Trex Company, Inc

Review: I purchased Trex decking because of the amazing 25 year fade and stain warranty that is plastered over everything they sell. I have had my deck for just over a year and spilled some juice from a bag of chicken, I attempted to clean it the next day like the instructions with warm soapy water, however it didn't work and now I have stains on my deck. I submitted a claim on 10/5/2014 and waited for a response. I never got a response until my 7th phone call in and after 1 online chat and a voicemail that Trex never returned. My claim was denied because apparently the product line that I was sold doesn't cover stains, and I needed to purchase one of their higher lines. I feel like I was deceived and taken advantage of because there wasn't anything that I ever saw that distinguished these 2 different warranties. Now I have a very expensive deck that I was hoping to last for 25 years, that has stains that make it very unappealing.Desired Settlement: I would like Trex to honor the warranty that was presented to me when I purchased the product by either replacing the stained deck boards, or reimburse me for the cost of those deck boards.

Business

Response:

Trex does offer a 25 year fade and stain warranty, but only on our newer generation capped products, such as Trex Transcend and Trex Enhance. We do not offer this warranty on our Trex Accents product, because this product will stain under certain circumstances. We disagree strongly that the consumer was deceived. Attached is a copy of the 25 year fade and stain warranty that was in effect in 2012 when the consumer purchased the Trex Accents product. The Warranty is clear that it only applies to the Trex Transcend and Trex Enhance products.

We do have instructions on how to clear Trex Accent product which can be found on our website at [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because the warranty that was presented to me when I purchased this product was the warranty for what I have just learned is the higher grades of Trex decking. I purchased my decking with the understanding fading and staining would be covered under the warranty that was presented to me, this is why I feel deceived. If I would have known fading and staining wasn't covered I wouldn't have purchased this product.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

I looked on my receipt and the sales person has a code which is [redacted].

Regards,

Business

Response:

We spoke to the store manager of the [redacted] store where the product was purchased, and he spoke with the salesperson identified on the receipt. The sales person does not recall the conversation with the consumer, but is fully knowledgable on the differences in the various Trex products. The store manager does not believe he would have advised a consumer that the fade and stain warranty covered the Accents product.

Review: Visited the local [redacted] and explained to the rep that I wanted to replace my existing wooden deck with a MAINTENANCE FREE material. He recommended the Trex Composite decking. No mold, no fade, no painting.. We purchased the Trex and had it installed. Within 6 months the decking had black mold all over it. We contacted the Trex Service Center immediately. Since the we have spent over $100 dollars on cleaners and solutions that were supposed to cure the problem. Yes, the mold is gone for a few weeks or months but always returns. Trex has promised to resolve the issue but so far all we have received is lip service. I either want the decking replaced with something that will not mold or my money back.Desired Settlement: I want what I was promised.. a deck that is maintenance free..

Business

Response:

Trex carries two lines of products. Our first generation product, Trex Accents, is not a maintenance-free product, and we have never advertised it as such. With respect to mold, mold can grow on any outdoor surface, and Trex fully discloses that Trex Accents product requires periodic cleaning, and mold growth may occur if the necessary environmental conditions are present. We also include instructions on how to clean mold both on our website, and in printed material available at [redacted]. With respect to color fading, we also fully disclose that our first generation product "weathers", and that the weathered color will be faded.

In 2010, we introduced Trex Transcend decking, which has a proprietary protective shell on the surface which resists color fading and mold staining.

We are not sure what **. [redacted] means when he says, "Trex has promised to resolve the issue but so far all we have received is lip service." We have no record of **. [redacted] making a claim with Trex. We would like to know who he spoke with.

Review: My 9 year old deck is discolored and moldy, I tried using the suggested cleaner with no success. There is currently a class action lawsuit http://www.trex.com/legal/2013classactionsettlement.aspx but in order to be made whole there are so many steps to this process that it is almost impossible. , I realize that in order to properly submit a claim I have to jump through rings of fire, I can’t believe that I would need to hack off pieces of my deck (UNACCEPTABLE!) in order to prove to Trex that my deck is discolored and moldy, and that cleaning with the proper deck cleaner did not fix that problem. Too bad my time machine was not working, if I had known that my $8,000 deck (built in 2005) would look like this less than 10 years later, I would not have purchased the product. I feel that the whole process is incredibly wrought with obstacles that are almost impossible for a regular non-lawyer person, such as myself, to overcome. All I can do now is just clean my deck and deal with how horrible it looks. This is no way to treat customers and I will do my best to turn anyone away from Trex products whenever it comes up in conversation. They have successfully made it nearly impossible for a consumer to be made whole, even with the class action lawsuit.Desired Settlement: I want a 20% refund for the damages, as outlined in their Class Action Settlement.

