In the flooring and deck construction industry, Timbertech and Trex are both household names. And regardless of whether the products are being used for residential or commercial spaces, many deck enthusiasts swear by what both composite decking manufacturers can do.
However, for that very reason, many first-time customers are confused and are facing difficulties choosing which of the two brands fits their needs.
Perhaps, you are one of them?
All About Timbertech and Trex
Brief History
While both brands distribute the same kind of composite wood, their manufacturing processes, collection of composite lumbers, style, and materials vary.
Timbertech
Timbertech is a composite decking manufacturer known throughout Great Britain. It was established in 2004 and quickly began supplying a variety of quality composite boards. Each line comes in different colors, styles, finishes, and sizes.
The brand offers four types of composite lumber as well. They have Timbertech Azek, Timbertech Edge, Timbertech Pro, and a specialty series.
Trex
Founded earlier than Timbertech, Trex also manufactures quality, eco-friendly, and stylish composite wood. Its lines of deck boards come in different designs, colors, and types of protection.
Outside of composite decking, Trex also sells other outdoor space construction materials, including lighting, railing, and other outdoor materials.
A Side-by-side Comparison of Timbertech and Trex
Now that you have a general idea of what Trex and Timbertech are, let’s compare the qualities of each.
Capping and Material Comparison
Material-wise, both Trex and Timbertech share the same properties—in fact, all composite woods come from the same components—a combination of natural (recycled) wood fiber and (recycled) plastic fiber.
Manufacturers also use a capping method where the outer layer of deck boards are covered in PVC. Trex and Timbertech use the same style for their composite woods, although they slightly differ from each other.
Here’s how:
- Timbertech. Unlike Trex, Timbertech’s composite lumber is fully capped. In other words, the entirety of each deck board (top, sides, bottom) is wrapped using a PVC coating.
But the question is: is PVC the best type of capping?
Essentially, capping was invented as a way to keep moisture off of each board. Timbertech believes that composite lumber fully covered in PVC efficiently thwarts moisture from seeping through to the boards, effectively preventing mold growth.
The manufacturer also believes that a fully covered polymer capping makes a deck board heat and fade resistant.
- Trex. Trex, on the other hand, utilizes half polymer capping for its composite lumbers. Only the top part and the two sides of a deck board are covered, leaving the bottom part bare.
But Trex has a good reason why it only uses such a capping technique.
According to the manufacturer, covering only the top and sides is sufficient to keep moisture off the boards. They also believe that neither full nor half capping can prevent the lumbers from accumulating moisture. Hence, they decided to leave the bottom part uncovered to serve as drainage and expel the moisture.
Eco-friendly deck boards
When it comes to ethical and sustainable manufacturing, Trex and Timbertech follow the same protocols. In short, both are environmentally friendly.
Timbertech and Trex use recycled wood fiber and plastic film for their composite woods. The latter utilizes a 95% reclaimed wood and plastic film formula, while the former uses 50% recycled polymer mixed with natural wood and plastic.
Both companies’ manufacturing processes are also sustainable. Timbertech, for example, uses energy-efficient and natural lighting.
Durability Comparison
- Timbertech. When it comes to durability, Timbertech guarantees that its products are carefully developed to withstand common home deck issues. And this particular characteristic of Timbertech deck boards is especially handy for today’s erratic weather, which often warps deck boards and leaves splinters.
That being said, its composite lumbers are splinter-, warp-, and fade-resistant. This kind of protection will allow your home deck to last for years. It also saves you money on repair and maintenance.
- Trex. Trex claims to have the same durability capabilities of Timbertech. The company guarantees that its deck boards do not easily rot, splinter, warp, and chip, unlike the traditional wooden home deck.
Trex’s lumber is also insect-resistant, which can help you save money in the long run by avoiding small to huge repairs due to pest infestation.
Warranty Comparison
Trex and Timbertech also provide substantially the same warranties. Both manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty as well as a fade and stain warranty.
But it is important to note that each warranty has a specific set of conditions.
For heat and fade warranty, for example, Trex and Timbertech only honour it if the deck boards faded to a level of 5 Delta E, a color measurement unit that is used to determine whether the product has lost its original color or not.
The same goes for mold growth. Although both manufacturers guarantee that their composite lumbers are not mildew-prone, the warranty only applies on a case-by-case basis.
Heat and Fade Resistant Comparison
Fading is typically the number one reason why home decks look old, even after only a few months (or year) of use. Such an issue is particularly common in areas with hot weather. Timbertech and Trex, on a good note, carefully developed a solution to this problem: by making their decking products heat- and fade-resistant.
- Timbertech, for example, utilizes highly reflective pigments to keep its deck boards cool even during hot days, making it heat- and fade-resistant. These pigments then keep the lumbers’ vibrant and rich original colors even after years of use.
- Trex’s boards, on the other hand, are not all highly resistant to heat and fading. For example, its earliest generation of composite decking does not have an enhanced fade feature. Boards from this line will easily fade and have a color lifespan of 12 to 18 weeks only.
Some of these deck boards are Trex Origins, Trex Brasilia, Trex Accents, Trex Profiles, and Trex Contours.
Trex’s most recent generation of composite woods, however, have high-performing protective shell technology which shields the deck boards from fading, as well as stains.
Verdict
Timbertech and Trex are both big household names in the deck construction industry. And to answer which is better is a question only you—as the deck owner and customer—can answer.
Each customer has varying needs, and both manufacturers provide different solutions. As such, it is best to know what you need first, and then assess your surroundings and consider different factors (such as the weather in your area) before choosing the right composite decking for you.
