# Deck material - wood vs Trex, TimberTech or Fiberon



## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

Hi All,

We have to replace the original wood steps from 1994 from out back kitchen door. 
I've know wood has to be sealed every year, and material like Trex or TimberTech is supposed to be maintenance free.
After doing searches for reviews, even on Youtube, I started to hear all kinds of good and bad about composite decking. One of the negatives is that it can have mold? 
Then I started seeing about another brand called Fiberon, trying to figure out the difference between all of them, and how much good or bad I find on the internet, should I believe. :vs_worry::vs_worry:
Thanks for any input.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

forgot to mention, we will be doing more than replacing the steps. Will most likely have a small to medium deck built with the idea we can extend it in a year or two.

Never thought there would be so many options


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## miltoney (Apr 20, 2017)

I'm interested in this as well. One thing I have learned is that composite decking is not maintenance free. It is low maintenance, but does need to be cleaned periodically to avoid the issues you speak of. It can also get extremely hot in the sun.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

I heard about it getting hot too. We have Southern exposure out the back of the house with no trees or awnings.

Just did another search and found this link with all kinds of complaints.
I'm not in a position financially to buy something and have it go wrong and the Mfg of the material not back the warranty.
We are also in our early 60's and don't want to have to stain and seal our deck every year. It's like damned if you do and damned if you don't 

http://www.consumerreports.org/products/decking-material/timbertech-xlm-plank-120722/user-reviews/


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Have you looked at Zuri from Royal or anything from Wolf? 

All of the higher end boards are pretty good. Just depends on what looks good to you.


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## miltoney (Apr 20, 2017)

wow thanks for the link. Note to self... avoid Timbertech!


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

I have a small deck and a set of steps that I did with Trex. This is the new improved Trex that came after all the issues they had originally. It has been 5 years. My steps are out in the weather, the sun beats down on them for hours a day. I've had zero issues. No mold, no falling apart, nothing to complain about. I put ice melter on them in the winter and haven't seen any issues with that either. I especially like the fact that this version of trex has a slight texture to it which keeps it from getting slick when wet. Not trying to sway you in any direction, but it has been nice. No maintenance and it looks so much better than treated wood. I think this is what I used:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Trex-Actua...-Saddle-Grooved-Composite-Deck-Board/50121155


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

We have had Timbertech for 2 years and so far so good, but it is their capped composite line (Terrain). No experience with their xlm line. Any light surface mould comes off with a hose and a brush which I do once a year. The darker colours are noticeably hot to the touch in the sum but lighter shades are fine.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

About 20 years ago I had to replace my old PT deck.

Went with a Redwood framing with TREX .

Now still looks almost new, I do have to refinish the redwood frame every few years, and pressure wash the TREX (low power), yearly.

No deterioration, rot or decay.

It does get HOT when in the sunshine, but in afternoon the sun is off of it.

It takes minimum care and I'm happy with it, except I sometimes wish that I went bigger.

ED


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

My neighbor installed a Trex deck himself 21 years ago. So far no problems, but again, their deck has been under a roof longer than it hasn't been under one. I still worry about the different conditions since the design of their house and its on the opposite side of the street, we get all the hot sun in the back of our house, and more shade by our front door. Their house gets the opposite.
I'm not sure what I will do and which I will choose.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

I built my deck using ipe (tropical hardwood) about ten years ago. No maintenance at all, weathers to a grey color, lasts maybe 40 years. There are ecological issues with ipe (this is a tropical hardwood, may be illegally harvested), ipe is very hard, so all holes need to be predrilled (labor intensive installation), ipe may be hard to find locally, and could be expensive. But it is an option to consider, does not have the heat issues, mold is not an issue, and there is no maintenance required. We looked at a lot of different composite materials, did not like the look and feel of them, maybe the current selection is better.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

