Backyard Transformation with Trex – Part 1

Now, you know I’m a big believer that your outdoor space isn’t complete without a gorgeous timber deck.

But in our Australian climate, our decks are under so much strain from the elements. There’s the harsh summer heat, and the rain and the wind which can cause rot and stains and mean a ton of maintenance for homeowners season after season.

You should be able to relax in and enjoy your outdoor spaces, but you can’t do that when you’re constantly doing work to keep them safe and in working order.

That’s why I decided to use a wood-composite option for our deck renovation rather than traditional timber. We used Trex’s Transcend decking system in our latest home renovation –  and I can tell you, it is a winner.

What Makes Trex Different?

Trex is a composite decking brand using a combination of recycled timber and plastic. In fact, composite decking was invented by Trex 25 years ago, as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional timber decks and Trex boards are made up of 95% recycled timbers and plastic.

Trex is so durable that it doesn’t warp, scratch, bend or stain! I’m not kidding, they even give you a 25 year limited fade and stain warranty.

We were lucky enough to have the team from J Clarke Constructions attend the property I’m renovating to help us get Trex Transcend decking laid out for the family who lives here. If you don’t want to go the contractor route (or some other transition) the good news is that it’s also super easy to DIY if you wanted to!

Plus you can actually apply it over your existing timber sub frame and even combine it with other clever Trex products which is what the guys from J Clarke Constructions did this week.

So, let’s get to work!

Our homeowners decided to lay their new Trex Transcend deck over part of their existing sub frame – it’s always best to have a chippy or builder look at your sub frame to see if it’s sound to take on the new boards, has no termites, and has enough support to hold up the boards as they are quite heavy. Having someone look over it first will ensure your Trex deck lasts the test of time.

Once we got the okay from J Clarke Constructions/the builder, we ripped up the old boards and prepped the sub frame for the new one.

Having the J Clarke Constructions team involved meant the job was super streamlined plus they were an absolute joy to work with – just good blokes, who were so professional and unbelievably good at what they do.

Now the subframe is all ready and installed, let’s talk colour choice for this project.

Colour Choice

I chose the Island Mist colour for this deck – which is a cool medley of grey tones that mimics the look of driftwood with its realistic grain pattern.

I chose Island Mist because it feels really contemporary but still goes well with some of the warmer tones of the home.

It can suit contemporary, rustic, country or even cottage style homes too which means it’s super versatile for any property. The homeowners can style their Trex deck with cool tones (whites, blues) for summer and warm tones (rust, red) for winter too – giving it a new feel every time.

Trex’s Transcend range also offer 9 other colours to suit any style – oh and did I mention none of them require sanding, staining or painting?!

Do right by the environment

It also feels really good to know Trex reclaims over 400,000 tonnes of wood scrap and plastic every year to make their decking which would otherwise go into land fill.

And because they use industrial saw dust, Trex have NEVER, EVER fell a tree to make their decking boards.

The boards contain discarded/recycled plastic toilet paper wrappers, paper towels and sandwich bags. In fact, a 1.4 metre Trex board contains over 2,250 recycled plastic bags! It is absolute madness in a good way.

Any run offs or refuse is recycled straight back into the plant too – Trex is really laying the groundwork for this industry.

Next Steps

I can say so far, Trex decking is stylish, streamlined and super low maintenance.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this deck transformation when we start laying the boards. I can’t wait to show you how quick and easy it is to DIY!