Product Spotlight: Why Our Builders Love Trex Decking

Whether it’s a hot summer day, a chilly autumn evening, or that perfect in-between, North Carolinians and Virginians are always looking for a way to spend more time outside. Decks make that easy, and Talbert is here to help you build the best deck for your customers. That’s why we recommend Trex decking, a well-known brand in the world of outdoor living and the most popular type of composite decking on the market today.

Talbert is proud to offer Trex decking to the homeowners and professionals we serve because, throughout our years of supplying it, it’s proven to be a trustworthy and high-quality product. We also know our builders love it: Here are a few reasons why it remains popular with those who use it.

Mike Miller is Director of Outdoor Living Products at Talbert Building Supply. He loves supplying Trex to Talbert customers for a few different reasons, the main one being it’s always one of their top requests.

“People ask for it; I don’t really have to sell it,” he explains. Trex has 40-45% of the market share of all decking products, and the products they offer come in several options for homeowners who want to enhance their outdoor living space.

“Trex products have a really large variety of decking at different price points and not every decking manufacturer can say that,” says Mike. That kind of availability and affordability makes Trex a popular brand.

“They’re the originator of composite decking; they invented it,” he explains. “So they’re the bull in the market for sure. They’re innovative, and they’re the first to put out new products.”

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Trex products have gotten hugely popular in the last year, especially since so many people are making improvements to their homes and outdoor living spaces.

“They have an excellent reputation that drives people toward the products,” explains Mike. “Trex is a leader in the industry, and that’s what people want.” But Trex decking systems offer customers benefits outside of just name recognition.

Trex comes with four different price points. “Whether you need something that’s more budget-friendly or something with elevated aesthetics, they have it for that customer,” says Mike.

Trex composite decking comes in three collections: Transcend, Select, and Enhance. Because they’re all excellent products, it can be challenging to know which to select for your project. If you need help, contact Talbert so we can get you in touch with Mike; he’ll help you make the right decision for your project’s needs.

“There are a variety of colors and textures based on the line you choose,” says Mike. The three collections offer homeowners different types of profiles and product quality to choose from, depending on budget and product needs.

There are also three main railing types at Trex: The Select and Transcend lines are made from composite material, and the Signature railing product comes in premium aluminum.

Trex also gives homeowners plenty of options for accessories, from fire pits and water features to lighting, all of which help enhance any outdoor living space.

“There are a lot of products that people don’t know about, and my job is to educate them about what’s out now, to find out what the customer needs and their budget, and steer them towards the products available,” explains Mike.

Talbert sells Trex outdoor lights to help customers add ambiance to their deck design. Talbert also offers RainEscape, a system from Trex for upper deck designs that drain away rain and spills to keep the area below dry.

One of the reasons Trex is so popular is that it’s a well-known brand; you can easily find information on Trex, and that transparency makes it a trusted decking product. It’s also known for its quality.

“It has a strong warranty. Trex has a 25-year warranty that protects the product against fade, stain, and rot,” explains Mike. And like Talbert, they understand the importance of serving their customers before and after they purchase the product. “They offer good support and a local representative for service questions. Talbert customers can also come to me for installation questions. But Trex is always willing to work with me, the contractor, or homeowners,” he says.

One of the biggest benefits of Trex composite decking products? They’re low-maintenance. “It’s not recommended to stain it or paint it; you’d have to maintain it if you did that. The outer finish is what gives you the stain resistance, and the core is the composite,” explains Mike.

He’s sure to clarify with new installers or people who haven’t built with composite products that Trex decking is not like wood. “There are big differences, and you want to make sure it’s installed correctly, so I provide them with installation videos,” he says. “There are lots of good resources on the Trex website.”

The fact that Trex is a composite product helps with its long-term durability and quality. “A pressure-treated product will start to grey after being in the sun, sometimes after just a few weeks. It will start cupping, and you’ll run into splintering issues and even sapping issues.”

Wood decking requires regular maintenance, so while the upfront cost might run less than Trex’s products, there are high maintenance (and time) costs with a pressure-treated wood deck. “There’s regular maintenance of stain or water sealer, you’ll have to strip it all down, and that process can cost about $2 a foot, annually,” says Mike.

With Trex decking, “In five years, you’ll get your money back and won’t have all that maintenance to do, and you won’t need to worry about staining or splintering,” says Mike.

Trex requires regular yearly cleaning, but it’s still low maintenance compared to other decking materials. “There’s a higher up-front cost, but a better life expectancy, and again, the product has a 25-year fade and stain warranty,” explains Mike.

One of the frequent questions that customers ask about composite decking is how much heat it absorbs. “I get asked this question dozens of times a week,” Mike says.

“Wood decking will allow heat to dissipate more quickly, but if it’s stained the same dark color as a composite decking product, it will still get just as hot,” he explains. The composite deck material will eventually cool off and will maintain its appearance longer than wood. If you are concerned about your decking getting too hot, opt for a lighter color that won’t absorb as much heat.

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Mike loves selling Trex decking because it’s a high-quality and dependable product, making it an excellent solution for the customers Mike works with. He also brings a lot of industry experience to the purchasing process at Talbert: Mike is a former contractor and worked as a deck builder for over 20 years.

“Being a former builder myself, I can talk about construction with them and can help them with the order of operations,” explains Mike. He’s an asset to Talbert because he can speak with perspective and experience in the industry. “I try to help customers with how to make something look right, the proper materials to use in a particular project, and I can meet with homeowners or builders.”

Mike does site visits and will make appointments with customers at any of Talbert’s locations to look at products and go over their designs. “I’m an extension of the contractor’s business, and I’ll even do material takeoffs for the client,” he explains. Mike’s expertise means that Talbert customers get an accurate material list, saving them time on projects and preventing mistakes down the line.

And if you are more of a visual person, all six of Talbert’s locations (four in North Carolina and two in Virginia) have showrooms for customers to get an idea of the look and feel of the products available.

Need inspiration for your new deck? See what Talbert has to offer and check out our Decking and Outdoor Living products. Or get started today. You can contact us with any questions about the products and services we offer — we’d love to help make your project a success.