Business

Response:

The consumer did submit a claim form under the class action settlement, but did not provide all of the documentation and the product sample necessary to be entitled to relief by the cut-off date of May 27,2014. Therefore, we will not be able to process his claim.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: Part of their "requirements" involved me sending them pieces of my deck, which simply is not possible.

Regards,

Business

Response:

Under the settlement, there were 3 tiers of relief for which consumers could try to qualify for. Tier 1 and 2 did not require any samples to be sent. The homeowner elected to try to qualify under Tier 3, which did require a product sample. The homeowner could have elected to qualify under Tier 1 or Tier 2 without having to send in a sample.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

Tier 1 and Tier 2 do not make me whole. That would just provide for payment of the $15 deck cleaner I was required to buy. I submitted my claim on 5/13/14 but was not given a claim number as of yet. I was told that everything had to be PERFECT by the cutoff date of 5/27/14 in order to qualify for Tier 3, which I deserve. Cutting pieces of my deck is not acceptable. Someone can come down and inspect my deck at anytime if they want to see the discoloration/mold damage, that the cleaner did not repair.

Regards,

Review: I have called the Trex company several times in regards to filing a warranty claim with issues I'm experiencing with my Trex deck. I only seem to get an automated machine where I have left my telephone number and my name for a follow-up call. No one from the company has returned my calls after several attempts.Desired Settlement: I would like to speak to a representative in regards to filing a warranty claim and have a Trex rep visit my property to analyze / discuss my issues with the deck.

Business

Response:

Someone from Trex will call them in the next few days.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], I will comply with the business's instructions in regards to the next step (providing paperwork & Photographs) in resolving this issue. I consider this matter open until a final determination has been reached between myself and the said business herein.

Regards,

Review: Trying to get trex to replace our deck and railing because of the peeling of the boards and cracking on the railing. They have agreed to repacing the boards but not the railing. So after sending more photos by certified mail, and their "inspector". Trex decided they wouldnt stand by their faulty product!! Trying to reach anyone by phone is impossible with the usual run around form them.....ie.....out of office so leave a voice mail that never gets returned, OR on vacation but so in so is in but out of the office(always ). So I am fed up and this is why I'm contacting you.This has been going on since 2012!!!! And I'm sick of it. Please HELP!!!! Trex had a lifetime warranty at the purchase date and our deck is only now 6yrs old!!!

Thank You,

[redacted]Desired Settlement: Deck and railing completely replaced by trex.

Business

Response:

[redacted] and [redacted] contacted us in June 2012 regarding a defect in their Trex decking boards. Upon an inspection conducted at their home on September 4, 2012, we found that the decking boards were suffering from surface flaking, which is covered under the terms of a 2010 Class Action Settlement. On September 25, 2012, we sent a letter to the [redacted] offering to ship replacement decking materials to their home, and pay them an additional $144 pursuant to the terms of the Class Action Settlement. [redacted] and [redacted] responded back that they believe the railing material is also suffering from surface flaking.

The inspection we conducted on September 4, 2012 did not indicate any surface flaking on the railings. A detailed review of the photographs taken during the September 34, 2012 inspection and photographs submitted by the [redacted] confirms this finding. The railings are not defective, and only show normal wear and tear. Accordingly, we have denied their claim for replacement of the railings. The railings do show dirt and mold growth, which can be cleaned using the cleaning instructions found on Trex's website.

