Can You Mix Trex Deck With Wood?

Many people look for alternatives to wood for creating a deck. One such material that you can consider in place of wood is Trex. Trex is even better as it requires little maintenance practices; basically, all you need is simple cleaning with water and soap. What if you have the two, can you mix Trex deck with wood?

Yes, if you prefer to do so, then why not? Sometimes, you might have run out of Trex as decking material and require a few pieces to fill the entire place. In that case, you can fill the remaining part with wood or the other way round. However, ensure that you stain or paint the wood to match the color of the Trex.

I’ve seen people who have decided to use both Trex and wood to create a deck, and it was awesome. So whichever works for you, you can always mix the two.

Can I Put Trex Over Wood Deck?

It is easy to put Trex over a wood deck and rest assured that you’ll end up with an appealing final product. When the boards on your deck are weathered, but the foundation and deck framing systems are still in great shape, you can consider replacing the walking surfaces and deck railings with Trex decking.

If you have decided to mix the Trex deck with wood, ensure that you mix the two correctly to get the best results possible.

Deck Joist Sizing and Spacing

There’s no feeling that beats that of having good times during the chilly evenings of winter around fire pits on the deck with your loved ones. It would be best if you made the feeling around the deck a pleasing one, and for you to do that, your deck needs to be structurally sound. So how do you do that? You need to know and pay attention to the most fundamental components of decking, such as joist and a beam, their purpose on your deck, functionality, and safety.

What Is a Joist?

Joists refer to the repeated structural members used in the construction of the deck frame. The minimum-sized joist you will use in the construction of the deck depends on the number of footings plus the beams that you intend to install.

What Is a Beam?

A beam is the primary load-bearing element that ensures the structural soundness of the roof of your deck. The beam does more than just offering support to the weight of the joist. It supports all other building elements too.

Deck Joist Spacing

You don’t wake up and start building a deck. You need to know one or two things, even as you prepare for the construction of your structure. A few questions will always arise during the entire process, like, what is the right placement? How far apart do you need to put the floor joists? How do you make the joists even?

Universally, it is recommended that you space your joists 16 inches on center can span 1.5 times feet their depth measured in inches. Spacing for a 2×8 goes up to 12 feet; 2×10 to 15 feet and 2×12 to 18 feet. The size of the joists increases with an increase in the size of the deck.

In typical construction of the deck where you have a ledger on one side of the joist and beam on the other, the joist size depends on the deck’s size on the general maximum spans that I’ve mentioned above.

Can You Nail Down Trex Decking?

Yes, you can choose to screw or nail down your Trex decking boards the same way that you do with wood. I’d advise that you use three-inch decking screws as your number one decking fasteners. These fasteners sink a secure distance into the joists and do not back out like nails.

Additionally, these fasteners do not risk splitting your boards when you drive them; therefore, you do not have to worry about pre-drilling. You can choose to countersink a hole about 1/4 inch deep for every screw you will use before you drive them. If you are going to do that, ensure the head sinks below the surface. You must drive the screws in pairs, with each positioned an inch from the edge of a board and about 0.5 inches from either end.

Can You Use Hidden Fasteners On Trex Decking?

The use of a hidden fastener allows you to attach your Trex boards securely to the joists without using nail or screw heads to mar their look. The fasteners are clips created with stainless steel, they screw to the joists and hook into grooves that are on the boards’ sides. 

In case the boards you’re using have no grooves, you can just cut them using a table saw or groove-cutting router bit. One fascinating thing about hidden fastener systems is that it includes select start/stop clips for the boards located on the edges of the deck. Additionally, they come with their screws, so you don’t have to incur extra cost buying the screws.

Watch the video below on how to install Trex deck:

Can You Install New Decking Over Old Deck Boards?

NO! I’d not recommend that you go ahead with this practice. In most cases where you are doing decking replacement tasks, the joists are ultimately replaced, repaired, or capped. This restoration action is because decking does undergo decay with time, especially from the beneath where the fastener penetrated the joist. So, whenever you are updating a deck using new decking materials, you must remove the old decking so that you get to assess and repair the joists and beams.

When you choose to install decking over old decking, you will be contributing to a drastic reduction in the lifespan of the material. The joints between the two materials will easily trap water when in wet environments, and you can relate water and decay.

Is Trex Decking Worth the Price? 

As a proud Trex owner, I’d gladly say that Trex is worth every penny that you are going pay to install one. Below are some of the benefits that make Trex worth your investment:

• Trex decking is friendly to the environment because 95% of its components are recycled materials. The materials include wood, sawdust, plastic bags, etc.
• Trex is a light material that weighs about 50-60% less than wood making it easy to handle.
• Trex decking resists mildew, mold, insects, as well as scratching.
• It comes in three signature lines plus customized railing systems.
• This material does not need any intense form of maintenance. All that you need is water and soap for cleaning.

Conclusion

Trex has a reputation as one of the most durable decking materials. It requires little to no maintenance, which makes it a better decking material compared to wood. Much as it might cost a lot more than wood, this material is worth your investment, especially if you have no time to carry out constant maintenance. One question that I keep coming across though is…

Can You Mix Trex Deck With Wood?

Like I stated before, it does not break a bone if you mix these two. Different circumstances can dictate why you use these materials together; it might be financial shortages or personal preference. If you are going to do that, ensure that you stain or paint the wood to match your Trex for uniformity.

At this point, you have learned one or two things about Trex as a decking material, haven’t you? If you found this post helpful, kindly share your thoughts with me in the comment section below.