what you are buying and what to expect. It won't last a lifetime but you already know that. Its not a big deal to pop up old planks and replace them anyway. 

Of course the person who never had a problem with trex will be more inclined to believe that its a great product and the person who's deck turned out to be crap will condemn all of trex. Truth is its the luck of the draw. Who knows if your going to get a good batch or not? I'd put my money on WOOD which goes back to the caveman and has been tried and tested. If you wanna take a chance and spend money for the possibility of getting a few more years out trex board than wood then go for it but I think its stupid.


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## Erik B

VERRRRRRRRRRRY Interesting. I am a contractor in Oregon and was a Trex early adopter. I have built 12 -15 Trex deck since the mid 1990s and I haven't heard any complaints from my clients. In fact, I have a Trex deck in my own back yard (about 10 years old) and we love it. I have done zero maintenance on it, and it hasn't faded because I chose the "woodland brown" color that doesn't fade like the lighter colors. I haven't built a Trex deck in several years, and I am putting a bid together right now for a deck. Reading this forum has certainly scared me, and made me realize that I've been fortunate so far. This is a great forum, and I appreciate all the posts (especially Chalk) - I hope all you bummed out Trex owners get some relief!!


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## Mr. Shed

It may depend on the amount of sunlight the TREX gets during the day. I have in-laws who's TREX deck is about 8 years old and is almost always in full sun. It is now in very similar condition to the pics posted above, with more of a chalky sandpaper thing going on. They are very disappointed. After seeing their deck deteriorate like it has I would never use the product.


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## bluecollar

*Trex decking mold and mildew deja vu all over again!!*

I've read a number of these posts and i have the same exact experience with this expensive over-priced spot riden deck surface. I build my deck in 2005 and started noticing what looked like oil-spots, about the size of nickels, in many places. I called and was told to clean following their instructions, the stains did not go away and continued to get worse. The technical support folks at Trex continue to tell me the same thing every time i call, which is usually early summer as this is a summer house. I purchased all but one 20' length at the same time and the entire batch has the issue. The one board i purchased seperately from a different supplier has had no issues and is laying side-by-side with the rest of the deck. I've called each year and asked Trex to replace the material and i would supply the labor, but i am told only that it does not void their warranty. "It's a nuisance not a problem!"; what's what they tell me. If anyone is interested in getting together for a class-action law suit, i'm interested. I've attached a photo-after cleaning it this year.


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## diy'er on LI

In a few years, we were going to replace our rather old wood deck with composite material.

After this thread, it definitely will be replaced with pavers. I don't even want to risk getting into a situation like all of the other posters. 

sorry to hear that you're all going through this. We already have pool cover issues (we have one of those mesh covers, and it's always sinking into the water). Like the TREX company, we've gotten the run-around when it comes to the warranty.

Stunning that TREX is still in business.......


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## javaj

I'm new to this forum but wanted to post some of my own experiences. My trex deck, installed in 2000, showed black mildew spots soon after. I had heard that Trex had changed the amount of gap they were using between boards. As I live on Long Island and have mold issues anyway, and Trex would not come and re gap my deck, I decided to do it my self. 3 blades for my circle saw later, I had a new gap between the boards. they had swollen together and weren't allowing any drainage, which accounted for the mold. To get rid of the mold, I use deck cleaner like Thompsons, or sometimes just a regular chlorox bleach solution. I don't have to do it as often now that the boards have a sufficient gap between them. Almost 10 years and it looks like new. I'm currently looking to buy more Trex to create a play area for the kids. I'm very happy with my deck now.


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## Deckman100

zel said:


> I would have to respectfully disagree. Wood by nature is rotting and wearing away. You can slow it down, but you cant prevent it forever. The plastic used on composite decks will last much longer, and stay better looking, even when not maintained to "manufacturer specs", in my opinion.
> That being said, I do think Trex is a good product, but had a bad run or a series of bad runs. I have bought it twice from the same place a year apart and the older stuff looks much "dirtier" then the one year newer stuff. Overall, it seems to be a great product.


Trex has worked well for me as well. There's just some minor maintenance.


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## renate1446

*Trex Issues*

Am I glad that I found this site, I considered getting a Trex deck, but now that I read all the problems, I am glad I read and will consider other options.
thank you all who wrote.


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## SeafordCruiser

*What besides TREX??*

We just received their brochures and were all psyched to have this new wonderful decking..since our old wood deck is splintering, sagging, fading etc. So after Googling around on the Internet I came across this board! We really didn't want to stay with wood... BUT if TREX is so bad what other composite decking is good? :huh:


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## renate1446

*Trex*

Yes, it is scary. I don't know what material to buy either. My plan is to go to a lumber yard, not Lowe's or the Home Depot, but an old fashioned one. I think I would get good advice there. I wish people who already have a new deck refinished would write and let us know what they bought.


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## Scuba_Dave

I stick with good old PT
Stain it, seal it, sand it when needed & another coat of stain
My last deck was over 20 years old when I moved


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## II Weeks

my nieghbor just did a 5/4" X 6" PT deck. Joists are 2"X8"at 12" on center and screwed down with stainless steel screws. Covered it with a semi transparent stain and it came out great. Way cheaper than trex. Trex has some bugs they have to work out before its a really good product IMHO.


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## SeafordCruiser

Our wooden deck is now 7 1/2 years old and its not in good shape. I was going to have it sanded and restained when my DH came up with getting composite decking. But now I'm really confused as to what to do...Still considering TREX but need to explore more....


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## maintenancekt

Recently I removed my defective Trex decking and replaced it with Genovation by Genova Products. This is a brand new product that is easy to install and looks great! Good luck.


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## Scuba_Dave

SeafordCruiser said:


> Our wooden deck is now 7 1/2 years old and its not in good shape. I was going to have it sanded and restained when my DH came up with getting composite decking. But now I'm really confused as to what to do...Still considering TREX but need to explore more....


Most wooden decks have the joists 16" OC (on center)
Composite deck (as far as I know) needs 12" OC


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## renate1446

Thank you for sharing. I will Google Genova products.


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## Arcy

*Trex failure*

Dateline Oregon: I had a Trex pool deck installed in 2004 fail in 2006 in fashion similar to pictures presented in the forum. (see post 145) Trex covered material, removal, parts and labor. Based on that experience I assumed they stood behind their product. However, my house deck, installed in 2005 just began failing in similar fashion, and following the thread, it sounds like I'm in for a long unpleasant battle.


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## Pansy for Mom

*Trex nightmares*

We had our deck replaced with Trex in 2006 and similar to others that are posting, the mold issue and split boards have been a nightmare. Trex closed my case because the contractor would not provide a receipt for the product. For 3 years, I have been given cleaning tips by Trex. Only for the black spots to reappear. Today i am filling out the Trex concern packet for the second time. I have contacted the BBB, Attorney General, and Dept. of Labor and Industries. Trex is telling me that the mold spots are not included in the warrently because it is an "environmental condidtion". 

In addition to the black spots, the contractor put the screws too close to the edge of the board and the boards are all cracked. I can't get him to respond to my requests. He did respond to the attorney general negating the poor workmanship, and said the mold is the issue and he can't do anything about that. 

The quote to replace the decking is 15K. A lawyer would cost as much. Anyone have any ideas of how to resolve this issue? We don't have time to deal with this on a full time basis which is what would be required to resolve this. It makes me sick.


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## oldfrt

Scuba_Dave said:


> Most wooden decks have the joists 16" OC (on center)
> Composite deck (as far as I know) needs 12" OC


 
12" OC only reccomended when running composites at an angle to joists.

There are many other lines of composite decking out there that have better qualities than Trex.

If you want low maintainence(occasional powerwash) ,composites will save you money in the long run and keep their appearence longer.


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## CareBear

*Mold*

People keep saying that other decking is better than Trex, but I have yet to see it borne out in any formal testing. From what I've seen, all composite decking has similar potential for mold problems. But what I really want to see is some formal testing and not what is effectively confirmation that Trex sells more than others and thus has a larger count of users with problems. 

FWIW, I just talked to a Trex/Azek dealer today and asked him about the disintigration problem that some people have had with Trex decking. He said that it was due to some bad batches produced in 2005/6 which had bad wood mixing with the plastic.


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## jordans

*Trex black mold cured!*

Hi, I have a 500 sq/ft sandlewood/pattern Trex deck, 3yrs old that got completely destroyed by black mold.

I applied the Corte-Clean solution over the past 3 days and it worked! I needed to use much more than it recommended. I used 3 bags of the 300-500 sq/ft batches using a pressure pump sprayer. Here is what I learned:
- get a sprayer with a non-clog hose inside and an adjustable nozzle. The stuff can get soapy and clog. Also you may want to adjust your spray.
- spray it on, let it sit for 5 min, then scrub with a deck scrub brush and spray more on to keep it wet. Wait 25 min. and rinse like crazy. Lots or rinsing required. Next day it will look great.

Here are my before and after pics.

Jordan


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## dliberator

*Trex*

We installed a trex deck 3 years ago, within 2 years the entire deck was disinergrating. Trex did reimburse us for the product but not for the labor or the the screws. We are nervous to put down trex again, does anyone have any suggestions on what to install?


