They are slightly different, and Hunter units are greater that means that Trexs warranty guaranteeing no fading within a range of 5 delta E (CIE) is more rigid and a better value to the purchaser but only slightly. However, these warranties come at a progressive scale, so the older your decks, the less coverage youll be guaranteed. Both claim to be ultra eco-friendly, billing themselves as a more sustainable deck board than pressure-treated wood. Trex is for consumers looking for a specific look for their decks. Fiberon has partnered with both Cor-Tex and Captor to provide color-matched screws and plugs for screwing into the face of Fiberon boards. Fiberon Horizon composite decking with enclosed steps. Within that plastic sheathing is wood composite sawdust mixed with plastic waste such as old bags and other plastic garbage that is then heated and pressed into a board. Also, the fact that Fiberon does not offer a transferable warranty even once is unfortunate to anyone purchasing a home with a Fiberon deck. We may receive commissions when you purchase products based on our link recommendations. Trex does not recommend a specific number of cleans per year. Both brands offer two general profile types grooved and square edge. The built-in bench, also made using composite deck boards, works well for extra seating. While Fiberons proprietary hidden fastener might seem somewhat lightweight compared to Trexs version, Fiberon wins because you can simply use Trex hidden fasteners instead. Trex has 4 composite decking collections: TrexTranscend, TrexSelect, Enhance Natural and Enhance Basics. Secondly, Fiberon does have an optional 4-sided capped composite board, which Trex does not. Both stores are more likely to have Trex physically at their stores, while the Fiberon has to be ordered. Trex has been around since 1996 and was launched as a composite decking company in Winchester, Virginia. While both brands guarantee their fade resistance to that level, its important to note that Fiberon uses delta E Hunter units, while Trex uses delta E CIE units. For these reasons, Trex makes out to be slightly less maintenance. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Sundance Homes LLC, The Best Synthetic Decking Brands: Fiberon. During this time, many other manufacturers were also mixing plastic with wood fiber and other byproducts to create composite decking, but none were using exclusively recycled materials. Fiberon requires a minimum of two cleans per year. Trex and Fiberon also offer boards that are scalloped on the bottom. Some brands of paint are self-priming, while others require a primer. Use of approved brighteners and mildew removers is acceptable for both Trex and Fiberon boards, as both admit staining from items such as flower pots and leaves can occur. One of the main knocks on composite decking in years past has been that it can get quite slippery during rain or other wet weather. Fiberon wins for providing a 4-sided capped option. Both have two very reddish browns, two brown copper tones, and the rest are more subtle varieties of brown. They also allow for more pressure from a power washer, indicating a more sturdy deck board. The choice eventually was Fiberon versus Trex decking what was the difference, and which was better? x 12 ft. Gray Square Edge Capped Composite Decking Board. While Fiberon is the new player in town and making a bid to be on the scale of Trex in terms of size and availability, Trex still comes out on top when all factors are considered. Both companies are offering a fairly new product. While not technically a true composite, Fiberon does offer a full synthetic composite board made entirely from PVC. Both Trex and Fiberon can be painted with any outdoor surface rated latex acrylic paint. Fiberon Earl Grey op een balkon in Amsterdam. Your email address will not be published. Meanwhile, all Trex composite decking products come with a 25-year warranty and a labor warranty that is one of the most comprehensive in the world of composite decking. The rest of the available colors are a type of brown. The difference lies in what they have on hand. The 12-foot boards are available as a single board ($20/board), or in packs of 10 ($200) and 56 ($1,300). They offer a wider array of decking options, such as PVC and composites, but manufacture their product in much the same way as Trex using recycled plastic and wood waste to create a virtually indestructible decking board. Theyre not fancy, but they have premium features like hidden fasteners during installation or pre-finished capping that leave your deck looking luxurious. This is a category that may change over the next decade or so, but for now, it is tough to evaluate the durability of these two products since the current iterations of both Trex and Fiberon composites have simply not been around long enough to get a true sense of their durability. Trex wins this round for providing the added thickness option for their products. Both allow for pressure washing, but Fiberons only allows power washing up to 2,500 psi no closer than 12 from the surface. Fiberon vs Trex: Whats the Difference? One major difference between Fiberons warranty and Trex is that you cannot transfer your warranty to the next homeowner with a Fiberon product. The premium composite offerings from Trex (Transcend) and Fiberon (Concordia) offer a selection of 8 different colors. Fiberon and Trex have made sure to have