Review: I contacted Trex in 2010 about issues with our deck and filed a complaint #[redacted]. They did send out a representative who confirmed problems. They offered a partial remedy but said I had the right to wait and request another evaluation. Since that time I have contacted them numerous times with no satisfaction or returned calls or rmails. They continue to send me letters about the claim I have in process but do nothing about it. THey sent a warning that the boards may even break, but do nothing to replace them...Desired Settlement: I want Trex to replace all the effected boards in a way that keeps to the design of the deck and flow of the house. I want them to cover all costs, shipping, labor, etc. All of it My deck was installed in 2006 and by 2010 We already had trouble and made a claim. They have ignored by requests since their offer in 2010. Their offer did not cover all shipping and no labor to replace these boards. Since then the boards and others have continued to deteriorate and per their safety notice pose a safety hazard.

Business

Response:

On July 1, 2014, we spoke to the customer, and have sent her a letter addressing her issues.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am probably going to reject this response because: Trex has finally after 4 years of discussion offered to replace all the decking materials. However they have only offered about 250.00 dollars of the labor cost to remove and dispose of their faulty decking and replace it with their new prodict. When I purchased the Brasilian decking in 2005 It was the top of their line. Their replacement offer is their least expensive product..'select' as they call it. I have had one contractor give a verbal estimate of approximately 2,400.00 to remove, dispose of, and replace the deck with the new material. That also includes 100.00 worth of Trex deck screws. I have another contractor coming in the next few days. Once I have their written estimates I will forward them to you. I have attached their offer for you and their first offer from 2011. I appreciate your involvement.

Regards,

Business

Response:

Subsequent to the claimant's reply to the Revdex.com, we have communicated with her. Our offer to the claimant is consistent with the terms of a 2010 national class action settlement. We regret that the claimant is not satisfied with our offer, but we are legally bound by the terms of the settlement in what we can provide.

Review: The Trex decking is crumbling, making it unsafe to walk on and the appearance is very badDesired Settlement: I want the deck replaced as Trex has admitted they made defective boards. The estimate to remove and replace the defective decking is $18,400. I am estimating the cost plus lumber is going to be $25,000

Business

Response:

We have completed our inspection of [redacted] deck, and will be responding to him shortly.

Review: Trex is failing to honor it's product claims and warranty. I have been working on a warranty claim for 2 years. My boards have adsorbed so much water that the 1/4 inch gap between the boards have closed. In addition, there is wood decaying fungus growing both above and below the decking surface. [redacted] County Consumer Protection Division has gotten involved but there has been no resolution as Trex continues to deny the damage to the decking material.Desired Settlement: Refund of decking material and installation.

Business

Response:

The consumer has made a claim based on alleged "fungal decay" on her Trex deck. The deck was installed in 2002, and the consumer first made a claim in late 2011. We inspected the deck in January 2012, and again in April 2014. In neither inspection did we find any evidence of fungal decay. The deck does have substantial dirt and mold growth, both of which can be cleaned. The deck is now 12 years, so there is some expected “wear and tear”.

The inspections did indicate that there is no gapping between the boards. Trex's installation instructions require that the boards be installed with a gap between the boards. This gap is intended to cover the slight thermal expansion and contraction of our product, which is normal. It is also intended to allow for shrinkage of the joist system. Our installation instructions require that the gaps must be at least 1/4", but notes they should be 3/8" if installed in colder weather. The consumer's deck was installed in October/November of 2002, so the gaps should have been at least 1/4" and possibly 3/8" if the weather was cold.

With respect to the consumer's deck, the gaps have substantially closed, which is causing water to pool on the deck, contributing to the mold growth. This may be because of insufficient gapping at installation or excess shrinkage of the joist system. At this point, there is no way to definitely determine it. We do know, from measuring the boards during our inspection, that the width of each board today is still within our original specifications, suggesting that the boards did not expand beyond expectation.

As a legal matter, the consumer's deck is subject to the terms of a 2004 nationwide class action settlement. The terms of the settlement can be found at http://www.trex.com/legal/classaction.asp. One of the claims covered by the settlement is swelling of boards, which is being claim by the consumer. Under the terms of the settlement, Trex agreed to replace, with labor, any boards which have expanded by more than 1/4 inch from the nominal measurements set forth on a schedule which is available on www.trex.com/legal/measurements.asp. The nominal width for the consumer's boards is 5.50". Our 2012 inspection and our 2014 inspection measured 60 seperate boards, whcih varied on the low end of 5.47" and on the high end of 5.55". About half the boards measured under 5.50" and about half measured over 5.50", which is what we would expect to find. No board measured more than 5.75", which what is required for a remedy under the class action settlement.