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## dave c

I designed and built a Trex deck in 03. I noticed the top surface deteriorating after the winter of 08. I now have quarter and dime sized pieces comming off. The independent adjuster came out to do the inspection after I contacted Trex about the problem and was promptly given an offer of about $2600 to replace the materials, no labor but $176 as per the class action suit stipulations. (That ammount won't even cover the beer required to strip off the old material and replace with new.) Labor is not part of the warranty so now I have to double MY work to strip and replace. I chose Trex to save me maintainance and I'm getting too old for this! I am GLAD I did not accept before verifying the cost to replace as Lowe's was $1300 higher than their offer of what Trex said was "average cost of materials in my area..." I sent in 2 seperate quotes and am waiting on their reply. "Trust but Verify" - ronald reagan.

I live in SLC, Utah and we get all kinds of weather but are semi-arid so the summers are hot & dry; low humidity = no mold issues. From all the moldy threads, I expect these comments on mold to come from high humidity climates(?). 

I am considering alternate manufacturers for composite decking to replace the Trex. In all the googling, it appears most if not all composite manufacturers have had their problems. However, I have talked to a contractor that has built scads of decks with no complaints from his customers for over 10 years using Choice Deck product. Anyone want to weigh-in on this product??

What I did not like about Trex (apart from the disintigration problem) is there are pieces of metal; like bits of aluminum (1-3 mm), in the decking materials. Definitely a QC issue as it's supposed to be just wood and plastic; right? As it further deteriorates, I keep finding other bits of 'foreign' materials in the product...

Anyone know if the NEW trex is any better? The rep at Home Depot says Trex has fixed the process problems. Once burned, twice shy.


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## Down Home Const

*Trex is not a miracle board.*

I must say I am a little biased in the fact that I have been installing Trex for well over 10 yrs now. I am on of the leading Trex installers in Michigan. Is Trex a perfect product..No. But the unfortunate part about forums is when people read these forums from other unhappy customers they take it as 100% truth and that these are informed homeowners. I am reading this forum now becuase a concerened homeowner of mine sent me this link. I can say I have built well over 1400 Trex decks in the past 10 yrs. Have I had issues with some of them? Of course! If anyone is to tell you there will not be some issues with the product they sell they are lying! But what I can tell you is that this is a good decking, and they have been around for a long time and they will continue to be around for years to come...Three years ago thier biggest competitor was weatherbest..everyone said this product will not mold, its the best product out there, where are they now? Just like many of the composite companies that claim greatness....no longer in production. Everyone needs to understand Trex is the innovator of composite decking..Its not a perfect product, but it is everchanging and always improving. As a contractor when I do have issues with Trex (and ocassionally I do!) it is always taken care of by the TREX company. Many people from the very start are misinformed by thier installatiion company. I am hearing things on this forum like "no Maintenance" "lifetime warrany" I hope thier contractor is not telling them this stuff..it simply is not true and nowhere is it stated on any Trex literature. I can tell you in the mid-west where I sell decks, I give one gallon of Olympic deck cleaner with every deck I sell. MOLD WILL GROW ON ANYTHING! I have customers ask me about the mold when I am standing in their backyard on initial consultation...I ask them to look around for mold, low and behold it's on their driveway, gutters, glass patio table, existing cedar deck, brick wall, vinyl siding.....why would you think that mold would not grow on TREX? PEOPLE ANYTHING WORTH ANYTHING YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF AND CLEAN...You never ever have to clean the toliet in your home....heck it's porcelian, its not gonna fall apart if you dont clean it, BUT WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE IF YOU DON'T?

I will say I have well over a thousand of very happy Trex customers...and I also have some unhappy ones too...But the good out weighs the bad for sure. I do sell other decking products and there are many very good ones out there, but for a guy who has built well over 3500 decks of all shapes, sizes, color and materials....I can tell you I have enjoyed many many beautiful evenings out on my TREX deck and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions:
LINK REMOVEDhttp://www.downhomeconstruction.com


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## TPMK864

*Mold in Trex deck*

I also have a mold problem with my Trex deck, noticed it after the first winter we had the deck built just last year. I have tried cleaning it 3 times using a composite deck cleaner, hard bristle brushes, and power spray washer. The power spray washer did the best job but it looks like the mold is coming back already. Don't buy this product, there is more work than wood decks and for double the cost. I will tell anyone to avoid this product.


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## jordans

See my post above..Corte-Clean is the only thing that worked. Power wash made it worse (I believe it removes the original coating and water casues mold to grow). Need to follow directions carefully, but it works.

I'm hoping Im done with mold for good.


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## Laurel

*Best Deal to Settle with Trex?*

I just received my offer from Trex to settle our warranty issue and the class action issue. They'll replace all material with new product and give us $270 for labor. 
In the last several months has anyone else gotten a better deal? How? 
Will they give cash in lieu of product? 
Thanks!!


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## paddle rose

*more thoughts and dissapointments with trex*

We have had trex decking since 1998-and very excited the first year and then all hell broke loose. We had spotting, mold, silver particles popping out. Our deck is about 15" x 30" -pretty big right? I did get a hold of a rep and he came out and personnaly sprayed what smelled like bleach but said it was specal product to help with trex decking-long story short-our deck looks like crap...it is now light gray (after power washing yesterday) but nice big black dots gallore. Mold is gone or rather it is a dfferent color now. I have read that their is a class action suit-anyone know about this? I am interested in getting my 15k back some how!!


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## wesley8808

I too have been dissappointed with the Trex. I have a three year old deck with the saddle accent trexs. I had a horrible mold problem as well. Last year I pressure washed the surface, but the mold came right back.

This year, I used an outdoor bleach solution and a scrub brush. I am pretty impressed with the results. Granted, I am still upset I had to do it. I basically went with a 40/60 ratio. To be honest, I do not notice much of a color change at all to the treated! My wife claims differently though.


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## Ann Halpin

*Trex*

I wish I would have read these posts before purchasing this product and having my deck built with this material. The boards are scratched, scuffed, discolored, and have gouges in them. The deck was built this week but looks like it is 25 years old. I am going to speak with the manager of Home Depot where I purchased the product, I can not believe a usually reliable company would sell such an inferior product. I am also contacting Trex. This material should not even be on the market. This has been a very expensive lesson, I should have done the research first. I recommend that anyone thinking of buying this product do not.

Ann
Coats, NC


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## chalk_hill

dave c said:


> "Trust but Verify" - ronald reagan.
> 
> I am considering alternate manufacturers for composite decking to replace the Trex. In all the googling, it appears most if not all composite manufacturers have had their problems. However, I have talked to a contractor that has built scads of decks with no complaints from his customers for over 10 years using Choice Deck product. Anyone want to weigh-in on this product??


Choice Deck class action

Please read the post from Down Home Const.


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## brandonriffel

*Evergrain deck*

I started this deck 2 years ago, yes I'm slow. I didn't contract out any of it, just had help from family and friends. I bought 90% of the Redwood Evergrain materials at the beginning so that it would all age at the same rate. I can say that I did a TON of research before I got started and came to one realization:

Most people won't post when they have a good experience, they only post to warn or complain. So here is mine.

I love our deck! Granted it is just now completed, but the aging look is as it was explained, some fading. After just one year of our old cedar/treated lumber deck that came with the house, it looked 10 years old. The thought of stripping, sanding, staining, treating, washing, staining, stripping, sanding that deck made me queasy.

I'm not sure if I can post links yet since I'm a noob on here, but I'll try anyways. I have loads of pictures and some stories. I'm going to expand it more in the next few months.


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## joefixsit

*cleaning trex*

I to bought into the maintenance free Trex deck and the black spot began to appear.I looked for sometime to find something to clean the deck that was fairly inexpensive. After a year of looking and testing,I found this instructions on the back of a box of TSP(Trisodium Phosphate)at the Hardware store. 
"Mildewed Deck and Siding: Remove by washing with solution of 1 cup of TSP dissolved in 3 qts of warm water and add 1 qt of fresh chlorine bleach. Use solution to scrub area thoroughly, using a scrub brush or coarse rags. The bleach kills fungus growth and removes stains. TSP removes dirt and grimes and wet the surface so the bleach can work. If stain remains, use second application. When mildew is gone, rinse thoroughly with warm water." 
Hot water I found worked better with the solution and put it on with a pump sprayer. 1 gallons covered a 10'x10' area. I bought a name brand bleach. Some are watered down,so be careful of the off brands. Had to do very little scrubbing and rinsed with the cold water. I left the solution on about 20 minutes so a cloudy day is best so the area will stay wet.
All the black spot are gone and I was surprise to see how much grime it wash away too. On a 16'x 28' deck cost of the material about 15 dollars.


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## brandonriffel

*fading at different rates?*

Has anybody else noticed that the post sleeves and 2x4 materials aren't aging or fading as quickly as the decking? My posts and rail look about brand new, but the deck boards themselves look as I would have expected them to after a couple of years on the west side of our house.

