Tag Archive for: Trex

, ,

Eco Friendly Product

What do you get when you combine school children, plastic bags, and math? You get a Trex Product! Matoaca Middle School in Chesterfield, Virginia and Trex building products have teamed up for the second year. Students collect and count plastic shopping bags, newspaper bags, dry cleaning bags and food bags. After counting the bags, students graph the data for use in math and science class activities. Trex processes the plastic bags into alternative decking and patio materials.

Trex Seclusions fencing and decking products are serious about the commitment to the environment. Back that with Trex’s unmatched 25-year limited fade and stain warranty and all your left to worry about is if your house will last as long as your deck. This is why Fence & Deck Supply is proud to be Utah’s Trex Fencing supplier.

/by

Trex Decking for Boardwalk

Hurricane Sandy sure did a lot of damage along the coast. While surfing the web at my usual news websites I noticed an article about the rebuilding of the boardwalk on Belmar beach. The city decided to reconstruct the boardwalk due to its economic affect that it has on the community. The cool thing is that they chose Trex decking for the entire project. In a ceremony to kick off the build Mayor Doherty said “ the new promenade will have 14,000 Trex boards, and will be built to a much higher standard than the previous boardwalk”. 

Now Trex decking comes in 12, 16 and 20 foot length boards. If they were to use the 12 foot long boards that would equal 168,000 linear feet of Trex decking. That about 10 semi truck loads of decking.

The article can be found at : http://nj1015.com/belmar-begins-construction-of-new-boardwalk-videoaudio/

/by
, , ,

Trex Fencing Wind Load Testing

When Trex Seclusions® wood composite fencing was first brought into production in 2005, Trex® wanted to make sure that they had a more superior product to the common dog-eared composite fences that were being manufactured. In March of 2009, the Trex Company sent their fence product to York, PA to have it tested for its Miami-Dade wind load capacity.

The setup included a steel fixture to simulate an embedded rigid post. The bottom rail was a standard 2” from the ground. The panels tested were 6’ high by 8’ wide and the posts are 5” x 5”. The fence was assembled by the testing company Architectural Testing at their York, PA campus.

In the test, wind speeds started out at 75mph for 50 seconds, then reduced to zero for one minutes to check for recovery. Recovery is the distance the panel, pickets, posts, and rails move from having the wind blowing against it, to when the wind ceases. Winds speeds were then increased to 110mph for 35 seconds, then reduced to zero for one minute to determine recovery.

In the observations, there was neither separation of fence components nor any visible damage. The Trex Seclusions® fence withstood a maximum sustained wind of 110mph, which is equivalent to a “three-second gust” wind speed of 126mph.

In a separate test, the posts were used to see what kind of support the post could withstand. One end of the post was securely anchored to a horizontal test frame. The load was set 38” from the end of the post frame. The post was then loaded with weights until the post failed. The final load the post could withstand was an astonishing 1737lbs.

Trex is a very rigid and durable fence; one that will outlast the tests of time… and wind. You can learn more at www.trexfencing.com or call Fence and Deck Supply at 1-877-700-8739.

/by
, ,

Next Generation of Fencing Part 4

Market Adoption

Costs for composites are higher than wood or vinyl. The manufacturing process adds a labor and material acquisition element that does not exist with wood and, though pound-for-pound a composite product is more in line with the cost of vinyl, the significantly higher volume of material in a composite means higher cost. However, the cost benefit over time is clear once the lifetime of a fence is considered.

In a recent study by SBI Reports, forecasted demand for alternative fencing will continue to grow with composites growing the fastest. A case study for Highlands Ranch Metro District in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area was developed to evaluate various materials and design for appearance, life span, structural integrity, costs, and construction logistics. Several conclusions led to the selection of composite fencing as the best overall solution:

  • The posts are as durable as needed and more attractive than masonry.
  • The fence wall has a smaller footprint which was important to reduce utility conflicts.
  • Requirements for long-term maintenance – staining, post replacement, reduced impact from damage such as snow plowing and low-impact situations – are lower overall than other products compared.
  • The analysis indicates that while costs for installation of Trex (the selected brand of composite) are higher at the outset, virtually all of the costs are front-loaded. Comparatively, over the lifespan of fence, the outlay of a wood fence matches Trex at around 10 years and continues to rise while the costs of a Trex product remains constant over its 25-year warranted period. The overall longevity of the fence is anticipated to be 40+ years.

This type of analysis, although perhaps more thorough than an average consumer is likely to perform, creates a growing awareness of the benefits of composite fencing. Consumers expectations of better solutions for low-maintenance fencing will cause the market to continue growing.

The introduction of products creates challenges for fence contractors and their suppliers both in creating a successful sales strategy and becoming acclimated to building with the new product. The economic downturn over the last several years has been disruptive to the traditional business model of standing pat on a core competency. As their consumer base shrinks, the contractors that selectively expand their portfolio of products will have a competitive advantage over those that do not adapt. For the short term, the contractors that make an early entry into composite fencing will be able to differentiate themselves until composites become a more widely accepted commodity as vinyl fencing has become.

/by
, , ,

New Generation of Fencing Part 2

Composite fencing as a next-generation product

Composite products have risen in recent years as a newer generation alternative to wood and fully-plastic materials. Composites combine natural and man-made elements for a stronger and aesthetically different product than traditional PVC-based materials. They have been substantially successful in decking, siding, and flooring applications gaining traction year-over-year.  Companies like Fiberon, Nature’s Composites, Timbertech, and Trex that have been successful previously with composite decking or other products began introducing composite fencing profiles in the mid-2000’s.

Until recently, adoption of composites in fencing has lagged. Key limiting factors were poor product design and quality, high production costs, and difficulties in using traditional distribution channels. Introducing new products also mean significant investment in marketing to build product and brand awareness. In principle, the key attributes of composites dictate that they are the most likely alternative to vinyl fencing. Composites are stronger and more durable than other synthetic products. They use a dense, thick-wall profile that makes them resistant to the types of breakage common in vinyl or other PVC products. For example, in tests where Trex Seculsions posts and pickets were subjected to strikes from objects such as gravel, golf balls, and baseballs, the material did not break. In a Miami-Dade County wind test, Trex also performed well sustaining 110 mph constant and 130 mph burst speeds with no failure.

/by
,

AFA FenceTech 2013

Join FDS Distributors and Trex Fencing at AFA’s FenceTech in Houston, TX February 25-March 1. We’ll be showcasing Trex Composite Fencing in booth #919. We’ll be there to answer all of your questions about the benefits of Trex Fencing and how you can obtain it in your area.

We hope to see you there.

/by