Timbertech Is one of the top manufacturers of composite decking. Up with Fiberon and Trex as the top 3 producers of low-maintenance composite decking.
Which is why as a deck contractor, I set out to review it. To see what the best features and benefits of Timbertech are and if I would recommend it.
The number one reason most of us start looking at composite decking is maintenance or less of it. Either your current deck has rotted and needs to be replace with something hopefully requiring less work. Or you are planning your dream deck to enjoy being outdoors but don’t want to add more work to your already busy schedule.
Timbertech, like all composite decking, promises more enjoyment with less maintenance.
More softball games, less sanding.
More teeing up, less staining.
But still providing a backyard oasis to put your feet up and read a book in the sun or grill a burger while listening to the birds.
What to Consider Before Buying Composite Decking
There are certain features with key benefits to consider before buying composite decking. Also applying to all brands of composite decking
, including Timbertech.
- Colour (Appearance)
- Traction
- Price
- Durability
- Workability
Colour is what catches our eye. Drawing us out unto the deck. This is why you want a brand that has the right number of colours to choose from. But more importantly, the right colour for your house and deck.
Common decking colour shades to consider are Blonde, Brown, Greys and Reds. You will find most composite decking will have some shade of these 4 popular colours.
Traction is a category of its own because of how important it is. If your deck is a skating rink, and you slip and slide all over it. It’s not going to be a great place to relax. You will be too afraid of falling and breaking a leg to enjoy the view.
Price is often a limiting factor. Some composite decking is just to costly to enjoy. But at the same time, a higher budget will allow for more colour and beauty in the deck board designs.
This is especially true with Timbertech. The higher the board price, the more colour and variations are in the decking. Giving you good reason to spend a little more, to get a lot more.
Durability is the difference between having to replace your deck next year or enjoying it for years. The more endurable the deck, the more you will enjoy it, and the less it will need to be maintained.
When shopping for composite decking, the promise of durability can often be found in the warranty. Answering how long it will last? Will it fade? Will mustard stain the decking? Which gives us an idea of how durable the decking is.
Workability is last because in the scope of time, you will enjoy your deck. Construction will be such a small part. But if you can install the decking , you can forget about card games on the deck in the cool evening air.
Let’s get to reviewing if Timbertech is the right composite for you.
Brief Introduction to Timbertech
Started in 1997 manufacturing uncapped composite decking but has now grown to offer 3 lines, consisting of 7 collections with 25 different boards to choose from. All 23 boards include the enhanced appearance and protection of a polymer cap.
In 2012 they were bought by Azek, the third-largest manufacturer of PVC products which further enlarged their decking offering with low-maintenance PVC decking.
“Our brand exists to challenge convention. To rage against mediocrity. We believe “Good Enough” is never enough. We are TimberTech.”
Azek/TimberTech
Their motto can often be seen in their decking, from colour to capping, taking decking to the next level.
Description of Timbertech decking
When discussing Timbertech, we have a wide range of decking to consider. As I already noted
- 3 lines
- 7 collections
- 25 colours
Giving you much to choose from. Let’s look at what is special about each decking and their colours.
Timbertech Azek
Azek is their premium line, which is not composite but a full PVC board with no organic material to rot.
There are many advantages of PVC over composite decking, but for Azek, here are the top 2 benefits.
- Stays up to 30° cooler than competitive boards.*
- Up to 40% better slip resistance than leading competitors.
On top of these is the flame rating of Azek decking. Azek has a class A flame spread rating compared with most composite decking with only a class C. This makes it ideal for Wildland Urban Interface areas. Along with extra peace of mind when you are grilling on the deck.
The Vintage Collection® (PVC)
- Coastline®
- Dark Hickory
- English Walnut®
- Mahogany
- Weathered Teak®
Vintage has a high blend of colour with each board with a wire-brush finish. This creates a distinct finish, but I find that minor scratches are hidden better than deep wood grain patterns.
The Landmark Collection™ (PVC)
- Castle Gate™
- American Walnut®
- French White Oak
Landmark is a newer collection added to TimberTech’s offerings. With a high blend of unique colours with a noticeable cathedral wood grain finish. The boards have small intentional cross boards scratches, creating a reclaimed wood look. Again, with so many “scratches,” it’s harder to notice new ones.
The Harvest Collection® (PVC)
- Slate Gray
- Brownstone
- Kona®
Similar to Landmark with Cathedral wood grains but with less colour variation. Also, the loss of “machine” marking for the reclaimed wood look.
Timbertech Pro
A true authentic composite decking composed of wood and plastic with a strong, durable cap on all 4-sides, including in the groove. Which gives it, its high resistance to damage and rot. TimberTech’s best composite decking.
Included in Timbertech Pro are 3 collections with 11 colours.
The Legacy Collection
- Whitewash Cedar®
- Mocha
- Ashwood
- Espresso™
- Pecan
- Tigerwood
This collection comes with “robust colouring”. Not sure the difference between robust for Legacy and “high blend” of the Vintage collection, but I can say both have a lot of colouring. Adding some flair with colour on your deck.
A discerning eye may catch the “Hand-scraped finish,” but this is not as distinct as the machine scratching of Landmark.
The Reserve Collection
- Driftwood
- Antique Leather™
- Dark Roast™
Not as powerful cathedral wood grain finish of Harvest but still noticeable along with a high blend of colour.
Reserve comes with a class C flame spread rating.
The Terrain Collection®
- Brown Oak
- Silver Maple
Again with the popular Cathedral wood grain finish with a blend of colours. It is less than their higher-end boards but still adding depth to the board’s colour.
The bottom of the boards is scalloped, reducing weight and costs. We will get to that more later.