Brandon in Kansas


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## Jean ISR

*Another disappointed TREX client*

Here is an account of my experience with TREX deck materials. Last year, I built a small deck (5.5 ' x 7.5') and stairs using the TREX Accents composite material purchased from RONA. This material is substantially more expensive than pressure treated wood. It consists of recycled plastic and saw dust; it is a homogeneous material. The reason I chose this material is that it was presumably maintenance free. It also offers the advantages of being stable (does not shrink) and it is splinter-free and can therefore be walked on with bare feet. On the downside, it still required a supporting structure made of pressure treated wood, and the joist and stringer spacings recommended by the manufacturer are tighter, which added to the material costs and construction time. The manufacturer's installation recommendations were followed. Special (read expensive) fasteners were also used to hide screw heads. 

One year after construction, the deck was largely covered with black spots which continue to grow in size and numbers. It appears to be mould. Interestingly, the most affected areas are the ones where the decking boards are textured. (Note: The Accent boards are textured on one side with a wood-grain pattern and smooth on the other side. I chose to expose the textured side for the decking and the smooth side for the top rail of the guards). Vigorous cleaning with a warm mild soap solution has not been successful in removing the spots.

After some research on Internet, I have found that I am not the only TREX decking owner with mould issues. An explanation offered in a discussion group suggests that the saw dust could be sustaining the mould growth.

I have been in touch with RONA about the issue and was given the contact information for Nicholson and Cates (www.niccates.com) who is the TREX supplier to RONA. A person at Nicholson and Cates has sent me a 'recipe' for a cleaning solution. This person swears that it is effective and only needs to be done one or twice a year. However, the 'recipe' includes bleach, which contradicts the TREX cleaning recommendations. I waited to have the meeting with the local representative before using the 'recipe' since that course of action would be the excuse not to honour the TREX 25-year warranty. Btw, the warranty is worded in such a way that one would be lucky to get any consideration as a result of non performance of their product.

Another clue that there have been problems with TREX Accents decking is that the Building Materials Manager at RONA showed me a new TREX product with a different design. Unlike the Accents product which I used, the new product is not homogeneous. It has an outer layer of plastic. As I understand it, this outer layer does not contain saw dust.

After a month, and numerous phone calls, I succeeded in scheduling an appointment with the Nicholson and Cates local representative, Mike Lummack.

Mike brought a container of Thompson’s deck wash and demonstrated how to use the product on a step. It involved spraying generous quantities of deck wash, rinsing with water, but no scrubbing. The result was impresssive. The cleaned area looked like new. A few days later, I did the whole deck and it looked great. However, two weeks later the black spots were back. I passed on this information to Mike and RONA, and have yet to hear from them.

In my view, a deck that needs to be cleaned every two weeks does not make it a ‘low maintenance’ deck. Like many other posters in this discussion group, I am very disappointed in the TREX product, and will certainly not be recommending it to anyone.


Jean Laframboise, P. Eng.
Registered Home Inspector
Ontario Association of Home Inspectors

www.inspecres.ca
Ottawa, Canada


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## dhohosh

*Trex is very disappointing*

My husband and I decided to replace a wood deck that had been on our home for 15 years. I was so excited to be able to purchase Trex decking because of its warranty and it's no maintenance guarantee.

What a joke? Within two years our deck started flaking and peeling. I thought it was something we were doing because we do pressure wash our deck once or twice a year. I looked on the internet and I was so surprised to see all the complaints. 

I saw the claim form on the internet and filled it out and mailed it in to Trex, along with pictures and everything required by the claim form, i.e. proof of purchase, etc. Two months later a representative came and looked at the areas. More than two months went by and I got a letter in the mail that they will reimburse me $900.00 dollars for the "bad" places on my deck (we spent several thousand dollars for the deck). 

So basically Trex will give me money to replace the boards that have rotted by flaking, peeling and warping - but they pay no installation. Trex also prides itself that the deck doesn't change color - my deck has changed dramatically in color and so the new pieces will not match - won't that be pretty! Since they came to my home, more boards and railings have started the same process. When I talked to the claim representative today, he informed me that I could submit a new claim and another inspector will come out and we can start the process over. It is very apparent that the whole deck will start the same flaking process.

Why don't they just replace the whole deck now and save the time and expense of more claim forms, more inspections, more paperwork, more waste of time.

I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND TREX TO ANYONE! If I had the money, I would rip it out. My neighbor was going to put Trex in and after she came over and looked at mine, she changed her mind. 

I also have the mold effect going on too! What a terrible product - It's a shame that Trex is allowed to still be in business and take advantage of people. It's a big fat joke!


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## unlvrebel

All this really goes back to having plastic in direct UV light. Doesn't matter if it's decking or fencing. They will degrade. Period. I put up a nice white vinyl fence at my wife's behest because it looked so clean. After three years in the sunlight, my dog was able to run through the fence because it became so brittle. Nowhere did I read a disclaimer that told me to oil consistenly. I'm back to wood. No wood substitutes for me.


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## CLANG

*Trex disaster in Nor. Cal*

I am posting some pictures of our deck in Northern Cal. The ends are crumbling, just flaking away. The surface is gone in many places as if the decking were made out of cardboard. Some portion are sagging and have lost significant amount of the decking material. My dad is a lawyer and I am wondering what is best way to proceed. An individual lawsuit or filing a claim. From what I can see a lot of people are not happy with the claim process.
All advice is welcome.
See photos.


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## TennisNE1

*Trex*

We have 2 Trex decks, and we recommend that noone use this product! As numerous previous posts testify, it is an inferior material. Not only do black spots appear that cannot be removed, it bubbles as well. The company won't accept responsibility, other than offering a myriad of reasons why it must be the homeowner's fault. I don't know what material we'll use on our next deck, but I can tell you it will not be Trex. Save yourself a headache and avoid this product.


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## timbere

*Timbersil*

Try timbersil. It is a great product. Class A fire retaradant and completely non toxic (has an EPA certification to this effect). It also looks like wood and resists warping, splitting etc.


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## Stillwerkin

The company is still in business. 
I think if consumers all demanded a full warrentee on their defective product the company would be out of business. 

The sawdust has the vulnerabilities of rotting, just like any wood, and the plastic doesn't hold up to UV exposure(in the current formula).

Who knows if dipping the boards will help.
Hope they produce a new acceptable product for new customers, and are able to satisfy their previous ones.


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## mrgins

I know that there are differences in the wood/plastic ratio in the manufacture of these boards. Obviously the product with less wood is more expensive and a better product, but even the cheapest composit decking is expensive. As a result of this thread, I won't buy Trex.


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## JoeLena

It's distressing to read about all of the issues with this product. I did enjoy seeing the ad at the bottom though...


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## mminarik

*Trex Decking warranty a joke*

I have installed Trex decking based on the manufacturer's claim of mainenance free material. After two years, the dreaded spots have occurred on all but two of the boards purchased - they are still very close to the appearance when originally installed. I probably would not have been as disturbed if all the boards experience the same problem, but....

Trex is denying any problems. We had the 'inspector' arrive and do his thing, filed the report, and then the letter came. Sorry. Then to add insult to injury they offer to sell cleaning solution at a discount.

Simply stated - if Trex would provide decking to match the performance of my two boards i would be satisfied. The difference is too extreme to be 'slight discoloration'. I would not recommend this product to anyone. Furthermore, my son is a builder and he stands behind the same conclusion. The product we purchased is defective but Trex will not stand behind it.


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## kboyz

We are going to install a roughly 400 square foot deck this spring. We had been leaning towards Trex or like composite. After doing some research we are now leaning towaed ipe. Does anybody have positive feedback on Trex or negative feedback on ipe?


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## NCpaint1

IPE would be the ultimate choice if price is no object. Keep in mind that this wood is extremely dense requiring pilot holes before screwing it down. You can seal the wood if you like, oil it, or do nothing at all. IMO it is by far the best decking material out there. I can link some pictures from the pro painting site showing a properly finished Ipe deck. Its amazing looking.


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## NCpaint1

Here it is

http://www.painttalk.com/f24/last-deck-we-did-fall-2010-a-12143/


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## sde1972

*Reply to KHL Trex issues*

KHL - I just happened across your post and was wondering if there was ever any resolution. I realize your post is old, but, we recently (last year) had a new Trex deck installed - to replace an aging wood deck - and are starting to have the same issues. I'd be interested if anything ever came of this or if there is still interest in the class action suit. We haven't contacted anyone yet - just looking around for possible solutions. I hate the idea of having to file a lawsuit against a company to get something accomplished, but, if we run into the same roadblocks you have - it may come to that. Thank you!


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## Tom Garthwaite

I have the same mold problem on my 2009 deck in michigan. Did you get any futher with them? Tom in a2 mi


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## dobbsj

*Beware of Trex; But need to upgrade structure*



CLANG said:


> I am posting some pictures of our deck in Northern Cal. The ends are crumbling, just flaking away. The surface is gone in many places as if the decking were made out of cardboard. Some portion are sagging and have lost significant amount of the decking material. My dad is a lawyer and I am wondering what is best way to proceed. An individual lawsuit or filing a claim. From what I can see a lot of people are not happy with the claim process.
> All advice is welcome.
> See photos.