Trex recently settled a class action relating to mold growth. (See http://www.trex.com/legal/2013classactionsettlement.aspx) Under the terms of the settlement, if a claimant cleans their deck, and if the mold returns to a certain level within 3 months, they are entitled to a 40% rebate on our newer generation Transcend® or Enhance® product. These products are mold resistant. We agreed to provide to the consumer, on a confidential basis, with this 40% rebate certificate. Given that her deck is now 12 years old, we believe this is more than a fair offer. The consumer rejected this offer.

William *. G[redacted]

Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel & Secretary

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:My complaint was not about mold, it was about fungal growth and swelling so I refuse to settle for something that applies to mold. There is fungal growth both below and above the decking material and as Trex admits, substantial water gain so that the boards no longer have space between them. I have no interest in spending more money on a product that has failed (they are going to make more money off of me) and the company is unwilling to uphold their warranty.

Review: We have purchased approximately $2000.00 worth of TREX brand outdoor decking. Within one day of purchase and construction of deck, we started to notice small black marks emerging from the inside out on the top of the decking. Some markings were the size of quarters with others smaller and a few much larger. Trying to remove them with soap and water proved to us that it was a stain emerging from the inside out. We spoke with our retailer, [redacted] who have been very accomodating. They offered for us to return the decking, but we were nearly complete with the project when we noticed the problem and decided that rather than remove the decking and "wasting" our time and labor, we would be willing to be reimbursed for the product. We were willing to be reimbursed $1000.00, half of the purchase price. In comunicating with [redacted], the TREX rep offered $150.00 then increased it to $300.00 after much discussion with the [redacted] associate. Added to this story, the TREX rep informed the [redacted] associate that they have had many problems with this product in the past and have D/C'd it, ut continue to sell it to consumers as ourselves.Desired Settlement: We are willing to accept this product at half price...$1000 and will keep this product as is. Please assist us in this concern.

Our sincere thanks to you.

Business

Response:

We were aware of this consumer's complaint. There are stains on a few of the consumer's boards. These stains can be cleaned. [redacted]'s offerd the consumer a full refund for the product, but the consumer did not want to accept this offer. [redacted]'s then offered $150 initially, which they increased to $500. This is more than a generous offer for the staining (which, as stated above, can be cleaned). The request for $1,000 is unreasonable.

The consumer states that a Trex rep. informed the [redacted]'s associate that "they [Trex] have had many problems with this product in the past and have D/C'd it, but continue to sell it to consumers as ourselves." This is not true. Trex is discontinuning the Accents product line, but not because of any problems with the product. Accents is Trex's first generation wood plastic composite product, and will be replaced by newer generation "capped" products (which have a protective shell on top of the wood plastic composite core).

Review: We are a condo association with 53 units. We purchased Trex product to replace outdoor staircases and walkways to the 2nd story units in our 6 buildings. We selected Trex based on their warranty, the low maintenance and resistance to mold, mildew and fading. After a year, the mold and mildew became unmanageable on the Trex board. We followed the cleaning instructions from Trex, with no success. We filed a complaint thru their customer service, only to be rejected that we didn't have a problem. After numerous attempts to request a Trex rep to come and inspect the walkways/stairs, we were informed there was a class action suit underway. To participate in the class action suit, there were new cleaning instructions to abide by, the process had to be documented with before & after photos, and had to be cleaned again after 90 days, with before & after photos. We complied, and filed our documents and forms. Shortly thereafter, we received a letter our claim was rejected. We challenged it, and rejected again. We challenged it, and rejected again but received a check for $18 to cover the cleaning costs (actual cost was over $1K) and a coupon to purchase new Trex product for 40% off. Trex does not stand by their performance claims or the integrity of their product, so why would we purchase more Trex product.? There seem to be several forums on the internet with a lot of unhappy Trex customers that were also rejected by the Trex class action lawsuit.sDesired Settlement: We would like a monetary settlement with Trex. We are 53 homeowners that invested $350K for new walkways and stairs. We are an elderly community, and health issues are of deep concern with the constant build up of mold & mildew that is tracked into our homes on a daily basis. The integrity of the product is also a major concern as the decay of the boards is unknown and is a potential risk factor of mass proportion. We would also like a list of the settlements that were made from the class action lawsuit, and reimbursements that transpired.

