- As with most other projects, you must store the wood between use. Depending on the porch size, it is highly unlikely you will be able finish a porch floor installation within a single day. Trex must be stored on a flat surface. If you stack the Trex, make sure there are support beams between each row of Trex material. These support beams must align at each level. Cover the stacked Trex with a plastic cover.
General safety tips for a do-it-yourself project require that you wear protective clothing. Trex is heavier and more flexible than wood. Keep Trex's weight in mind as you move the flooring from the storage site to the porch you are building. Always wear safety goggles, gloves and a dust mask.
Also, consult local codes about decking requirements for porches. - Trex is different from traditional wood in that it has hidden fasteners that sit beneath the surface of your porch. The Trex installation manual will refer to the hidden fasteners. Follow the manual. These fasteners are similar to plastic clips that clip together the Trex floorboards, and are screwed into the support beams that support the porch floor. The hidden fasteners provide additional support to the traditional screws you drill from the top of the Trex floorboard into the support beams.
- Trex also requires specific gapping requirements. Trex must have gaps in between each floorboard both along the sides and end to end. This accounts for the Trex swelling and contracting during warmer and colder temperatures. If you install Trex in weather that is below 40 degrees, the gap along the sides must be 3/8 inch. If the temperature is above 40 degrees, the gap must be 1/4 inch. The end-to-end gaps are 3/16 inch if the temperature is below 40 degrees and 1/8 inch if the temperature is above 40 degrees.
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