I agree Trex decking is terrible. But it looks like your joists are equally as bad. Are they 16" on center. Dis you coat them, including end grain with water proofing made for that. Wish you well. Wood saw dust should never have been mixed with polymer. It is mold waiting to happen.


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## dobbsj

*Why does Lowes sell Trex?*



dave c said:


> I designed and built a Trex deck in 03. I noticed the top surface deteriorating after the winter of 08. I now have quarter and dime sized pieces coming off. The independent adjuster came out to do the inspection after I contacted Trex about the problem and was promptly given an offer of about $2600 to replace the materials, no labor but $176 as per the class action suit stipulations. (That amount won't even cover the beer required to strip off the old material and replace with new.) Labor is not part of the warranty so now I have to double MY work to strip and replace. I chose Trex to save me maintenance and I'm getting too old for this! I am GLAD I did not accept before verifying the cost to replace as Lowe's was $1300 higher than their offer of what Trex said was "average cost of materials in my area..." I sent in 2 separate quotes and am waiting on their reply. "Trust but Verify" - ronald reagan.
> 
> I live in SLC, Utah and we get all kinds of weather but are semi-arid so the summers are hot & dry; low humidity = no mold issues. From all the moldy threads, I expect these comments on mold to come from high humidity climates(?).
> 
> I am considering alternate manufacturers for composite decking to replace the Trex. In all the googling, it appears most if not all composite manufacturers have had their problems. However, I have talked to a contractor that has built scads of decks with no complaints from his customers for over 10 years using Choice Deck product. Anyone want to weigh-in on this product??
> 
> What I did not like about Trex (apart from the disintegration problem) is there are pieces of metal; like bits of aluminum (1-3 mm), in the decking materials. Definitely a QC issue as it's supposed to be just wood and plastic; right? As it further deteriorates, I keep finding other bits of 'foreign' materials in the product...
> 
> Anyone know if the NEW trex is any better? The rep at Home Depot says Trex has fixed the process problems. Once burned, twice shy.


There are so many problems with Trex I don't understand why a reputable company like Lowes sells it. I guess the profits are more than lawsuits. And homeowners ultimately loose.


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## JoeBl

*Same problem with Trex Mold Spots*

My front stairs were built in 2008 with Trex... the mold spots you mentioned appeared in spring of 2009. Not knowing others were having this same problem I've treated it somewhat each year at this time (mid May2011) by simple water only pressure washing using a small electric pressure washer (1800 PSI). The spraying needs to be done tediously slowly. My 12 stairs and 2 landing take about 2 to 3 hours to pressure wash. The bad news is that the spots re-appear again in a few weeks. It is a bad visual... when guests leave my home they look down at the deck and typically say... "hey... it must've rained.... there are water spots on your front stairs". My Trex deck material color is sorta greyish. No picture is available but it ALWAYS looks like a brief shower just passed. Hopefully this post will help someone else know of this problem before they pick a Trex product for what for me was to be a pleasant entry to a new house. I'm going to search for other ways to post this same information and see what others have done.


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## Dick C

The problems with Trex product and customer service have not changed. My deck is less than two years old and I have long black areas on several boards near the door and a whole raft of white boards. Cleaning with the recommended product failed and questions/calls to customer service were of virtually no use if they were answered. Surely there must be many better products and companies


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## DannyT

i was just at the trex site after reading many of the posts. says they have a 25 year limited warranty for residential but not staining. trex transcend is warranted against grease and food stains. still a load of crap. i bought a house that has some type of composite decking on the enclosed porch. it has stains all over it. oh well, its probably trex.


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## lizspeers

*also extremely disappointed with trex deck*

I have the same problem with my trex deck which was intsalled 2009. it has the spots all over it. I thought there was nothing I could do, but after reading your account I will contact them and try to get this corrected. It looks really ugly, and for the expense it is extremely disappointing. If I am not satisfied with their response a lawsuit may be in order.


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## Brumby

*Green Stuff*

Preparing to open our pool for the holiday, I started washing out the bird droppings using a hose and hand scrub brush.

The droppings came right off, but then I notice all the water turn green.

I looked close, and in the pores of the Trex was black stuff. Apparently it is mold.

I did a search "mold on Trex" and bingo this forum came up.

I see I am not the only one that is disappointed with Trex.

Thanks for answering my question....:thumbsup:


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## lns2119

We too are having terrible problems with Trex. The mold and mildew multiply despite our attempts to clean it -using products and methods that will not nullify the warranty. Have you had any luck with dealing with Trex? The company is giving us no real suggestions other than using bleach - which is against EPA and OSHA guidlines. We are contemplating suing in Small Claim Court even though the limits are below the cost of our deck.


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## Brumby

This morning when it was cool, I got out the pressure washer and hit the Trex. 

Some of the mold came off.

Looks a little better.


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## Arcy

I had a 20 year old redwood pool deck replaced with Trex in 2004. It lasted 2 years and began flaking. Entire deck was replaced by Trex (under warranty) including removal, replacement material and labor. House deck was replaced with Trex in 2005. It failed in 2009. Trex replaced material only. Now my 2nd generation Trex pool deck from 2007 is showing signs of similar flaking and peeling. I welcome any suggestions as to how to proceed with the Trex company.


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## bob22

A lawyer.


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## danosabo

Nice to find this site, I am about to install 1700 sq/ft and was looking at Trex, will go with wood. Thanks to all


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## Ironlight

We put down a 1500 sq. ft. Trex deck about four years ago. about half of it is uncovered on the north side of the house and the other half is in a screen in area. The rational for using a composite was that since the screen in porch, which is substantial, is built on top of continuous deck, the longer-lived product was preferable. It has been "OK". It did grow mold close to the house, and even some moss as well but that would be expected on wood as well. Grease spills from the grill also stain, but I suppose that would be the case for wood as well. I scrubbed it with a composite deck cleaner product from HD and then lightly pressure washed it and it came up looking "OK". Certainly not "as good as new."

All things considered I wish we had gone with wood even though the Trex has not failed or performed out of specification. I like the feel of well maintained wood under my feet instead of plastic, and it does not seem like it would have been all that much more maintenance.


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## getzjd

I did put in 1200 sq ft of Trex in 2008. So far the only complaint are the dark mold spots. They are not really noticeable until it gets wet. If I had to do it again, I would have done IPE


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## post87

*HDPE synthetic wood that has the answers*

Here is website of mfg of HDPE synthetic wood that has the answers.
http://www.epsplasticlumber.com/index.cfm/category/11/lumber.cfm

I found it while looking for alternate material thanks to all of your writing about out problems. Definitely will not use Trex. Thanks.
Phillip 
[email protected]


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## ErnestR

*Problems with Trex in 2011*

in June 2011, we installed a small deck and some Trex steps and porch decking to our cottage. We used the latest Trex product in Winchester Gray. The four boards our installer put on the steps were mottled and spotted as if a soapy or chemical solution had dried on them and parts of the boards were faded when taken out of our enclosed shed and installed. We called Trex several times and the girls seemed to be reading from a script telling us Trex would weather to a slightly lighter shade and that the spots we had were likely tannins leaching out of the Trex. She recommended we buy a deck brightener and clean the deck with that. She didn't want to understand that our deck hadn't "weathered." Several Trex boards were severely faded in places and spotted before they were even installed. The fading was as if the Trex was stored in the sun somewhere and only a portion of our board was sticking out and so just a piece of it bleached to a light gray. Trex calls this "weathering." Since our cottage is in the woods, the rest of the decking is not likely to "weather" to this lighter color. If I wanted a light gray deck, I wouldn't have bought Winchester Gray which is darker. Sad to spend so much money and get such a crappy looking product and then to have all their customer service operators reading scripts like robots or something out of the Stepford Wives. What a weird experience. Everything I said was all thrown back on me like it was my fault. Well, I guess it was in a sense because I did buy Trex instead of some other brand of composite decking. But I won't buy any more Trex for any other projects and I will warn everyone who looks at my deck not to buy Trex. I can only speak for the Winchester Gray Trex, but that product is not color stable. If you thought as I did that Trex had solved it's problems and got it's act together and had good customer support, you would be mistaken. Choose another product.


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## kwikfishron

ErnestR said:


> in June 2011, we installed a small deck and some Trex steps and porch decking to our cottage. We used the latest Trex product in Winchester Gray. The four boards our installer put on the steps were mottled and spotted as if a soapy or chemical solution had dried on them and parts of the boards were faded when taken out of our enclosed shed and installed. We called Trex several times and the girls seemed to be reading from a script telling us Trex would weather to a slightly lighter shade and that the spots we had were likely tannins leaching out of the Trex. She recommended we buy a deck brightener and clean the deck with that. She didn't want to understand that our deck hadn't "weathered." Several Trex boards were severely faded in places and spotted before they were even installed. The fading was as if the Trex was stored in the sun somewhere and only a portion of our board was sticking out and so just a piece of it bleached to a light gray. Trex calls this "weathering." Since our cottage is in the woods, the rest of the decking is not likely to "weather" to this lighter color. If I wanted a light gray deck, I wouldn't have bought Winchester Gray which is darker. Sad to spend so much money and get such a crappy looking product and then to have all their customer service operators reading scripts like robots or something out of the Stepford Wives. What a weird experience. Everything I said was all thrown back on me like it was my fault. Well, I guess it was in a sense because I did buy Trex instead of some other brand of composite decking. But I won't buy any more Trex for any other projects and I will warn everyone who looks at my deck not to buy Trex. I can only speak for the Winchester Gray Trex, but that product is not color stable. If you thought as I did that Trex had solved it's problems and got it's act together and had good customer support, you would be mistaken. Choose another product.


