AZEK and TimberTech Decking- New and Improved for 2021
In our last newsletter we spoke about Trex decking (the most well-known composite decking brand), and what new and exciting changes Trex made for 2021. This month we’re focusing on two excellent alternatives: AZEK and TimberTech composite decking.
Although the two used to be separate companies, AZEK and its parent company CPG International bought TimberTech in 2012, and a few years ago rebranded the decking lines under new portfolios: TimberTech AZEK, TimberTech Pro, and TimberTech Edge.
At the top of the line, the company’s premier product is the TimberTech AZEK Vintage collection. This is a capped polymer decking product made entirely of synthetic material which is incredibly durable and long-lasting. Although the Vintage line contains no wood whatsoever, the decking boards boast a low-gloss, wire-brushed finish that looks incredibly close to genuine hardwoods. One of the great features of this line is the boards come in three different widths so you can create a really unique deck design. You can choose from their narrow width, 3.5” with a square profile; the standard width, 5.5” in a square or rounded profile, or the wide 7.25” with a square profile. The Vintage line is surprisingly light for a composite board, it stays cooler to the touch in direct sunlight (saving your bare feet in the summer), and the boards come with an impressive 50-year fade and stain warranty.
The TimberTech AZEK Harvest and the TimberTech Pro Legacy collections are the mid-high product lines. The Legacy collection is a four-sided capped board, meaning there’s a tough, sealed polymer cap that wraps around the board’s four sides, including the grooves, which inhibits moisture and mold growth. The legacy line has a hardwood-like texture and comes in a wide range of colors and earthy hues with a very realistic grain pattern and natural-looking highlights and lowlights that mimic real wood. And no two boards look identical, further adding to its real-wood appearance. Like the higher-end Vintage collection, Legacy boards are made from recycled materials and have been tested to withstand bowing, rotting, and for moisture protection, meaning they’ll keep their great looks for a long time. The Legacy collection is backed by a 30-year product warranty, and a 30-year fade and stain warranty, which is longer than the 25-year industry standard.
The TimberTech AZEK Harvest collection also does a great job of replicating the look of natural wood. You don’t get the range of colors and widths as you do with the Vintage collection, and because Harvest boards have a cathedral-style grain pattern they tend to appeal to customers looking for a mono-chromatic painted wood appearance. However, like the Vintage collection, Harvest is impervious to moisture, cool underfoot in the sun, and comes with the TimberTech AZEK 50-year Limited Fade and Stain warranty.
If budget is a key consideration, the TimberTech Pro Terrain collection is the way to go. As part of the Pro line, the Terrain collection has the original four-sided capped construction, so moisture is not going to be a problem, and the boards come with the 30-year fade and stain warranty. Everything is nice and uniform with the Pro series, so you’ll be choosing from standard lengths, widths, and profiles. The Terrain collection does come in three monochromatic colors and in two shades, though, and has a very nice dual-embossed pattern that resembles real wood grain. It’s a quality product at a great price.
Regardless of your choice, TimberTech and AZEK are excellent names in capped composite boards and PVC decking, and their products are made to look good and last a long time.
If you’re still unsure about which composite decking model is right for you, please visit our Composite Decking Comparison Tool to view a side-by-side comparison of the composite decking lines we carry at The Decking Superstore.
For more information on TimberTech AZEK decking, installation, or any other decking question, contact us at The Decking Superstore. We are an authorized TimberTech AZEK dealer with gold status and have the largest selection of decking and railing products in Northern California.