Business

Response:

[redacted] filed a claim on behalf of a condo association with Trex Company under the terms of a class action settlement which covered alleged defects in Trex's product due to mold growth. The settlement provides for certain Tiers of relief, and requires a claimant to meet certain requirements for the various Tiers.

In order to be eligible for Tier 2 Relief under the settlement, which provides for a 40% rebate certificate for the purchase of Trex's newer generation composite product, a claimant must clean their deck, and mold must reappear to a certain level within a 3 month period. In order to be eligible for Tier 3 Relief, which provides for a 20% refund of the original purchase price, a claimant must meet the Tier 2 requirement, and in addition, they must send Trex a sample from their deck, which must fail to meet a certain specific gravity requirement (as tested by Trex). Trex originally denied the claimant Tier 2 Relief because they did not submit all of the required documentation. Upon request of class counsel, Trex reconsidered, and elected to provide Tier 2 Relief to the clamant. Trex tested the claimant's sample for Tier 3 Relief, and it did not meet the requirements. Accordingly, the claimant was provided Tier 2 Relief.

The claimant now wants additional compensation from Trex beyond that provided by the terms of the settlement. Trex cannot do this.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

The response from the Trex representative is inaccurate and I have a complete copy of the documents we submitted plus a CD of the 160 photos supplied of the required 6+ month cleaning requirement. How is this company able to misrepresent their product to the public and not stand behind their warranty. There are a multitude of forums on line with dissatisfied Trex customers, and we all have the same issue during a 6 year period of inferior product. Why wasn't there a recall? The automobile industry does it, as man others. We have a health concern and safety concern with Trex. The good news is they have ceased production of the particular line of product. But now 70,0000+ (Trex estimation) customers are at risk. How can this company continue to conduct business selling inferior product and not fulfilling their claim of a warranty that is non-existent?

Review: Requested delivery of replacement Trex decking boards on June 2, 2014

We're given July 7th delivery date. Scheduled contractor and. PTO for July 7th.

Contacted on July 1st that delivery was postponed due to material back ordered. Contacted trex who could not tell me when product will be available and when it could be delivered. Trex claims rep, [redacted], advised us via letter dated 3-27-14, " please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.Desired Settlement: Delivery of replacement trex decking . Compensation for missed work, $400 per hour x 3 work days. Trex can install product at their expense and find us a new contractor to install.

Business

Response:

We have arranged for delivery to the claimant on July 21, 2014.

Review: In June 2012, I purchased Trex for decking on construction of a new house. The deck was completed in August 2012. It is a 25ft x 18ft deck with (2) 6ft x 6ft 2in steps. The color is Woodland Brown w/a darker Trex that accents the outer edge and the steps.

Within a few months of installation, I began to notice dark spots on the boards (I did not realize this was mold). Over the last 18 months there has been tremedous fading (white pigment can actually be seen in the boards). Also, some warping can be seen.

The only cleaning that I had previously done was to spray wash with a water hose. I did not use any cleaners. Within the last week, I received cleaning instruction from Trex which instructed me to use "[redacted] Deck Cleaner". After following the cleaning instructions, the dark spots were cleaned, but the deck remained spotty, but this did not do anything for the fading and warping.Desired Settlement: The warranty stated that Trex had a 25 year warranty. That Trex required "low or no maintenance" and that it would not fade in color from light or weathering exposure. I am requesting replacement of the defective product and to include all labor cost incurred in the replacement.

Business

Response:

The consumer has complained about mold spots and color fading on his Trex deck. (Because of the nature of the claim, we believe the consumer has our "first-generation product", which was sold under the trademark "Trex Accents". We discontinued the manufacture of this product at the end of 2013. Beginniing in 2010, we started selling the "next generation product", which has a protective shell that resists staining (including mold) and color fading.)

As a technical matter, the growth of mold on a first-generation Trex deck is not due to any defect in the material, but rather environmental conditions. Trex fully discloses that Trex first-generation boards, like any exterior surface, require periodic cleaning, and mold growth may occur if the necessary environmental conditions are present. We also include instructions on how to clean mold in our Product Guides and on our Website Our limited warranty specifically excludes mold.