While Trex decking has been available at Truitt and White since 1996, the product group, once viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism by professional builders, today has reached a level of acceptance in the marketplace that makes it one of the most popular decking choices among builders and homeowners alike. The line has grown from a single color 2x6 board to offering an attractive range of colors, finishes, dimensions and railing options.

A Unique Composition

Trex is a premium product manufactured in a proprietary process that combines waste wood fibers and reclaimed polyethylene. “Trex is a really interesting product in that it is made from essentially two byproducts of consumer goods,” explains Scott Stout, Western regional sales manager for Trex. “One is reclaimed polyethylene and the other is reclaimed wood in the form of sawdust.”

The polyethylene used in Trex products comes from a few different raw material sources such as plastic grocery bags, shrink wrap obtained from distribution sources, or agricultural film. “Kind of an interesting note is that approximately seven out of every 10 recycled plastic grocery bags end up in the Trex product,” says Stout. “No other manufacturer can make that same claim.” The wood source is basically sawdust, but Trex is very particular about the type of wood that is used. Although they include some soft woods in their material, Trex prefers hardwood sawdust, which is mostly generated, from furniture and hardwood flooring manufacturers. Because the plastic, when melted under heat, acts as a binder for the wood, these are the only two ingredients required in producing the product.

A Customer Favorite

Trex is very popular among homeowners for a variety of reasons including the low maintenance nature of the product. “Trex has been well-received, I believe, due to the fact that it’s a low maintenance product, meaning that you put it down and you forget about it except for periodically washing the dirt off that may accumulate over a period of time,” says Lee Rutledge of Truitt and White. “There’s no refinishing your deck every other year like you would with natural wood.” Another reason for the product’s huge demand, according to Rutledge, is its consistent look. “It’s a really clean product. Every piece looks alike,” he says. “There are no defects. I think that also appeals to homeowners.”

Along with being attractive to homeowners, Trex is also a crowd-pleaser among builders and contractors. “One of the big advantages I see to Trex, in addition to its longevity, is the installation process. Trex can be installed very, very quickly,” explains Dean Rutherford, a principal at Rutherford and Singlestad Builders. “They’re very straight so you don’t have to do a lot of board bending the way you would with some other products. The other advantage is that you can get some very long lengths so you don’t need to do a lot of splicing, and those things combined can really accelerate the installation process, which, in fact, often brings down the cost of doing a deck.”

New Components at Truitt and White

Accents: A New Decking Option. Trex recently introduced the Accents line which is marked by a warm, rich wood grain look. This new product provides an alternative to the smooth surface of the Origins line and has already gained tremendous popularity among Trex customers. “People like that kind of wood grain look,” says Rutledge. “People want something on their deck that looks more like a piece of wood and I think that is a big selling point for the Accents line.” The Accents line comes in Winchester Gray, Saddle and Madeira and is available in two sizes; 5/4 x 6” and 2 x 6”. Truitt and White is now stocking Accent in Madeira 5/4”x6”.

Railing Systems: The Perfect Companion. Trex railing components have evolved over the years to provide an attractive, seamless addition to both the Accents and Origins lines. The Trex Traditional Series and Trex Designer Series have been redesigned to include narrower balusters and an array of attractive post cap designs. Now in stock at Truitt and White are the Designer Series components in Winchester Gray and Madeira.

Endless Application Possibilities

The unique composition of Trex along with the range of colors, sizes and available finishes allow for an almost endless amount of design possibilities. Customers like the flexibility of the products, the color and finish options and the ability to bend the decking allowing for some unique designs and installations.

Customers are only limited by their imagination. The flexibility and range of possibilities inherent in the Trex product lend well not only to striking decking and railing components, but to other outdoor living applications including porch swings, fencing, gazebos and trellis.

A Win for the Environment

Trex purchases approximately 300 million pounds of used polyethylene and an equal amount of sawdust each year that would otherwise end up in a landfill. “That’s opposed to using what, in the industry, we term as “virgin”, which means that you would create the polyethylene,” says Stout. “A lot of our competitors use virgin materials where we don’t. We really feel like we’re doing a tremendous service to the environment and that’s important to us.” It has also become very important to builders, contractors and homeowners. “When people hear that it’s a recycled product, an almost 100% recycled, they like that very much,” says Neumann. “That’s a big thing with people.”

Truitt and White is proud to carry this stand out product. As the only decking lumber of its kind to be code listed by the nation’s three major building code agency, this powerful brand is the preferred product four to one by remodelers.

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