Although Trex and Azek are made of tough materials, they can still both be scratched. Both brands are among the most durable composite decking products on the market. Both resist scratching far better than common treated pine decking or other soft woods. In scratch tests both Trex and Azek perform comparably to an exotic hardwood like Ipe.
Does Trex or Azek scratch easier?
Although Trex and Azek are made of tough materials, they can still both be scratched. Both brands are among the most durable composite decking products on the market. Both resist scratching far better than common treated pine decking or other soft woods. In scratch tests both Trex and Azek perform comparably to an exotic hardwood like Ipe.
What is Azek decking made of?
What Is Azek Decking? Azek decking is made of a cellular PVC material which is basically plastic. Because the core contains no wood fibers, it won’t absorb moisture or be susceptible to rot. And just like with Trex, it’s composite core and sturdy capping keep your deck’s aesthetic beauty by repelling scratches, dents, and even insects.
Is Azek or PVC better for scratches?
However, since Azek is made of PVC minor scratches can be repaired with a heat gun. If your making your decision based on durability alone then it’s a toss up since technically some small scratches in Azek can be repaired. Both materials are extremely good at resisting scratches and tend to fade more or less equally.
Do you need to coat Azek decking?
The good news is that mold and mildew wash right off of composite decking. Unlike with wood decks, you don’t need to coat either AZEK or Trex with a water-repellent preservative. Both AZEK and Trex decking gets hot … hotter than wood.
How do you get scratches out of AZEK decking?
Removing Scratches from Composite DeckingUse a Heat Gun – Using a heat gun is one of the most effective ways to eliminate the scratches on your decking. ... Try a Wire Brush – Another popular method that you can try is by using a wire brush.More items...•
What is the most scratch resistant composite decking?
In our experience, Trex Transcend is the most durable product on the market. It resists scratching far better than any of the other options.
Does TimberTech AZEK scratch easily?
Both Timbertech composite and PVC decking boards are scratch-resistant, not scratch-proof. This means they can easily get scratched by weather, furniture, shoes, kids, and pets.
Do composite decks scratch easily?
3 days agoUnlike painted wood decks, Trex or any composite decking won't scratch or scuff easily. It's also highly resistant to marring (the disfiguration or sheen that you sometimes see after dragging a heavy object across a wood deck). Beyond that, Trex decking is also resistant to fading, staining, mold and mildew.
How do I stop my composite deck from scratching?
Make use of furniture leg pads Heavy furniture or furniture with metal legs is particularly susceptible to causing scratches, so it's best to protect your deck with furniture leg pads. There are a lot of different kinds of furniture leg pads on the market including rubber, plastic, foam etc.
Which is better AZEK or Trex?
When comparing Trex vs Azek, there are Pros and Cons to both materials. Azek is quite a bit more expensive due to how it's made but it's a great long term value that's more durable than Trex. However, premium grade Trex isn't cheap, it's also very durable but has a more natural look and feel than Azek.
Will dogs scratch composite decking?
Without this vital component, composite decking does not fair much better than cedar decking. A large dog's claws will easily scratch an uncapped composite decking. Without the cap, the wood fibres will readily soak up the dog's urine and emit a terrible odour in the sun.
Is AZEK as strong as wood?
For example, 1/2-inch-thick Azek has a compressive strength of about 1,000 pounds per square inch, which is much less than the compressive strength of wood.
Can AZEK decking be power washed?
The material utterly resists moisture. Because it's so strong, you can power wash AZEK decking. Just keep the pressure under 1200 PSI. People with industrial strength power washers should tone it down on all products.
Is TimberTech decking scratch resistant?
TimberTech offers the best scratch resistant composite decking so that all types of traffic — whether from two- or four-legged friends — won't take away from the beauty of your outdoor living space.
Does Trex decking scratch?
Newer-generation Trex decking holds strong against potential damage. All of our decking lines are scratch resistant, protecting your space against nicks, cracks and splitting.
What Is Composite Decking?
Composite decking is a man-made building product made of recycled wood fibers and/or recycled plastic. Because composite decking is so durable and impervious to rot, they have a much longer lifespan than wood decking and require little to no maintenance. They don’t need the staining, sanding or sealing that wood decking does.
What Is Trex Decking?
