The two brands that dominate composite decking, side by side on price, capping, warranty and heat, and the one difference that actually matters in Carolina humidity.
Side by side
The two brands on the things that differ
Both make good board. These are the places where they genuinely part company.
Trex
TimberTech
Product lines
Enhance, Select, Transcend, Signature, cheapest to dearest
Legacy, Reserve, Terrain, Prime and Premier, plus separate Advanced PVC and Composite collections
Entry price
Trex Enhance Basics at about $2.20 a linear foot, the cheapest board either brand makes
Around $5.50 a linear foot on average, with no true budget line
Top of range
Trex Signature at about $8.50 a linear foot
Advanced PVC, priced at the premium end
Capping
Capped composite across the range
Pro lines capped on all four sides, Edge lines capped on top and sides
Product warranty
25 to 50 year residential warranty
Limited lifetime on Advanced PVC, 25 to 30 year on composite
Fade and stain warranty
25 year fade warranty
50 year fade and stain on Advanced PVC, 25 to 30 year on composite
Heat underfoot
Standard composite, so it warms up like any composite in full sun
Advanced PVC runs cooler than traditional composite
Best case for it
Widest price range, so it covers a tight budget and a showpiece deck
Four-sided capping and PVC, which suits humid and moisture-heavy conditions
Line-ups, pricing and warranty terms as published by the manufacturers and summarized by Family Handyman. Composite decking material overall runs $15 to $30 a square foot including substructure and fasteners.
The short answer
Trex on price range, TimberTech on capping
If the budget is tight, Trex wins outright. Enhance Basics at around $2.20 a linear foot is the cheapest composite board either company makes, and nothing in the TimberTech range competes with it. TimberTech averages about $5.50 a linear foot with no true budget line.
If the budget is not the constraint, the argument turns on capping. TimberTech's Pro lines are capped on all four sides, where their Edge lines and most competing boards are capped on top and sides only. The uncapped underside is where moisture gets into a composite board, and moisture is the thing Carolina summers have in abundance.
Their Advanced PVC goes further and has no wood flour in it at all, so there is nothing in the board for moisture to feed. It also runs cooler underfoot than traditional composite, which matters more on a south-facing deck in July than any brochure suggests.
Deciding between composite and wood first? The decking material guide puts both against cedar, pine and PVC on cost and upkeep.
The warranties
Where the paper genuinely differs
Both are long. One is longer, and the fade and stain cover is where the gap opens.
Trex publishes a 25 to 50 year residential warranty with a 25 year fade warranty across composite and PVC. TimberTech splits it: their Advanced PVC carries a limited lifetime product warranty and a 50 year fade and stain warranty, while their composite sits at 25 to 30 years on both.
So on the top line TimberTech's PVC is the strongest paper here, and on the mid and budget lines the two are close enough that warranty should not decide it. Read what the fade warranty actually promises before you weigh it heavily. Fade cover is measured against a stated color-change threshold, not against your opinion of how the deck looks in year fifteen.
Choosing between them
Four questions that settle it.
01
What is the budget per square foot?
Under about $4 a linear foot on boards and the decision is made for you: Trex Enhance is the only thing in that bracket.
02
How much sun does the deck get?
A south or west-facing deck with no shade pushes you toward lighter colors and toward TimberTech Advanced PVC, which runs cooler than standard composite.
03
Is the deck near water or heavily shaded?
Both mean persistent damp. Four-sided capping earns its premium there, which is the TimberTech Pro argument.
04
How long is the house yours?
Past twenty years the warranty terms start to matter and TimberTech's PVC paper is the strongest. Under ten, buy on price and color.
Keep reading
Related comparisons and guides
The material comparison behind this, and the build cost tool.
Six color families, and what brick and sun do to them.
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Composite decking questions
Is Trex or TimberTech better?
Neither is better across the board. Trex has the wider price range and the only genuine budget line. TimberTech has four-sided capping on its Pro lines and a PVC range with stronger warranty terms. Budget usually decides it.
Which is cheaper, Trex or TimberTech?
Trex. Enhance Basics starts around $2.20 a linear foot against a TimberTech average of about $5.50. At the top of the ranges they converge.
What does four-sided capping mean?
The polymer shell wraps the underside as well as the top and sides. The underside is where moisture gets into a composite board, so it matters most in humid or shaded conditions. TimberTech Pro lines have it, Edge lines do not.
Does composite decking get too hot?
Dark boards in full sun do. Lighter colors reflect more and hold less heat, and TimberTech Advanced PVC runs cooler than traditional composite. Stand on a sample in the sun before you pick a color.
How much does a composite deck cost in total?
Material runs $15 to $30 a square foot including the substructure, hardware and fasteners, with labor on top at $10 to $14 a square foot for composite.
Do composite decks need any maintenance?
Washing, and that is genuinely it. No sanding, no staining, no sealing. That is the whole case for composite against wood in our humidity.
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