Wow, failing in less than a month.

Your the winner.


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## Lorette

We removed a wooden deck & replaced with Trex _Saddle_ in May 2009. Covered in black spots. We cleaned it in the fall of 2009, spring, summer, fall 2010. Cleaned again Memorial Day weekend 2011. As of today, 7/1/2011, spots are back again. We're ready to join anyone in a class action suit. How do we proceed?


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## chong

Wow,

I was about to make a contract to replace my existing deck, and expanding with TREX. I called the contractor and told him that it would be postponed until I decide what to do. My wooden deck is about 15 - 20 years old (10 years since I bought this house, and probably about same period with previous owner) and still looking fine as I have been cleaning and sealing every year. The issue I had with this deck was it was sinking on one side. The contractor recommended to rebuild one instead of jacking it up as it would be more problematic in the end. I thought it was a good idea to rebuild it as I had a long overdue idea of expanding it. 

Now I am considering again wooded deck. It lasted about 20 years, and it it will last another 20+ years then I am fine. I won't know where I will be at that time..


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## dobbsj

*Class Action Lawsuit on TREX*



Lorette said:


> We removed a wooden deck & replaced with Trex _Saddle_ in May 2009. Covered in black spots. We cleaned it in the fall of 2009, spring, summer, fall 2010. Cleaned again Memorial Day weekend 2011. As of today, 7/1/2011, spots are back again. We're ready to join anyone in a class action suit. How do we proceed?



I thought I have read of these lawsuits already. But TREX still seems to be doing well. Lowes still sells it. I would not use.

Best of luck. You should sue individually.


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## kwikfishron

chong said:


> Now I am considering again wooded deck. It lasted about 20 years, and it it will last another 20+ years then I am fine. I won't know where I will be at that time..


Consider Western Red Cedar or Ipe for your decking material, both are time tested and look great.


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## ahrens

I work at a store that sells trex decking, and everytime someone comes around asking about it I do my best to try to get them to change their mind


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## ticked

*very regretful*

I had read reports about trex decking becoming spotted but I thought it was just something that happened in certain areas...certainly wouldn't happen to us if we installed it. We were so wrong!!! Our decking was installed the end of summer in 2009. Summer of 2010 it looked horrible. We call it our leopard deck because of all the horrible spots!! We power washed it in spring of 2011 which did make it look better for a short time. It is now august 2,2011 and it looks horrible. The spots are worse and I feel terrible. I hate the trex product. Wished i would have researched more and went with something else after spending so much money on trex. If anyone can tell me what might possibly help remove the spots please let me know!!


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## pineflatjeepers

*trex rep*



Tank said:


> Wether I'm a rep or not doesn't change these facts nor does it have anything to do with what is being discussed. One of the challenges with any construction product is ensuring the customers understand what they are buying, how it performs and what to expect from it. Hopefully those who took the time to read the post were able to gain some valuable and correct information.


 
I don't know who Tank thinks he is fooling. My neighbors had the same problem in 2010 about 1800 square ft of mold spots. I am not going to buy Trex. I am shopping for something with better reviews


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## eperkins

*Moldy trex deck problem solved*

*WE'VE SOLVED OUR PROBLEM WITH OUR PREVIOUSLY MOLDY, BLACKENED AND DISCOLORED TREX DECK!*

Even though our deck is mostly sunny and dry, we experienced black spots that grew until connected. Couldn't make it through 1 summer after scrubbing with Trex recommended Olympic Deck Cleaner. Within weeks the spots would reappear - we'd actually clean it twice per season. It was a bad problem from the beginning, and worsening every year. Trex threw us a bone and paid for 1 power wash - big whoop.

Then an accidental discovery. I had cleaned the deck a few days before we used our grill. Afterwards, we pushed the grill back in place, but left a small rubber mat (since our grill dripped grease), in the middle of the deck for a couple of days under the hot sun. For months afterwards, the spot where the mat had been did not get moldy and black like the rest of the deck. Not only that, but you could see a distinct outline of the rubber mat. We got an idea to try "cooking" the mold to death, under black rubber runners. We bought enough to cover about a 3rd of the deck at a time - the kind you can buy at any hardware store or Home Depot by the foot. It's about 27" wide. 

Five years later, we gratefully look back at our discovery. Now, instead of the black spots appearing by Memorial Day, and rapidly growing horrible to look at by mid summer, we didn't start cleaning our deck this year until August. Even then it was 95% better than it looked by mid-June in previous years. 

*Here's our technique:* Watch the weather forecast for a 2-day dry period. Buy (or borrow) a tank sprayer or walk behind garden sprayer (we have a Gilmore WheelPump which you can get on-line), enough runner to cover an area of maybe 12 x 12 or 15 x 15, a jug of Olympic Deck Cleaner, and a stiff brush on a broom handle (with bucket wide enough for the brush head). We cut our runner into 8' pieces, with some shorter, even some small triangular pieces to help cover the corners of our angled deck surface fully. First I'll describe the easy method. Spray the deck, slat by slat, until covered with the Olympic. The sun may dry it as you go along, but just make sure you cover once, the entire section you've chosen to work on. Let dry for 1/2 hour, rinse with hose. Just rinse like you'd rinse off your a car. The bubbles will keep coming, but you can stop, once you've rinsed fairly well. Spray with the Olympic again, and instead of rinsing again (which is the method Trex recommends), once it's dry, just cover with the black rubber runners and leave it. If you not in the sun, it's cool, or you are loosing your light, you may run a fan to speed things up. You can take up the runners after the NEXT full day in the hot sun. Rinse or just wait until it rains. Congratulations. You have just dealt a deadly blow to the mold, and have begun reclaiming your deck for the purpose intended: RELAXATION and ENJOYMENT! 

The first few years, we would actually apply the Olympic with the long handled brush, using a bucket for the first application. After rinsing, we would spray on the second application. Last year, because it looked so good BEFORE I cleaned, I decided to just scrub one half of the deck. The other side only got the spray application with no scrubbing at all. This year, we just sprayed the side that got scrubbed last year (of course following the directions above - runners and all), and scrubbed the half which did not get scrubbed last year. We could have just skipped brushing altogether last year, and then scrubbed the entire deck this year, but we thought this would be better, alternating half and half. This way, each year we have the same amount of work. Although the spray works great by itself, we feel that because of the porous nature of the Trex (especially since we have the Trex with the wood grain texture), we want to give it a good scrubbing at least every other year. It's working out just great. We just finished the final 3rd of our deck for the year today. It just took 3 half days, when were around the house enough to go back and spray, rinse or cover, and do a little scrubbing. 

One thing you'll notice, is that the dew that settles on the deck overnight (after you've cleaned), will darken the Olympic residue on the deck, making it look wet (which it actually is) until the sun hits it. This is nothing to worry about - just ignore it. Eventually this will stop. 

I hope this is a relief to many homeowners who are stuck with the Trex. I still watch my neighbors struggling with their wood decks every year, so it's not such a bad deal, once you get the Trex figured out. This method beats anything we've tried, because it has reduced the "colony" or rather "legions" of mold spores in the deck material to something that can be reasonably managed. 

Good Luck.


