Installation Guide

10
PLANNING AHEAD
Trex Decking:
» When installing any Trex decking product, especially
Trex Transcend Tropicals, it is a good idea to mix
and match all of the boards on the job site prior to
installation to ensure an appealing mix of light and
dark tones.
» DO NOT combine Trex Select decking with other Trex
decking products. Trex Select boards are thinner than
Transcend and Enhance boards.
Railing (Including ADA Handrail):
» First, pick the railing style you want.
» Calculate your spanning based on the railing you
chose.
» Determine the number of balusters you will need based
on the railing you chose.
NOTE: Trex Transcend and Select railings are made to
be installed at maximum of 6' (1.83 m) or 8' (2.44 m) on
center (depending upon type of railing you choose). Trex
railings are not true 6' (72") or 8' (96") in length. Trex®
Signature™ railing and Rod Rail are made to be installed
at maximum 6' or 8' CLEAR SPAN BETWEEN POSTS.
» Determine post locations prior to installing any
decking. In most cases, posts are usually installed
before decking is installed.
» Confirm with your local building official if ADA
Handrail is required, and if so plan spanning for posts
accordingly to allow for attachment of Trex ADA
Handrail. ADA Handrail requires a span of
6' OC for posts.
» Grill placement: A good recommendation to help
prevent damage to your railing is to not have a grill
too close to your railing. Allow for ample airspace (6"
or more is recommended) between the back/sides of
your grill to help prevent charring or staining to the
railing.
See pages 58–71 for Transcend railing installation, pages
74–123 for Trex
®
Signature™ railing installation, pages
124-135 for Rod Rail installation, pages 136–145 for Select
railing installation, and pages 146–149 for ADA Handrail
installation.
Trex Lighting:
» Plan locations of lights, power supply, timer, and
dimmer. These should be accessible for service if
necessary.
» Install wiring before decking and railing have been
installed.
» DO NOT run wires between joists and deck boards.
See pages 13–21 for Trex
®
OutdoorLighting
™
installation.
Trex
®
RainEscape
®
Deck Drainage System:
» Plan ahead for deck layout to allow for proper
placement of Trex RainEscape within the joist system.
» Make sure joists are straight and square.
See www.trex.com for more information on Trex
RainEscape recommendations and installation. Trex
RainEscape is manufactured and distributed by Dri-Deck
Enterprises, LLC, under a trademark license with Trex
Company, Inc.
Installing Hot Tubs, Planters, and Seating:
» Plan ahead proper joist spanning if required (this is
especially important if installing a hot tub).
» Refer to page 29 for Trex Decking Span Chart for
specific loads.
Call 1-800-BUY-TREX for detailed questions.
Installing Fireplaces and/or Fire Pits With Trex
Decking:
» Determine if fire will be gas or wood burning.
(NOTE: Most fire pits shown in Trex images are gas
burning.)
» For gas, the fire pit is installed by cutting around the
Trex decking. It is not to be installed on top of Trex
decking. A fire-resistant material is installed under
the fire pit and a protective “wall" made from stone or
other fire-resistant material is installed to hold fire pit
in place and also protect the decking from heat.
» For wood, fire pits are not recommended on top
of Trex decking unless using a product called
DeckProtect
®*
. Wood-burning fire pits can damage
the decking due to extreme heat from the bottom of
the fire pit and/or burning embers “shooting" onto the
decking. DeckProtect
®
was tested on all Trex decking
and there were no issues with burning of the decking
surface when placed directly under a standard size
portable fire pit along with the accompanying rack
(NOTE: Rack is not available for all sizes, so check
with manufacturer first for verification). Trex does
recommend that the DeckProtect
®
padding/rack
PLANNING AHEAD
*DeckProtect® is a registered trademark of Infinite Heat Solutions.