Azek

[yeldogt]

Built a one story addition back in 2006. I covered the exterior with smooth white AZEK sheets and trimmed it out with smooth AZEK 1x4" and AZEK molding. Looks like board and batten with simple panels under the windows.

I was originally going to paint it the same trim color as the house -- like a sandstone color. But, after it was finished we liked the white contrast with the brick and cedar siding on the main house.

I figured -- why paint.

I'm now getting staining/ algae growing on the exposed edges. Up until this year it was not too bad -- but this year even the bigger panels had a little. I remember being told that the cut edges could darken and would not paint as well -- so when I did the work I specifically ordered 1x4 trim vs cutting them from a big sheet/panel so I would have factory edges

Yesterday, I sprayed the whole building down with some cleaner and bleach -- it looks 100x better -- but the lower edges of the 1x4's and the piece cut for the three long window ledges are still a bit dark.

I was thinking of using it to make similar B and B on my new studio/ barn - does all this plastic trim suffer from this?

 

[Daniel Dudley]

Consider that Algae, mold, etc. do not feed on plastic, but rather live on the dirt that accumulates on it.

 

[BillK]

Yel,
I replaced all of the fascia trim on my house almost three years ago with 1x8 Azec. Probably 200 ft total. I did not paint it and it all looks great except one stretch in the back of the house where it is constant shade and a lot of trees. That part is starting to get a little dirty but no algae or mold yet.

Not sure if bleach is what I would use on anything plastic, I didn't think the two like each other much. I plane on scrubbing it all down in a month or so when it cools off a little. I was just planning to use Simple Green or something similar.

 

[jake00]

Got Azek trim around my Azek deck (circa 2008). I power wash every year, looks like new

 

[yeldogt]

Guess the somewhat rough edge of the AZEK trim holds dirt -- but the factory edge was not supposed to do this. Would be reluctant to paint it without getting it clean - grateful it does not rot .. not sure I want power wash the house.

From 10' it still looks great -- kept it simple -- it does not look fake. Have a neighbor that used a rough product and his is doing the same thing .. can tell it is not real from the street ,, glad I went with the smooth

I have a lot of PVC stuff at my shore house and I bleach everything -- that is my first weekend .... Big tank sprayer -- gallons of bleach and old clothes.

 

[Pineracer]

This is what I heard:

Handle PVC trim as you would a piece of premium lumber. Be careful not to damage the visible surface of the board. To seal cut edges or clean a cut edge that has gotten dirty, sand them with 320 grit sand paper by hand, and then wipe the edges with Acetone—this will help to re-seal the cells.