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+--- Thread: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? (/showthread.php?tid=7837)
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Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - csgray - 09-27-2010
Does anyone know what the price difference is for initial installation for Trex type recycled plastic wood vs. real wood for decks and stairs. We have 14 steps up to our house, and they will need to be rebuilt before too long. How much different is the cost for materials, and for labor?
Mahalo,
Carol
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - Rob Tucker - 09-27-2010
The installation cost should be the same. The material cost for wood substitutes will be higher than low grade lumber. My advie on cost is.... call the suppliers and ask. I would say that consider a good wood substitute to cost around the same as a heart redwood.
I had a guy call me from Waipio Valley once. Had a B&B. It is so wet down there that he said he had had to replace his deck three times in the last five years and wanted to know if there was something that wouldn't rot. There was. I told him the price and he said: "But I can buy wood cheaper". And I guess he did. I think he missed the point about lifespan of material.
Let's see....... three decks in five years with cheapo lumber.... versus..... one deck for fifty years with more expensive substitute.
I think he made a bad business decision.
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - bystander - 09-27-2010
I used the Veranda board bought at Home Depot to build my deck. Then I saw the products from Trex and Fiberon Decking. These look much cloer to real wood. Now I wish I had used one of those instead.
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - Nalu - 09-27-2010
We have the HPM brand..I forget the name. I am generally happy with it..5 years later good as new. My only complaint is that it stains easy and hard to get the black mildew stains off, really have to work at it with a pressure washer. But nice not to have to repaint every year.
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - dmbwest - 09-27-2010
As per Rob ... The steps would be a good spot to use this stuff yeah ?
Color match to surrounding wood ?
aloha,
pog
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - Kapohocat - 09-28-2010
To Rob's I would add, cover top side of stringers with Peal and seal - what good is trex for steps if the stringers are still wood?
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - csgray - 09-29-2010
Thanks everybody, lots of food for thought.
Anyone have a recommendation for someone who has experience with this material? I am hoping we don't have to do this right away, but it is a certainty in the fairly close future. That side of the house faces where most of our weather comes in so something rot proof has real appeal.
Mahalo again,
Carol
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - Menehune - 09-29-2010
Carol - taking into account all that has been posted so far:
Mildew
Stains
What has not been said is that TREX and some others are WOOD based products with resin/plactizers to keep it together and discourage insect attack - BUT it WILL rot and warp in this environment; especially in direct sunlight. My mainland TREX deck was problem free - lived in a fog belt - minor mildew and built on 16" stringers. Here - excessive warping, expansion, checking and actual splitting - minor mildew. AZTEX is ALL plastic - no stains - etc. IPE and IRONWOOD are builtproof hardwoods. IF doing a small area (14 steps) the cost of a higher quality material might be acceptable.
P.S. Even TREX now has different "grades"!
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - Rob Tucker - 09-30-2010
It will generally come down to you get what you pay for....
RE: Plastic deck vs. real wood costs? - tada - 09-30-2010
Had to recheck the castleblock site and had 3 "wood substitutes" listed. what is that- the industrial strength section? Don't want to overlook something right under your nose.
Other people want to make friends- I just want to make money.
James Cramer