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## getzjd

eperkins said:


> *WE'VE SOLVED OUR PROBLEM WITH OUR PREVIOUSLY MOLDY, BLACKENED AND DISCOLORED TREX DECK!*
> 
> Even though our deck is mostly sunny and dry, we experienced black spots that grew until connected. Couldn't make it through 1 summer after scrubbing with Trex recommended Olympic Deck Cleaner. Within weeks the spots would reappear - we'd actually clean it twice per season. It was a bad problem from the beginning, and worsening every year. Trex threw us a bone and paid for 1 power wash - big whoop.
> 
> Then an accidental discovery. I had cleaned the deck a few days before we used our grill. Afterwards, we pushed the grill back in place, but left a small rubber mat (since our grill dripped grease), in the middle of the deck for a couple of days under the hot sun. For months afterwards, the spot where the mat had been did not get moldy and black like the rest of the deck. Not only that, but you could see a distinct outline of the rubber mat. We got an idea to try "cooking" the mold to death, under black rubber runners. We bought enough to cover about a 3rd of the deck at a time - the kind you can buy at any hardware store or Home Depot by the foot. It's about 27" wide.
> 
> Five years later, we gratefully look back at our discovery. Now, instead of the black spots appearing by Memorial Day, and rapidly growing horrible to look at by mid summer, we didn't start cleaning our deck this year until August. Even then it was 95% better than it looked by mid-June in previous years.
> 
> *Here's our technique:* Watch the weather forecast for a 2-day dry period. Buy (or borrow) a tank sprayer or walk behind garden sprayer (we have a Gilmore WheelPump which you can get on-line), enough runner to cover an area of maybe 12 x 12 or 15 x 15, a jug of Olympic Deck Cleaner, and a stiff brush on a broom handle (with bucket wide enough for the brush head). We cut our runner into 8' pieces, with some shorter, even some small triangular pieces to help cover the corners of our angled deck surface fully. First I'll describe the easy method. Spray the deck, slat by slat, until covered with the Olympic. The sun may dry it as you go along, but just make sure you cover once, the entire section you've chosen to work on. Let dry for 1/2 hour, rinse with hose. Just rinse like you'd rinse off your a car. The bubbles will keep coming, but you can stop, once you've rinsed fairly well. Spray with the Olympic again, and instead of rinsing again (which is the method Trex recommends), once it's dry, just cover with the black rubber runners and leave it. If you not in the sun, it's cool, or you are loosing your light, you may run a fan to speed things up. You can take up the runners after the NEXT full day in the hot sun. Rinse or just wait until it rains. Congratulations. You have just dealt a deadly blow to the mold, and have begun reclaiming your deck for the purpose intended: RELAXATION and ENJOYMENT!
> 
> The first few years, we would actually apply the Olympic with the long handled brush, using a bucket for the first application. After rinsing, we would spray on the second application. Last year, because it looked so good BEFORE I cleaned, I decided to just scrub one half of the deck. The other side only got the spray application with no scrubbing at all. This year, we just sprayed the side that got scrubbed last year (of course following the directions above - runners and all), and scrubbed the half which did not get scrubbed last year. We could have just skipped brushing altogether last year, and then scrubbed the entire deck this year, but we thought this would be better, alternating half and half. This way, each year we have the same amount of work. Although the spray works great by itself, we feel that because of the porous nature of the Trex (especially since we have the Trex with the wood grain texture), we want to give it a good scrubbing at least every other year. It's working out just great. We just finished the final 3rd of our deck for the year today. It just took 3 half days, when were around the house enough to go back and spray, rinse or cover, and do a little scrubbing.
> 
> One thing you'll notice, is that the dew that settles on the deck overnight (after you've cleaned), will darken the Olympic residue on the deck, making it look wet (which it actually is) until the sun hits it. This is nothing to worry about - just ignore it. Eventually this will stop.
> 
> I hope this is a relief to many homeowners who are stuck with the Trex. I still watch my neighbors struggling with their wood decks every year, so it's not such a bad deal, once you get the Trex figured out. This method beats anything we've tried, because it has reduced the "colony" or rather "legions" of mold spores in the deck material to something that can be reasonably managed.
> 
> Good Luck.


 
I noticed the same thing. I had a grill pad down for about 3 months in one spot and the mold spots are still nowhere near what they are in the other areas even 3 years later.


----------



## woodmeistro

sometimes it is best to go with something that has been around and stood the test of time. Real wood, Ipe. I like things low maintenance or as low as possible, so concrete is the way to go. My uncle who has always worked in commercial construction built a 20'x30' elevated deck out of concrete and lots of rebar, it has been there 12 years and hasn't cracked, hasn't been pressure washed, stained, molded or any of the other problems i have read about on here. The deck is solid under foot, doesnt have any gaps and cracks to collect leaves and othe stuff. It did cost more than a wood deck, but NO maintenance at all and will far outlast anything else. 

just my opinion though


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## mrgins

Just looked at a customer's deck built with Trex. Spots all over. Builder wimped out of fixing it and the manufacturer would only pay for power washing.


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## bmstier

Installed Trex Accent Decking around my above ground pool in 2007, to this date I continue to have mold and black spot issues. I have contacted TREX and they want me to spend several hundred dollars a year to use a product to clean this deck twice a year. I purchased this product because I was tired of the cracking and splitting and resurfacing I had to do every other year with wood products. Trex says it is low maintenance, no staining and need only general cleaning. General cleaning at several hundred dollars a year to use a special mold killing product. Trex says their warranty does not cover mold issues, but when I purchased the product, no one that sold TREX or other composite material mentions that it is known to have mold issues. Had they mentioned in thier sales fliers and brochures that I would have to spend much time and money twice a year to clean with a special product, I would have passed on thier product. I also know people that have had trex installed recently in 2010 and they do not have to do the work that is required of me each and every year, atleast twice a year. The decking and railing looks like it has extreme case of mold chicken poxs. This is by far the worse material I ever used and sickened by thier willingness to say this is normal for composite decking....THEN PUT IT IN YOUR SALES MATERIAL and let consumers make educated choices. Want pics, email me.


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## trex.deck.mold

*Trex Deck Mold Website*

Hello, I've created the following site to showcase issues that Trex customers are having with their decks. Please stop by and share your stories: http://trexdeckingmold.yolasite.com/


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## kmiller

*false advertisement/poor customer service*

Like many who have posted their disappointments here, we too have had nothing but trouble with the mold problem on our Trek decking. I called the company and was told the same story ~ it's our fault for not cleaning it properly and regularly. Although, the product purchased at a later date but approximately the same age has had NO visible signs of mold. Our attempt to get rid of the mold has only been temporary and the mold quickly returns in large black spots all over our deck. This is not only a poor excuse for a "maintenance free" product but the guarantee is equally as poor.
Apparently, the Trek Company has no concern for those of us experiencing the continuing problem not the bad advertisement it is for their company. I have a business that is frequented by all its clients regularly. Those hundreds of clients that have been here have seen the results of our "maintenance free" and over-rated Trek decking. They have opted for a better solution for their decks. The good news is...bad news travels fast. 

Anyone wanting to attempt a "Class Action Suit" concerning this "bad batch" of product, count me in!


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## kmiller

Lorette said:


> We removed a wooden deck & replaced with Trex _Saddle_ in May 2009. Covered in black spots. We cleaned it in the fall of 2009, spring, summer, fall 2010. Cleaned again Memorial Day weekend 2011. As of today, 7/1/2011, spots are back again. We're ready to join anyone in a class action suit. How do we proceed?



...please notify if anyone is joining a suit ~ we would like to, too!


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## kmiller

jordans said:


> Hi, I have a 500 sq/ft sandlewood/pattern Trex deck, 3yrs old that got completely destroyed by black mold.
> 
> I applied the Corte-Clean solution over the past 3 days and it worked! I needed to use much more than it recommended. I used 3 bags of the 300-500 sq/ft batches using a pressure pump sprayer. Here is what I learned:
> - get a sprayer with a non-clog hose inside and an adjustable nozzle. The stuff can get soapy and clog. Also you may want to adjust your spray.
> - spray it on, let it sit for 5 min, then scrub with a deck scrub brush and spray more on to keep it wet. Wait 25 min. and rinse like crazy. Lots or rinsing required. Next day it will look great.
> 
> Here are my before and after pics.
> 
> Jordan


...just curious...how long did it take for the mold to reappear?


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## CaptRandy

The deck grows mold deep in the plastic/wood fibers and can only be removed with 12% bleach that dwells for a period of time to kill it. It will come back. Power washers across the country were asked by Trex a few years ago to clean the decks affected with 12% bleach. The class action was for a different reason-poor performance of the product and by now has been settled.


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## tompyro

Hi,
I am having almost identical problems, replaced my trex decking and now the replacement is failing. I contacted trex, sent them photos and documents and they sent an "inspector" out to evaluate the deck. Trex responded back saying they would send 20 - 2x6 boards when we sign the release and return it to them. First, 20 boards does not even replace a 1/4 of my smallest deck. I have a little over two full units of trex on my property. I think I will just turn it over to my attorney and let him go after trex.
Tom


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## bluecollar

*Trex Decking Worst Most Expensive Trash*

I have two decks on my house, one i used Home Depot decking - NO Issues. The other deck i used expensive Trex decking - after one year Dark Spots the size of half-dollars all over it. I called got poor customer service and was told it must be from how i cleaned it. I hadn't clean it yet...i was calling to make sure i used the proper method! After cleaning it came right back....called again and was told the same thing! I sent emails and multiple calls with no response!

I tell everyone i know both home owners and people i meet in Home Stores, NOT to use Trex products. Go home do some research and find all the complaints.


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## agate

I would like to see pictures actually, then I will be able to say.


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## mrgins

kmiller said:


> ...please notify if anyone is joining a suit ~ we would like to, too!


I was under the impression there had already been a suit filed. If not, I could add a couple of my customers to the list


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## DGP

*TREX decking extremely*

I am having the same problem.

There are a number of class action suites against Trex. See this web site
http://www.bobvila.com/forums/Deck_and_Patio/posts/49587-trex-deck-mold-problem

From what I read is that Trex had to supply new deck materail and the home owner was responsible for labor. Trex is head quartered in Winchester VA.

I am in Maryland. Maybe we need to all combine and start a suite against Trex. It is not right that they take our money with a false warranty.