Thank you Daniel, actually about 5 mins ago on another website, someone brought up Ipe. Considering our age and guessing to be in this house another 15 years, having full sun in the back of our house all year, and the extra cost of composite, I'm now leaning towards wood because of less heat, less cost, and may be able to get a bit larger deck and even a retractable awning in a year.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

I just spotted this on a search for Ipe since I wasn't sure about what the wood looks like.
So it's the color similar to on this website?

http://www.ipedepot.com/


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

Those have a finish on them.
If you look at the link below, they have pics of a natural color install and some installs that have weathered, in addition to installs with finish.
https://www.kwaterskibros.com/products/outdoor-decking/ipe-decking/


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

thank you  I might try for a finish rather than letting it weather. Assuming those applications are a one-time thing and not annually?
I've been finishing wood for 40 years and even done some outdoor furniture, but haven't owned a house with a deck yet, so I'm still learning


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

I've never seen any finish that is a one time thing.

How long a finish lasts can vary with the finish used, the location, and the exposure. But it's a sure thing it will have to be refinished at some point in the future.

If you don't like the weathered look of IPE for your application, I am not sure I would use it. The finish is primarily there for appearance, not necessarily protection of the wood. 

The IPE will last a long time without any finish. I actually like the weathered silver/gray, it is similar to weathered teak or redwood.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

I just heard you can oil it every couple years and it will bring back the natural color.
That came from a business a few hours from me that installs Ipe decks.
i'm thinking the 1st section of the deck will be about 8ft out from the house, and about 10ft wide. Trying to do this gradually. The 2nd section might be a step down to a larger area that might also have a paver patio, just tossing out ideas


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

There is a cleaning process that you need to go through, and you may need to use a special cleaning product and/or a brighter for best results.
After oiling and some absorption time, you usually need to wipe down the entire deck to pickup any excess/even out the finish.

I don't find oiling to be significantly less work than applying a surface finish like Mesmers. It's more of an appearance choice than the work envolved. In my area, you get about the same lifetime before refinishing with either one.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

I'm guessing the brightener you mentioned is similar to the 2 step process we used to have to do with the large teak deck on the back of the boat we once owned 23 years ago. I think I used the same process 5-6 years ago on a couple teak chairs in my yard.

Now I just have to see if the company that will be giving us quotes on a couple other small projects, will be able to install IPE. Sounds like the way I want to go. I can keep up on the finish if I want, or later after so many years, decide to let it gray either will still look nice.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

I had someone out at the house for estimates on our kitchen project and the steps with added deck. He tried to talk me out of Ipe because of the outrageous extra cost compared to Trex or Timertech and he also mentioned how hard it is to work with and cut. He will be giving me a quote soon. If IPE is that much more costly, I won't be able to afford a deck at all. He did mention if you go with a lighter material it doesn't get hot in the sun like darker.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

so is capped wood composite better than wood composite?
From this explanation, it seems it would be 

https://timbertech.com/advantages#decking-materials-comparison


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## miltoney (Apr 20, 2017)

I am going through the same thing. I decided on Trex until I read this post and then explored the ipe option and am now back to Trex. Ipe in my area costs twice as much. 

Everything I have read suggest capped composites are the way to go.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

DIY-Her said:


> so is capped wood composite better than wood composite?
> From this explanation, it seems it would be
> 
> https://timbertech.com/advantages#decking-materials-comparison


The difference is more correctly 'wood composite' vs. 'capped wood composite'. As far as I recall, the 'capped' lines are simply a wood composite core wrapped in a thin pvc layer. It is supposed to seal the core and prevent concerns with swelling and mould. The 'cap' will scratch but we have 2 dogs that just burst out the door in pursuit of the ever-elusive squirrel and we have no scratches or skid marks. We also don't have any marks from furniture, although we are careful.

We into our 3rd year - I know, not a long term endorsement - but so far so good. I just washed it today with a brush and dish soap; my once-per-year chore.

It is obviously more expensive than PT wood, but I wanted to avoid the finishing trap.


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