Trex is composed of 95% recycled material and is designed to look and feel like real wood. This recycled material includes things like ground up plastic, sawdust, and reclaimed wood. When compared to other kinds of composite or PVC decking, Trex has a much more natural look and feel.
What Is Azek Decking?
Azek decking is made of a cellular PVC material which is basically plastic. Because the core contains no wood fibers, it won’t absorb moisture or be susceptible to rot. And just like with Trex, it’s composite core and sturdy capping keep your deck’s aesthetic beauty by repelling scratches, dents, and even insects.
Which Scratches Less?
If you look at the edge of a composite deck board you’ll see that it’s made up of two parts. The core or inside part and the thin outer shell as shown in the close up pic above. In industry terms that thin protective outer shell is called the cap. Also referred to as a deck boards capping.
Trex vs Azek – Which Is More Durable?
When considering the durability of composite decking you have to look at more than just the cap. That just offers surface protection. It’s what’s on the inside that really counts. Trex has a core made of 95% recycled material which includes things like ground up plastic, sawdust, and reclaimed wood. Trex is a much more natural material than Azek.
Trex vs Azek: Which Looks More Like Real Wood?
Between Azek and Trex decking, Trex definitely resembles the look of wood much more than Azek. Now, that’s not to say that Azek doesn’t resemble wood too, but if a natural look is important to you, then Trex is definitely the way to go.
Which Feels Better?
There’s nothing like the feel of real wood beneath your feet on a warm summer day. Since Trex is made from a mix of natural materials, it better captures the natural look and feel of wood than Azek, which is made of PVC. And best of all, Trex accomplishes without the risk of splinters while looking great and requiring no maintenance.
How to Paint AZEK?
Before painting the AZEK, make sure you properly clean the material as it should be completely free of any debris and other marks.
What Type of Paint to Use for Azek?
If you decide to paint AZEK, you will need to use 100% acrylic latex paint with a color that carries a Light Reflective Value (LRV) of 55 or above.
Reasons You Should Be Painting AZEK- The Pros and Cons
First of all, the edges of AZEK are much more porous and can retain moisture.
What Causes Scratches to a Deck?
All decks are likely to encounter scratching agents, but that doesn’t mean that all decks will perform the same when they do. Some common causes of deck scratching on traditional wood decks include:
Does Pressure-Treated Wood Protect Against Scratches?
You’ll hear a lot about the protective capacity of pressure-treated wood, but most of those arguments actually don’t hold up under, well, pressure.
What Makes TimberTech the Best Scratch Resistant Composite Decking?
To avoid unsightly scratches — and the costly maintenance it takes to repair or replace wood decking — you need the power of protective capping.
See & Feel the TimberTech Advantage
Our capped polymer and capped composite decking lines combine recycled material with all the beauty of traditional wood.
Which is right for you, Trex or AZEK?
I've been involved in the deck industry for now over 20 years, I have seen my share of products and trends come and go. Since I’m not a polymer scientist, and studying the chemical composition of each product is overwhelming to a layperson anyway, I go by the “proof is in the pudding” approach.
Fading and Staining
This was an issue in the past but now both Trex and AZEK products seem to be performing well in this category. Any fading that does happen is minimal, and covered by warranty for both. In addition, staining is a complete non-issue on both AZEK and Trex.
Warranty
AS mentioned above, they both offer fade and stain warranties, Trex for 25 years and AZEK for 50 years. However, we’ve found that the few instances that have occurred happened in the first five years.
Look and Feel
AZEK is a PVC product and will have a different feel and look to it then Trex, which is a capped composite. AZEK will be much lighter in weight and feel slightly different under your feet. The sheen is also different between the two -- AZEK has a glossier sheen than Trex’s capped composites.
Heat Retention
Both AZEK and Trex decking gets hot … hotter than wood. AZEK will be slightly cooler, but head outside to enjoy your deck barefoot on a full-sun, 90-degree day, your feet will not know the difference between the 2 brands. You will be running for your flip flops on either one.
Scratch Resistance
Since they are made differently, AZEK and Trex react slightly differently. This has to do with sheen and grain pattern, and how the scratches and or scuffs show up. Trex offers different tiers of product with different levels of scratch resistance – Trex Transcend the most scratch resistant. AZEK has different tiers of product as well.