Rumor is they are planning on going out of business to get out of this problem. I believe Trex is owned by Exxon Corp.


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## DGP

*TREX decking extremely*



agate said:


> I would like to see pictures actually, then I will be able to say.



I have load of photos of the exact same problem.


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## DGP

*TREX decking extremely*



tompyro said:


> Hi,
> We need to get together. There were a couple of suites in CA which Trex replaced the decking material, no labor:
> 
> See this web site on same problem with info on suites against Trex.
> 
> http://www.bobvila.com/forums/Deck_and_Patio/posts/49587-trex-deck-mold-problem


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## DGP

*TREX decking extremely*

How can we get class action suite started? I am located in Maryland.


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## CoconutPete

DGP said:


> Rumor is they are planning on going out of business to get out of this problem. I believe Trex is owned by Exxon Corp.


In that case - better hurry up before they "go out of business" and reorganize into a new company allowing them to "Pull a GM" whenever a warranty claim comes up.

"sorry - we did not make that product, that was the old company" - we don't have to warranty that.


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## JON MIGNANO

Hey Everyone, First Post. I feel for everyone posting who is having issues with their Trex deck. Unfortunately, I think the problem lies with the contractor selling these products. Most do not understand what the product actually is and offer it to homeowners as a "no-maintenance" product. For starters, the Trex product referred to is in all likely hood the Trex Accents line of decking. It has been around for years and was all the rage several years back. Its important to know that this product is a mixture of wood dust and basically plastic. The wood dust makes it an extremely porous material. Ive seen it suck the pigment right out of a leaf. Mold and mildew will grow in areas where moisture and lack of sunlight exist (almost every deck). This mold and mildew embeds into the product due to the porousness of the wood dust, hence the never ending black spots. This problem isn't limited to Trex. Pretty much every manufacturer of composite decking (TimberTech, Fiberon, etc...) have this same problem. 
In my opinion these types of composite decking materials are High-maintanence products. From day 1 they require regular washing, that must be kept up with throughout the life of the deck, if these stains are to be avoided. In New Jersey I tell my clients they will need to wash a deck of this material at a minimum of once a month. Suddenly, water proofing a deck once a year doesn't seem so bad for most.
Currently I dont offer these types of composite materials, whether it be Trex, Fiberon, TimberTech, and haven't for several years. At about $2.30-2.89/ft' they are not worth the investment in my opinion. Technology has since improved these composites. Now manufacturers use a thin capstock or shell to encapsulate these products. While the core remains the same, the shell is non-porous. 20yr+ warranties against staining and fading are now possible, not to mention great colors. Mold and mildew will still grow on this type of material but will never stain it and can be easily hosed off. These products run about $3.00-3.60/ft' and make much more sense both from an investment and peace of mind standpoint. 

I hope to check in every once in a while and hopefully answer some questions. All the best.


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## komorski

*Trex Junk*

I am posting a picture of our 2009 Trex Junk Deck.


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## JON MIGNANO

I would suggest Olympic Deck cleaner. It can be bought at home depot or lowes I believe. Get the deck nice and wet then saturate the surface with the cleaner using a pump sprayer. Wait about 20-30 min, occasionally wetting areas that are beginning to dry. The next step is to us a low pressure power washer. Too high and it will leave markings on the deck. Some really bad areas may need some scrubbing with a push broom. Power wash until the soapy bubbles from the washer disappear. 
May not get all the spots out but should help some. This will need to be regularly as I can see in the picture you seem to have a good amount of shade. Best of luck.


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## komorski

JON MIGNANO said:


> I would suggest Olympic Deck cleaner. It can be bought at home depot or lowes I believe. Get the deck nice and wet then saturate the surface with the cleaner using a pump sprayer. Wait about 20-30 min, occasionally wetting areas that are beginning to dry. The next step is to us a low pressure power washer. Too high and it will leave markings on the deck. Some really bad areas may need some scrubbing with a push broom. Power wash until the soapy bubbles from the washer disappear.
> May not get all the spots out but should help some. This will need to be regularly as I can see in the picture you seem to have a good amount of shade. Best of luck.


Actually, the deck is exposed to direct sunlight daily from 10 AM to 6 PM.


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## CaptRandy

Only stuff to kill the mold is 12% bleach for 20-30 minutes and repeat as necessary. Power wash off after you kill the crap.


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## komorski

We were told to not power wash or it would void the warranty. But now as I type this, I realize my complaints to Trex mean nothing. Is there a PSI we should use caution when power washing?


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## mrgins

Be aware there's a difference between removing mould stains and killing the mould


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## CaptRandy

1200 psi max with a white tip(40degree), keep nozzle about 18" away form decking. Killing the mold 12% bleach will do the trick


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## HBSSLaw

Consumer-rights law firm Hagens Berman filed a lawsuit on behalf of owners of Portico composite decking alleging that it the decking is defective and prone to mold and fungal growth that results in large black spots. The lawsuit claims that manufacturer Fiberon refuses to live up to its warranty obligations to replace or repair the decking. Consumers can learn more about the lawsuit here: www.hbsslaw.com/portico.


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## 2hennypenny

I also put on 2 new TREX Transcend decks last summer ( Aug thru Oct). I choose Trex because I really like the Spiced Rum new line. Well I also am VERY disspointed! I have contacted Trex's and filed a claim. They "said" a company would be investigating my claim. That was back in NOVEMBER. I have yet to hear anything. So I wrote to them again and get the same BS. I have dirt spots that I can't get out. I have washed and scrubbed etc. Then also the decks don't look like the pictures in the gallery. I think they should. They say virtually maintenence free- that is also BS. I'm spending alot more timne scrubbing the decks than I ever did with my wood decks. I can't get them clean. Plus scratch resistant??? NO.... I have 2 deep scratches on the decks. I know nothing of gret weight fell on them so I don't see them lasting. CLASS ACTION SUIT? YES!!! I'm in! I'm very angry that I spent so much money. These decks look to me like I bought them at a penny auction house. The decks look great when I hose them down but once they dry- they show the spots again.


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## Lucky4112

*Same problem*

We have the same exact problem. I also have contacted their claim department, but have yet to submit anything. This stuff is horrible, not only is my deck alot lighter than the original color, the mold spots are still there after attempting to use the TRex recommended cleaner. I am with you if you are planning on going in on a class action suit.




KHL said:


> We replaced an aging wood deck with TREX decking last summer (06). Within a few months, we had spots occuring all over it. Our experienced installer and contractor "had never seen it before". We had it gently pressure washed, and still, the spots continued to increase. By this May, the entire 3000 square foot deck had spots.
> We tried contacting TREX, and were referred to their Insurance Claim company that handles all complaints. We were assigned a case number, but nothing was initiated. We had to make all phone calls and do all follow up. We subsequently learned from a supervisor within their system that three years ago, "one plant" produced an inferior product, but it was most likely "not out in the market any more".
> We continued to seek assistance with diagnosis. The manager of our local supplier, Lumberman's, came on site and agreed, he "had never seen it before" and recommended that we get the TREX rep out to examine it. After some time, he came out and agreed, he had "never seen it before".
> They brought out an Olympic Deck Stain removal product, and instructed us to apply it full strength, twice if necessary, to attempt to remove spots, which covered almost all of the entire deck. The men agreed that the spots appeared to be a mold that was coming from the interior of the product itself. We applied the cleaning product full strength, and were able to remove some of the spots, which were about the size of a nickel. Some still remained.
> The TREX rep assured us that they would send out a professional to clean it again, but one never materialized.
> We continue to be unsatisfied with the TREX product. We sought a complete replacement, but TREX said they had to use one of their own sub contractors, who refused to do anything until TREX agreed to pay him for the work. We sought an optional opportunity to replace the TREX with a product of our own choosing, but TREX refused.
> TREX guarantees their product for life. They guarantee it against defects. However, we feel we have a defective product.
> Most recently, we received a standard form letter from TREX indicating the problem absolutely was "mold" and "our fault" and "not their problem". We feel the claims TREX makes are false. We refuse to recommend the product to any of our contractor friends, and all who see the product at our home agree it is substandard.
> It is disappointing that for such an expensive, life time guaranteed product, the company in fact does not stand up for it, it hides behind it.
> We are curious if any others have had a similar problem. If so, we would consider a class action law suit.
> It is a shame to have a brand new deck look poor and damaged, and to be making excuses to visitors about the condition of the deck.


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## Lucky4112

*Bleach*

Won't this just also bleach your deck of color, which is part of the reason you bought Trex in the first place?




CaptRandy said:


> 1200 psi max with a white tip(40degree), keep nozzle about 18" away form decking. Killing the mold 12% bleach will do the trick


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## Lucky4112

*NOT Trex.*

This is not Trex



HBSSLaw said:


> Consumer-rights law firm Hagens Berman filed a lawsuit on behalf of owners of Portico composite decking alleging that it the decking is defective and prone to mold and fungal growth that results in large black spots. The lawsuit claims that manufacturer Fiberon refuses to live up to its warranty obligations to replace or repair the decking. Consumers can learn more about the lawsuit here: www.hbsslaw.com/portico.


