Building a new deck is a big decision. Once the footings are buried and the boards are down, swapping brands is no easy task, so it pays to compare the two front-runners in the composite space: Trex and Deckorators. Both lines promise low maintenance and long life, but they take different technical paths to get there. 

The sections below look at performance, looks, cost, warranty, upkeep, and long-term value so you can decide which name between deckorators vs trex fits your project.

Core Materials and How they are Made

Brand	Core recipe	What that means in the field
Trex	Wood-plastic composite with a polyethylene shell	Familiar weight and workability; boards move a bit with temperature and need ventilation.
Deckorators	Two product families: wood-plastic composites and mineral-based composite (MBC) made with Surestone™	It is up to 35% lighter and more rigid compared to regular composite materials, and shows almost no expansion or contraction due to temperature changes.

Trex has refined its wood-plastic formula for nearly three decades. The result is a dense board that feels solid underfoot, but it does pick up more heat and expands about 3⁄16 in. over a 16-ft run in summer sun. 

Deckorators’ MBC boards replace most of the wood flour with mineral filler. That swap all but removes moisture absorption and movement, so miters stay tight and fascia remains flush even through harsh winters. 

Raw performance: Strength, Span, and Safety

Performance comparison:

• Joist span – Both Trex and Deckorators recommend keeping the joist spacing at 16 inches. on-center framing for a straight layout. However, independent stiffness tests show Deckorators MBC boards deflect less under the same load, which lets some builders stretch to 24 in. OC on light-use docks. 
• Slip resistance – Deckorators Voyage offers a strong grip underfoot, with a coefficient of friction rated at 0.73 in dry conditions and 0.68 when wet. Trex Transcend falls near 0.5 dry and drops below that when soaked. If you have a pool or live where rain is common, the extra grip is hard to ignore.
• Heat retention – Trex’s darker lines can feel hot on bare feet at midday. MBC’s micro-embossed cap stays a few degrees cooler, helped by lighter pigments. 

Aesthetics and Color Range

Trex sells three main collections—Enhance, Select, and Transcend—with about 22 colors in total, from pale “Clam Shell” to rich “Island Mist.” The boards carry a pronounced wood grain that hides scuffs well. 

Deckorators spread its palette across nine collections. The mineral-based Voyage series leans modern with fine streaking, while the entry Trailhead line offers straightforward earth tones. Several homeowners praise the realistic grain of Summit in recent deckorators decking reviews on retail sites. 

Up-Front Pricing

Cost Breakdown:

• Trex material cost – Company estimating tools place a full Trex deck package (sub-structure, fasteners, fascia) at US $10 – $27 per sq ft depending on the series. Boards alone run: Enhance $5 – $7 / sq ft, Select $7 – $9 / sq ft, Transcend $10 – $12 / sq ft.
• Deckorators material cost – Published guidance shows a spread of US $2 – $6 per linear foot for wood-plastic lines and up to $15 / lf for MBC Voyage at big-box stores. 

When labor is added, an average 300-sq-ft Trex Enhance deck still comes in a few hundred dollars under a Voyage deck, but the gap shrinks once you factor joist tape, ventilation cut-outs, and trim pieces.

Warranty and Company Backing

Series	Structural	Fade / Stain	Labor help
Trex Enhance	25 yr	25 yr	No
Trex Select	35 yr	35 yr	No
Trex Transcend / Signature	50 yr	50 yr	No
Deckorators MBC (Voyage, Vault, etc.)	50 yr	25 yr	25 yr removal & replacement
Deckorators Traditional Composite (Trailhead, Vista, etc.)	25 yr	25 yr	No

Trex expanded its top-tier warranty to 50 years in 2023, matching the MBC structural term. 

Day-to-Day Maintenance

Neither brand needs sanding, sealing, or painting. A yearly scrub with soapy water keeps mildew at bay. That said, Trex’s cap is softer, so a stiff-bristle brush can leave faint marks. Users report that Voyage boards shrug off the same cleaning routine with no visible change. 

When it comes to food spills, Trex recommends cleaning within seven days, whereas Deckorators advise that such stains should ideally be cleaned within 48 hours for best results. If you host a lot of cook-outs, that shorter clock is worth noting. 

Long-Term Value and Environmental Notes

Here’s a long-term outlook:

• Resale and trust – Trex has been ranked “America’s Most Trusted® Outdoor Decking” five years running, a signal real-estate agents recognize. 
• Durability track record – Early 2000s Trex boards drew complaints, but current Generation 3 caps receive above-average marks in consumer surveys. 
• Deckorators feedback – Many pros applaud the lighter weight and higher traction of Voyage, yet online forums flag the occasional color-batch mismatch. 
• Green angle – Trex decks are made using 95% recycled materials, mostly a mix of grocery bags and wood sawdust. Deckorators’ MBC boards are not recycled but are recyclable and require less material per square foot because of lower density.

Quick Reference Table

Factor	Trex	Deckorators	Winner for this factor*
Slip resistance (wet)	≈ 0.35 COF	0.68 COF	Deckorators
Heat build-up	Moderate	Slightly lower	Deckorators
Board weight	~2.0 lb/ft	~1.6 lb/ft	Deckorators
Entry price	Lower	Higher for MBC	Trex
Longest warranty	50 yr struct./fade	50 yr struct., 25 yr fade	Tie (structural)
Labor coverage	None	Up to 25 yr on MBC	Deckorators
Color selection	~22 shades	~30 shades	Deckorators
Brand recognition	Very high	Growing	Trex

*“Winner” is based on outright numbers; personal priorities may shift the balance.

Which brand suits which project?

Choose Trex if you want a familiar name, need to hit a tight budget, or prefer a heavier board that mimics the feel of lumber. Basic enhancements work well on starter decks and rental properties.

Pick Deckorators if you live in a wet or snowy climate, need extra traction around a pool, or simply like the idea of cooler, lighter planks. The investment is higher up-front, but the 25-year labor clause and near-zero movement make it a strong bet for intricate picture-frame layouts.

Final thoughts

There is no one-size-fits-all answer in the deckorators vs trex debate. Trex keeps costs predictable and delivers solid performance, while deckorators composite decking pushes the edge on grip, stability, and warranty extras. 

Read a few more deckorators decking reviews, walk on sample boards with bare feet, and line up prices from local suppliers. The time you spend comparing now, will reward you every time you step outside for the next quarter-century.