Installation Guide

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GENERAL INFORMATION

PAINTING TECHNICAL BULLETIN

Can standard Trex

composite decking and

railing be painted?

Yes, you can paint or stain Trex decking or railing to

achieve a custom color, but it is not necessary for

protection. Paints and stains that adhere well to wood

will work as well or better with Trex products. Trex

decking that has been faded can be painted or stained

at any time, even years after it has been installed.

However you should use paint or stain that is made for

a walking surface.

NOTE: Trex Transcend

decking or railing and Trex

Escapes

cannot be painted or stained.*

What types of paints and stains can I use?

Most paints or stains that you would apply to wood can

be applied to Trex decking. The following companies

have evaluated Trex decking and suggested these

coatings:

Should I wait until my Trex decking is faded

before applying paint or stain?

Yes, it is important to wait for Trex to fade (about

12 - 16 weeks) before applying paint or stain. If the Trex

decking is painted or stained before it fades, the paint

or stain could become discolored and adhesion may be

compromised. The discoloration is not permanent and

can be cleaned.

Once I’ve picked out my paint or stain, what

do I do?

Use this easy three-step process:

» Wait until the Trex decking fades, approximately

2 - 16 weeks.

lean your Trex decking surface. NE

aint or

stain over dirty surfaces or surfaces with mold and

ildew. Refer to pages 7 - 8 for cleaning

instructions.

» Apply the paint or stain in accordance with the

anufacturer’s directions.

How long will the paint or stain on my deck

last?

This depends on the paint or stain, but testing has

shown that paints or stains on Trex decking will last

as long as or longer than paints or stains on wood.

Because Trex decking absorbs minimal moisture, the

paint or stain will not experience checking or splitting.

What about cleaning my painted or stained

Trex decking?

Consult your paint or stain manufacturer’s directions

before cleaning.

How can I restore colorant on my decking

surface?

A product called Penoﬁn

**** Knotwood

****

Composite Decking Colorant works well if you are

interested in restoring or enhancing your decking color.

This product comes in three different shades so you

can determine the best color match for your existing

decking. For example, we would recommend using the

color “Redwood” for Brasilia Cayenne or Madeira.

For more information about colors and application, refer

to www.penofin.com/products_knotwood.shtml.

NOTE: This product cannot be applied to Trex

Transcend

decking or Trex Escapes

*If there is an ADA requirement for slip resistance, an appropriate

type of paint with grit or grit additive can be applied. For standard Trex

decking products, a product like Benjamin Moore®***** Anti-Slip 116

(note this is not clear-based) or an equivalent anti-slip alternative will

provide an abrasive coating to materials for ramps that must meet ADA

requirements. For Transcend decking, a latex or acrylic-based paint will

not adhere but oil-based paint with grit will adhere and provide proper

friction properties.

**Premium Plus is a registered trademark of the Behr Process

Corporation.

***Deckscapes and Woodscapes are registered trademarks of

The Sherwin-Williams Company.

****Penofin and Knotwood are registered trademarks of

Performance Coatings, Inc.

*****Benjamin Moore is a registered trademark of Benjamin

Moore & Company.

PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES FOR TREX TRANSCEND

MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED STAINS

Paint

Manufacturer

Behr 800-854-0133 Premium Plus®** Exterior

Solid Wood Deck Stain

(no primer needed)

Sherwin 800-474-3794 S-W Deckscapes®***

Williams Exterior Acrylic Deck Stain

A15-150 Series

S-W Woodscapes®***

Exterior Acrylic Deck Stain

A15 Series

Tech Support

Phone Number Suggested Coating

Flame Spread (a)

Typical Trex

Values for Coefﬁcient of Thermal Expansion/Contraction

(36" (91.4 cm) long samples)

ASTM E84

DESIGN VALUES

540 psi (3.72 Mpa)

500 psi (3.45 Mpa)

360 psi (2.48 Mpa)

200,000 psi

(1378.95 Mpa)

TEST METHOD VALUES

163 lbs/in (1.12 Mpa)

558 lbs/in (3.85 Mpa)

Rating = No Decay

Rating = 9.6

ULTIMATE (TYPICAL) VALUES

836 psi ( 5.76 Mpa)

861 psi (5.94 Mpa)

1562 psi ( 10.77 Mpa)

559 psi ( 3.85 Mpa)

412,000 psi (2840.64 Mpa)

1.57 BTU-in/hr-ft @85°F (.0023 W/cm/°C)

Thermal

Moisture

Nail Withdrawal (c)

Screw Withdrawal (c)

Fungus Resistance (White & Brown Rot)

Termite Resistance (d)

Compression Parallel (e )(f)

Compression Perpendicular (e )(g)

Tensile Strength (e )

Shear Strength (e )

Modulus of Elasticity (e )

Thermal Conductivity

Width

Length

Typical Trex Values

for Long-Term Water

Imme

rsion

(36"/91.4 cm long samples)

Width ~3%

ASTM D1761

ASTM D1413

AWPAE1-72

ASTM D198

ASTM D143

ASTM D198

ASTM D143

ASTM D4761

ASTM C177

35.2 x 10-6 to 42.7 x 10-6 (inch/inch/°F)

644 x 10-6 to 776 x 10-6 (length/length/°C)

16.1 x 10-6 to 19.2 x 10-6 (inch/inch/°F)

297 x 10-6 to 356 x 10-6 (length/length/°C)

Typical Trex Values

for Constant High Humidity

(6"/15.2 cm long samples)

~1%

PHYSICAL MECH CAL PROPERTIES

NOTES:

(a) Corresponding Smoke Developed Index is 285.

(b) Values shown are for reference only. These values should not be used to calculate gapping for Trex. Follow Trex installation literature for proper

width-to-width and end-to-end gapping information.

(d) Material weight loss was 0%.

(e) Ultimate strength values are not meant for design analysis. Testing performed on a 1" x 5.5" (2.5 cm x 14 cm) cross section. Design values are for

temperatures up to 130°F (54°C).

(f) Compressive strength parallel to the length.

(g) Compressive strength perpendicular to length.