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## CaptRandy

The bleach will not discolor as long as you keep it wet and not on too long.


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## mrgins

For the same price as Trex, there is a product called Perrennial Wood. It is southern yellow pine impregnated with some kind of epoxy type material which reduces the amount of shrinkage and makes it very long lasting. Comes in four different shades, the color goes right thru and, because it's wood, so does the grain. It can be cut, sanded, planed, stained where it's cut and uses the same fasteners as wood. It can also be installed on joists 24" o.c.
Two problems:
!) at least in my area, it can only be purchased from lowes and they have to special order it.
2) one of the samples I looked at had the crossgrain going the wrong way so it would cup. They obviously don't take that extra step to avoid cupping.


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## Kokomo Kid

*Cleaning will not help!*

These composite decks with the mold/mildew issues can not be cleaned completely. What has caused the problem is the product was manufactured with wet sawdust/wood chips. The mold is growing from the inside out. Our supplier (not Trek) refunded all our money plus labor cost when we identified the problem. Solid plastic or solid wood is the only answer.


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## lurch23

I have read through most of the post on here and I am actually having different issues than most with a Trex deck that I installed myself in the spring of 2009. I went with the Trex PVC material, which I haven't seen many post about so I am curious if others are having a similar issue. It goes across the back of my house and out 15' and the 4' closest to my house gets no sun. It started fading last year and looked awful. Trex suggested a product to bring back the color. It worked well until this spring when it started doing it again. Then in addition to that, I have sections of the deck which look like they have been burnt. They have turned a very dark brown and look like they've been gone over with a torch. I have contacted Trex and currently working on a warranty claim. Has anyone else with a PVC deck experienced these materials? They are currently offering me the exact same product and I am very hesitant to put it down again given what I've been through. Everytime we use the deck I can't help but think is something going to be done to the deck that is going to damage it. I'm sure the 4' pool I currently have on it for my daughter isn't good for it. I just want to be able to enjoy the deck that I spent a summer building myself.


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## JulieMor

I installed a pressure treated deck 25 years ago. For the first 10 or so years, I did nothing to it. Then I bought an electric power washer and since it took forever to clean the entire deck, it would get power washed every few years.

Two years ago I applied Behr's Premium cedar stain. It didn't last the season and made the deck look like crap. The idea of stripping it and doing all the other stuff to it just to get back to where I was before the stain made me mad.

Now, 25 years later after installing it new, it's looking a bit worn but really, the Behr stain makes it look worse. When I had the roof replaced a few weeks ago, the contractor was over and commented on what great shape the wood is in and couldn't believe it was 25 years old. Maybe not treating it and cleaning it over the years was a good thing. I don't know.

I recently did some modifications and, rather than patching in new planking, I replaced the entire plank along that run, a total of about 50 sq ft. I'm now thinking of replacing all the planking because of the difference in appearance between old and new. If I just replaced the bad planks, I'd have about 4 or 5 to replace.









I've read all about the composite decking and seen several types. I always hated the fake look and wondered if the flex it had (far more than real wood) would cause sagging problems between joists.

When I considered replacing all the planking, I decided to go for PT. 

The whole "maintenance free" and man-made products just didn't sit right with me. I love the look of real wood. And nothing is maintenance free. But my wood deck could certainly be considered "low maintenance".


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## MtaylorUSA

*Our Trex has Spots too*

We have not started the process of getting them fixed, so this posting is very troubling. We've only had our deck two years and it is covered in dark spots.


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## ovahimba

Here's a photo of my neighbor's trex deck. Its about 6 years old. There are some standing water issues but I don't think wood would have deteriorated this bad.


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## gator67

*recycled deck*

*I DID NOT KNOW YOU HAD TO CLEAN THIS COMPOSITE SUNDECK WE HAVE. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL WHEN WE FIRST GOT IT, BUT NOW WE HAVE ALL THESE BLACK SPOTS. COST US A BUNDLE . WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ORDINARY HOUSEHOLD CLEANING SUPPLIES WE CAN USE. ANOTHER PROBLEM (contracter) did not use the correct nails and a board is bending out near the door. The deck is not level. We have more problems and contractor would not return our calls. Don't think he knew what he was doing . I know that I need to replace bending board and jack up the deck. Oh, I forgot to mention the deck was sagging on one side. What worries me the most is the Mold and how to get rid of it. I probably did not post this correctly. Sorry.*


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## CaptRandy

Here is Trex's response
http://www.trex.com/own/care/index.htm
Whe we are called to clean a trex deck we use 12% bleach to kill the black spores of mold deep in the fibers. Let it dwell and wash off.


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## BrittanyM

*Trex*

Hello, I am a representative of Trex. I would be happy to assist with any questions or concerns regarding our products. Please contact me at [email protected].

Brittany M
Trex


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## CoconutPete

gator67 said:


> *I DID NOT KNOW YOU HAD TO CLEAN THIS COMPOSITE SUNDECK WE HAVE. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL WHEN WE FIRST GOT IT, BUT NOW WE HAVE ALL THESE BLACK SPOTS. COST US A BUNDLE*


*Is it really necessary to use this giant font to get your point across?????*


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## dogris

Whatsa matter Pete? Run out of coconut cream ? :whistling2::thumbup:


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## Jeremy Lefler

*I am having the exact same experience*

I have a deck with Trex and the material is bubbling, cracking, and flaking. Some boards are significantly worse than others. If a class action suit is going to happen, count me in.


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## vmelendez

*Transcend product*



BrittanyM said:


> Hello, I am a representative of Trex. I would be happy to assist with any questions or concerns regarding our products. Please contact me at [email protected].
> 
> Brittany M
> Trex


 What is going on here. I'm considering spending a chunk of money on what I thought was a great product, now I'm not so sure. How is the Transcend product holding up. Is this why Trex made this product..??


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## robertcdf

vmelendez said:


> What is going on here. I'm considering spending a chunk of money on what I thought was a great product, now I'm not so sure. How is the Transcend product holding up. Is this why Trex made this product..??


Like nearly EVERY product even made in the entire world the manufactures are always looking for ways to improve their product. The composites available today are a LOT different than they were 10-15 years ago. 

Cap layer boards are really great products that have been around for years with very few if any issues. I've used Fiberon Horizon quite a bit and have decks from 2009 that look as good as they day they were built, look into Fiberon Horizon if you're considering a composite decking board.


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## RWolff

Tank said:


> All composite deck manufacturers have people like yourself with mold issues. That's a fact.


Yeah, because the product has a problem, like the Certainteed organic roof shingles with the 30 year guarantee failing after 6 due to defective materials, resulting in a class-action suit, which is what Trex also had:



> Apparently, these problems w/Trex aren't anything new. Going back to 2004, when a Class Action Suit was filed in N.J. by four homeowners arguing Trex was a defective product ("spotting" and mold among those defects, btw) and that Trex didn't abide by its own guarantee: "No need for any sealant or maintenance other than regular hosing." As you might suspect, the suit was eventually settled out of court. Trex never admitted and made a special point of issuing a statement that "Settlement doesn't amount to our [Trex's] admission of guilt". Duh.





> Lastly, for all this negative feedback posted here you could find just as much positive feedback if you were to look for it.


Sure, all of those with new decks that haven't started having the problem...YET!

_Trex_ Transcend is backed by a 25-year limited fade and stain warranty, but if they don't stand behind it (as a class-action suit shows us) then whether it's 25 years or 2500 years doesn't matter.

Considering switching to composite decking? Here are some of the known issues and things to consider before you make the leap.


Composite decking is made of a combination of wood and plastic. This combination is intended to reduce chance of rot and extend the life of the deck. The material is not indestructible. The surface of the boards can be scratched rather easily. Composite decking cannot be resurfaced.


Compared to traditional wood decking ($15/ sq. ft.), composite decking is considerably more expensive ($30-$36/ sq. ft.). This cost is for materials. The labor cost tends to be a bit higher due to additional steps that are required during installation.


Many of the composite decking companies have beautiful brochures with images of elaborate decks of different colors and looks, many of these companies will not show you the deck several years later when it is faded from contact with the sunlight. I know wood decking can fade too, but you can re-stain wood.

For the OP, you might want to contact these people if you don't get results:
*Defective Trex Decking Lawsuit*

*January 9, 2013*


Seeger Weiss is investigating claims for a class action suit against Trex Company. Trex manufactures and sells composite decking. The Virginia-based company advertises that “maintenance problems that come with wood decks don’t come with Trex.” Yet owners of Trex decking have complained of rotting, discoloration, and even mold shortly after the time of purchase.
With over 10 years in the decking industry, consumers expect that Trex would live up to its claims about its decking material. Instead, it is alleged that Trex knew that it was experiencing manufacturing issues and that its decking was defective, yet it continued to warrant that “Trex products shall be free from material defects in workmanship and materials, and shall not check, split, splinter, rot or suffer structural damage from termites or fungal decay.”

http://www.seegerweiss.com/news/trex_defective_decking_lawsuit

http://www.seegerweiss.com/contact-us/


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