Archive for the ‘Composite Decking’ Category

Composite Picnic Tables

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Composite deck boards have been used for more than just decking.  Check out this picnic table in Lakewood Ranch, Florida:

Notice how the fake grain is raised up like cheap pine!

True Composite Decking Horror Stories

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

We recently conducted a survey of composite deck owners asking them to tell us about their experiences and send in photos of their decks.  Here are some of the responses we got:

This Texas homeowner built his deck with a lovely view of a nearby state park.  Too bad the deck couldn’t complement the view.  The picture above is 6″ Trex composite decking.  You can see how badly the surface is flaking.  Even if it didn’t start falling apart like this, just look at that ugly color!

Check out those nasty spots!  They started appearing within two months of this Michigan deck’s installation.  The brand was Trex Brasilia, and the owners followed the manufacturer’s guidelines to remove the spots.  However, they were back within days.  Trex then offered to come powerwash the deck.  They succeeded in removing the spots (as well as destroying some of the homeowner’s landscape), but once again they came back.

When the owner complained, Trex’s reply was that the deck should only need washing once a year.  They also refused to help their understandably  frustrated customer any further.

Also note the plastic sheen and the swelling around the screws.

If you have a composite decking horror story, please leave a comment sharing your experience.

Composite Decking Lawsuits & Recalls

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

You can find information on composite decking lawsuits and recalls here:

From the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

1. Composite Decking Recalls – Composite Decks Can Deteriorate and Break, Posing Fall Hazard
2. Composite Decking Recalls – Exposure to hot temperatures and sunlight, can lead to premature degradation

Company notices:

1. Composite Decking company recall information
2. Lawsuit complaint #1
3. Home Inspector reviews details of a problems with lawsuit details

When you peel off the hype surrounding composite decking products you will find numerous recalls and lawsuits on many popular brands.

Some of the reasons for these recalls are:

• Delamination
• Rapid decay
• Overheating
• Discoloration
• Splintering
• Injury