Timbertech Edge
A lower cost low-maintenance decking from a premium brand. Timbertech Edge is designed to be affordable. One way of reducing cost is less capping. It is only capped on 3-sides. The prominent top and sides but leaving the scallop bottom un-capped.
“Attainable and attractive.”
But it is still resistant to water for years of low maintenance deck enjoyment.
The Prime+ Collection®
- Dark Cocoa
- Sea Salt Gray
- Coconut Husk®
The scalloped boards have a straight wood finish with a blend of colours. Which is refreshing in budget composites which are often a single colour. A good example of “Good Enough” is never enough.” principle of Timbertech. Even with a lower cost board, they still want to include a beautiful board appearance with colour.
Decking Profiles
Most Timbertech boards are 5 3/8 wide and just under 1″ thick. Which is slightly smaller than many other decking brands. It is a small difference, but you will need one more partial board to finish a 12′ deck using Timbertech than a Trex decking.
Both Vintage and Harvest collections offer a few more board sizes to add variety in deck design.
Vintage Collection
- 3.5″
- 5.5″
- 7.25″
Harvest Collection
- 5.5″
- 7.25
Similar to Deckorators, mineral-based composites also have multiply decking sizes to increase design options. One advantage with the 7 ¼” deck board is it matches the size of a 2×8 joist allowing it to be used as a fascia board with cortex-hidden fasteners. Taking the finish of your deck to a whole new level.
Standard boards come in both square shoulder and groove for hidden fasteners.
Most grooves come in 12′, 16′, and 20′ lengths. Square are limited to only 16′ and 20′. But in my market, I often find my supplier only stocks the 20′ square boards. Resulting in a little more waste.
For the wide and narrow boards are only made in 16′ and 20′ lengths.
Features & Benefits of Timbertech
What does Timbertech bring to your deck? Well, let’s evaluate some of the key parts of Timbertech decking.
Timbertech Decking Core
The core of Timbertech decking depends on if you are using the Azek lines made of PVC or composite deck boards (Timbertech Pro and Edge).
Timbertech Azek is “foamed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and cellulosic fibre” a durable, strong product made entirely of virgin material. An advantage of it not being a composite is that you can recycle it after the end of life. It will be a long time before needing to be recycled. Check the length of the warranty.
Timbertech Pro and Edge are made of a blend of wood and plastic, of which 80% is recycled content. Compared with other composites is a low recycled content level.
Fiberon has between 94 – 96% recycled content depending on the decking line.
Timbertech Decking Cap
The cap varies with Timbertech decking lines.
“Alloy Armour Technology® (AAT), is a proprietary alloy blend that provides improved performance characteristics, such as outstanding weather protection, UV protection, resistance to scratching, and improved colorfastness.”
Azek
With their composite decking lines, Timbertech Pro is fully capped. Edge being the economical line is only cap on 3-sides, leaving the scalloped bottom unprotected.
Traction of Timbertech
Information is scarce for their composite decking, but for the Azek PVC, we have some good numbers to compare.
Vintage Collection traction is 0.74 dry and 0.61 wet.
Harvest Collection traction is 0.28 dry and 0.59 wet.
Vintage is the clear winner with the better level of traction. Making it safer to walk on before and after it rains.
Cost of Timbertech Decking Lines
Timbertech intentionally has a broad range of decking both in colour and price.
The Azek Vintage PVC is near the top of the list for decking, but so are the composite Legacy boards. You can expect to pay over $6.00 a lineal foot to enjoy these boards.
The rest of Timbertech lines are in the mid-range category, ranging between $3 and $6 a lineal foot. Harvest costs a little more than Reserve and Terrain but not significantly.
Leaving Timbertech Edge for the more price-sensitive deck builders. Priced under $3.00 a lineal foot. Giving everyone a chance to enjoy a deck with less maintenance than traditional wood.
Durability and Warranty of Timbertech
Timbertech varies their warranty by decking line.
- Azek PVC 50 years
- Timbertech Pro 30 years
- Timbertech Edge 25 years
All exceeding the industry standard of 25 years, except Edge. But even Edge meets the minimum. Regardless of the overall length of time, they warranty 100% replacement cost for the first 10 years and then depreciate the rest over the remaining years.
Guaranteeing against excessive fading (more than 5 Delta-E), staining or structural failures. With most of the same exceptions and limitations of other decking brands. One exception is Low-E windows reflection damaging the decking is specifically mentioned. Not unique to Timbertech decking, but they make it clear that it’s a problem and is not covered by their warranty.
One other difference between the longer warrant and the shorter warranty is the transfer of warranty. Timbertech Edge is only for the original owner where Pro and Azek can be transferred once over the life of the decking.
Timbertech warranty also includes labour cost for a short period of time, between 2 and 7 years. The length depends on who is installing it and the products used.
Alternatives to Timbertech
Want to better understand Timbertech through comparison?
Click on the links below to read wood composite comparison reviews.
If you are more interested in Timbertech’s PVC boards, click below to read PVC comparisons.
Zuri is not as popular as others, but its different cap makes it one to look into if you are looking for the best.
Conclusion in Reviewing Timbertech Composite Decking
Overall in mind opinion, Timbertech is a quality composite decking. Where it really excels is in appearance. Timbertech doesn’t have the most colours, but they have some fantastic-looking boards.
If the look of your deck is vital, take some time to look over Timbertech.
Having built many decks using Timbertech composite decking, it is easy to work with. If you are comfortable working with wood, you will be fine with Timbertech. Please take a few moments to learn and understand movement, especially with their PVC, because it needs to be accounted for, but it makes a good-looking deck.
With a good warranty to boot.