one type of color per product line, so their premium lines have one gray, one reddish-brown, and one copper brown tone. Again, as with all composites for both brands, they have a natural-appearing wood grain. Most of us will not stay in our homes for 30 years, much less 50, so having a 50-year warranty on a Fiberon deck doesnt do you much good if you move out ten years later. Below well take a look at whats good and not so good about Trex decking. Trex allows up to 3,100 psi no closer than 8 from the surface, suggesting that Trex may be slightly more durable. Trex is one of the biggest plastic bag recyclers in the country. Veranda is a baby compared to Trex. They not only remove plastic bags from landfills, but also other types of plastics such as food packaging, Ziploc bags, and e-packaging. While both offer a decent variety of styles, Trex wins this round as they have a slightly larger catalog for their economy line, which is very popular for many homeowners due to its comparable price to wood decking. While Trex has a slight edge on Fiberon boards, time will truly tell which composite manufacturer is better and more durable. Fiberon makes a big deal about their patented perma-tread technology, which is their micro-embossed wood grain pattern atop their deck boards. Neither Trex nor Fiberon will accept a warranty claim unless their boards have faded more than 5 delta E units. The battle over the composite deck board market benefits consumers the most, and it is highly unlikely youll see a wide variation in pricing between Trex and Fiberon. Today, Trex recycles more than 400 million pounds of material from landfills and is responsible for recycling 1.5 billion plastic bags every year. All Trex boards can be bought in 12, 16 or 20-feet lengths and they cost (respectively): Veranda composite decking is available in either 12-foot or 16-foot boards: There are no hidden fees here. But which is better? So if you have solid Trex decking and want to face screws, you may have a hard time finding screws that match the color of your decking, whether you want flush mount screws or screws with plugs. One factor not yet mentioned is that you can purchase 2 thick Trex decking, whereas Fiberon only offers 1 thick boards. Composite deck using @fiberondecking castle grey decking with white PVC railing and black square aluminum balusters. As well, 50% of Trexs railing material is also from recycled materials. Trex is the brand people are probably the most familiar with, and theyve been in the composite decking game longer than just about anyone. Failure to do so may void the warranty. Trex also has embossed wood grain patterns, but there is less texture as the emphasis is on a smooth surface. While made specifically for Fiberon boards, CAMO claims these hidden fasteners also work with Trex, according to their website. x 5-1/4 in. Fiberon has partnered with Camo hidden deck fastening systems to offer other options for hidden fastening with the EDGE and EDGEX clips. Finally, Fiberons warranty also claims that it will void the warranty if the deck becomes damaged by atmospheric pollutants. 500 square foot Fiberon composite IPE deck with Fiberon Rosewood inlays, picture frame border, stairs, risers, and custom designed trim / skirting. Presumably, this is to make the boards lighter, which also means they are cheaper. It also mandates more regular care a minimum of twice yearly or the warranty is voided. There are no screws that match Trex colors specifically. The premium boards are much more expensive, as a 16 Trex Transcend board is about $85, while a 16 Fiberon Concordia board is similar at $86. A friend of mine wanted to add a deck to one of his rental properties and wanted composite decking, so he didnt have to return to maintain it regularly. Select:$35, $46, $58 for 1-inch and $50, $60, $85 for 2-inch. All Rights Reserved. This company provides over a dozen color options with varying degrees of wood look. And if you support environmentally-friendly companies, Trex has received awards for their eco-conscious business practices. However, Fiberon has positioned itself as a huge player, with tons of products and colors available with a massive warranty to boot. But when new names come around, like Trex and Veranda, they tend to create a buzz. Fiberon is a smaller company and offers only the basic deck options: composite decking, railings, fascia, lighting, and risers. All these factors slightly tilt the decision to Fiberon over Trex in terms of durability. Of course, you can use Camo fasteners on Trex, too. Veranda is for builders and homeowners looking for a traditional deck look, with affordable options in a premium quality. x 6 in. Veranda is backed by a 25-year stain, fade and performance limited warranty. Trex Transcend and Select are available in 1-inch and 2-inch thickness, while Trex Enhance Naturals and Basics are only available in 1-inch thickness. Prices may fluctuate, but you can bet that the price of Fiberon and Trex boards will continue to remain very similar. Transcend: $56, $75, $100 for 1-inch and $70, $95, $120 for 2-inch. 1 delta E unit means a color change that is invisible to the human eye only machines can notice that level of change. Of course, if you watch HGTVs Dream Home, youve seen Trex as the shows composite decking of choice and have watched the team continually create impressive decks. They are generally divided into two categories: brown and grey.