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In this audio podcast The Handyguys discuss building an Azek Cellular PVC deck. The Handyguys discuss when to DIY and when not to DIY, design considerations, choosing a contractor and materials selection.
To DIY or not to DIY a Cellular PVC Deck
Handyguy Paul decided not to DIY this Cellular PVC ceck. Listen to the podcast for why.
Design Considerations
Think about how you will use your new deck. Plan for the space. Think about furniture and traffic flow. Materials such as Cellular PVC are a great, low maintenance choice.
Choosing a contractor for a Cellular PVC Deck
Handyguy Paul picked a contractor that was highly respected in his area. He was able to inspect several decks built by his contractor up close. When he met with the designer he was able to see pictures of almost exactly what he had in mind. Listen to the podcast for more on the contractor, Decks-R-Us, and what set them apart from other builders.
Materials Selection
Handyguy Paul went with an Azek Cellular PVC Deck. The material is low maintenance and was also what his contractor was most familiar with.
I have seen many decks like this and I find it to be very enjoyable for the owners and also for myself when I experienced them. I really think this is a great post the way it displays its information.
Thanks Mike
Thanks for your information about decks and I want to share our recent experience building a deck. We had a large deck built on the south side of our house in 2009. We selected Timber Tech XLM decking and have been extremely unhappy with the results. The product is marketed to be maintenance-free and that it will maintain it’s original appearance forever. Within 2 years our deck had faded unevenly, stained, and looked horrible. I contacted the distributor where we purchased the material (Selectwood in Portsmouth, NH) and the company directly. Timber Tech’s response after sending one of their representatives to inspect it was to tell us to apply and after-market product called “Deck Maxx”. It was clear to me that the product has failed yet Timber Tech does not back their warranty.
Eventually they agreed to send a Deck Maxx representative to apply the product to our deck and I have to say it made the deck look like new. That was the good news; the bad news is that the appearance deteriorated again within 3 months and now we have a very unattractive deck for which we spent lots of money (approx. $35,000 for the deck project). In fact, the appearance is so bad that we’re now considering ripping up the decking and replacing it with another material. The question is now what should we use?
Do any of the so-called maintenance free decking products actually perform as marketed? We still would like to achieve a maintenance free solution (i.e. another synthetic product) but have been so upset with this experience we frankly don’t know what to do. We know we’ll never purchase another Timber Tech product but don’t know what would be a good alternative.
Thanks!
I’m sorry about your experience with deck. I think that, generally speaking, PVC decking will likely be the least maintenance of any deck. Make sure you keep it free of leaves. Leaves can stain when they get wet, also, make sure you clean up any spills. You may also want to occasionally hose off the deck or even wash it with a brush and soap and water.
We will report back in a year or so about Paul’s new Azek PVC deck and let you know how it holds up.
Thanks for your reply! Just to let you know how terrible our experience with the Timber Tech material is, we did all the maintenance things you suggested. We powerwashed the deck twice per year (just water, no detergents), kept the deck swept, and to the best of my knowledge always cleaned up spills. Much of the deterioration is severe fading, footprints (bare feet on the faded surface), and other staining caused by unknown substances. I’m totally perplexed by out situation and further surprised by the company’s response to it.
Thanks for your information and I’ll be looking for updates on the Azek product!
Great choice of decking material! I personally have used Azek Cellular PVC Deck a couple of times in the past and always recommend them because of their ease of maintenance and long life.