TimberTech vs. Durables is not a direct decking-brand comparison because the two companies primarily serve different parts of a deck project.
TimberTech makes composite and PVC decking boards. Durables makes vinyl railing, fence, and gate systems. They’re not competing for the same job.
TimberTech usually owns the surface you walk on. Durables usually owns the railing around it. The real question isn’t which brand wins. It’s which combination fits your budget, climate, and how much upkeep you’ll tolerate.
What Do TimberTech and Durables Actually Make?
TimberTech, owned by AZEK, manufactures capped composite and advanced PVC decking boards, plus matching railing, lighting, and porch products. Durables Inc. manufactures vinyl (PVC) railing, fence panels, and gates, sold as a component system that mixes posts, rails, and infill.
Here’s what most homeowners miss. You can run TimberTech decking with a Durables railing, or with aluminum, cable, or any other line. The board underfoot and the railing around it are separate purchase decisions.
- TimberTech = decking boards, plus its own composite railing line
- Durables = vinyl railing, fence, and gate systems
- Most projects pair TimberTech decking on the surface with a vinyl, aluminum, or cable railing system, depending on the look and climate
Pro Tip: Railing typically runs 20 to 30 percent of total project cost. Don’t lock in a $12,000 deck surface and then bolt on a railing that undercuts it visually or structurally.
Is TimberTech Decking Made From Real Wood?
Some lines contain wood fiber. Some don’t. TimberTech PRO and EDGE are capped composite: recycled wood fiber and plastic under a polymer shell.
TimberTech AZEK and Advanced PVC lines (Vintage, Landmark, Harvest) contain no wood.
They’re 100 percent PVC, which is why they resist rot completely and hold up around pools.
Both product types are covered under ICC-ES Evaluation Report ESR-1074, confirming IBC and IRC compliance for deck boards, stair treads, guards, and handrails, tested to ASTM D7032, the governing performance standard.
By line:
- TimberTech EDGE (3-sided cap): 25-year fade and stain warranty
- TimberTech PRO (4-sided cap): 30-year fade and stain warranty
- TimberTech AZEK / Advanced PVC (100% PVC): 50-year fade and stain warranty, per manufacturer documentation
The 4-sided capped boards resist moisture on every face, not just the top, which matters near sprinkler zones or in long wet seasons.
How Much Does TimberTech Decking Cost Installed?
TimberTech runs $9 to $16 per square foot installed for the EDGE and PRO composite lines, and $16 to $25 per square foot installed for the AZEK Advanced PVC lines. Material-only pricing typically lands 40 to 50 percent below the installed number.
Durables vinyl railing adds $22 to $38 per linear foot installed, depending on infill style and post spacing. On a deck with 80 linear feet of railing, that’s $1,760 to $3,040 on top of decking cost.
Now that you know the real per-square-foot numbers
Not sure how many boards your footage needs? Our team will spec the order
Where Can You Buy TimberTech Decking and Durables Railing?
Both brands ship direct from Deck Builder Outlet, an elite TimberTech dealer and Durables distributor since 1993. Buying decking and railing from the same supplier means color-matched trim, compatible fasteners, and one shipment instead of three.
- Shop Durables vinyl railing systems including posts, rails, and infill
- Pair either brand with post caps and covers sold separately
Big-box stores stock a narrow slice of either catalog, usually popular colors in common widths. A dedicated supplier carries the full lineup, which matters if you’re matching an existing deck or need a less common width.
How Do You Install TimberTech Decking?
TimberTech installs like most grooved composite decking: hidden clips into the edge groove, screwed into joists no more than 16 inches on center.
- Confirm joist spacing. 16 inches on center standard, 12 inches if boards run at a 45-degree angle.
- Start the first board against the house or ledger, face-screwed since that edge has no groove.
- Run hidden clips into the grooved edge of each following board.
- Leave a 1/8-inch gap between board ends for thermal expansion.
- Cap exposed ends with fascia or trim to hide the raw edge.
Spec Callout: TimberTech boards cannot install directly over existing decking. On roofs, on-grade builds, or anywhere airflow is restricted, a minimum 1.5-inch sleeper system connected to the substructure is required. Skipping this voids the warranty.
Use composite-specific screws for face-fastened sections, not wood bugle-head screws, which mushroom the surface.
Grab deck screws rated for composite and structural connector fasteners for post blocking. Attaching posts to the house instead of the deck frame?
Our post attachment guide covers the blocking and flashing.
Is Durables Vinyl Railing Durable in Cold, Freeze-Thaw Climates?
Yes, when it’s formulated with UV stabilizers and impact modifiers. Durables and similarly established manufacturers build PVC to resist the brittleness that causes cracking at post-to-rail junctions in cold weather. Bargain-tier vinyl without those additives is where cold-climate failures happen.
The failure mode isn’t slow decay. It’s impact cracking. Vinyl gets more brittle as temperatures drop, so stress points, especially baluster sockets and post connections, fail first on older decks with heavy UV exposure.
Spec Callout: Ask any manufacturer for their minimum installation temperature. Many won’t warranty installation below 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, since the material can crack during drilling at that temperature.
Our full breakdown on aluminum vs. vinyl railing in cold climates covers the complete comparison.
Every guard rail meets the same structural baseline under the 2024 International Residential Code: a 200-pound concentrated load anywhere on the top rail, plus 50 pounds per linear foot horizontal load.
Baluster infill resists 50 pounds over one square foot. Guard height runs a minimum of 36 inches residentially, 42 in some jurisdictions, and no opening can pass a 4-inch diameter sphere, per IRC Section R312.1.3.
Verify exact figures with your local building department (AHJ), since these vary and get amended over time.
How Do You Clean and Maintain TimberTech Decking?
Wash it with soap and water, or a pressure washer at 1,300 PSI or lower with a fan tip nozzle. That’s the entire routine.
- Routine cleaning: soap, water, soft brush, garden hose
- Tougher stains: manufacturer-approved composite cleaner
- Pressure washing: 1,300 PSI max, fan tip only
- Never apply: paint, stain, or coating. It voids the fade and stain warranty
- Avoid: dragging shovels or ice scrapers across the surface, which can puncture the cap
This trade-off is what makes composite and PVC worth the higher upfront cost. A wood deck needs re-sealing every 1 to 3 years. TimberTech’s capped lines need a hose-down a few times a season and nothing else for decades.
TimberTech vs. Durables: Side-by-Side Comparison
Which One Should You Choose for Your Deck?
For most projects, this isn’t a choice between two brands. It’s a decision to use both, in the role each is built for.
- Choose TimberTech for the surface if you want a wood-look board backed by a 25 to 50-year fade warranty
- Choose Durables for the railing if you want zero-maintenance vinyl that won’t rust, splinter, or need repainting
- Consider aluminum instead of vinyl in harsher freeze-thaw regions, since it resists impact cracking better at low temperatures
- Consider cable infill with either post system if sightline matters more than wind blocking
Round out the build with post cap lighting for stair safety, balusters sized to the 4-inch sphere rule, posts and mounting hardware, and a fastener and plug system for a clean finish.
Building a covered porch? Our porch window systems extend the season. Need outdoor living parts or tools to finish the job? We stock those too.
Not sure which combination fits your project? Our team has spec’d TimberTech and Durables installs since 1993.
Frequently Asked Questions
They’re not competing products. TimberTech makes decking boards, Durables makes vinyl railing. Most decks pair TimberTech on the surface with Durables, aluminum, or cable railing based on climate and style.
Depends on the line. EDGE and PRO are capped composite: wood fiber and plastic under a polymer shell. AZEK and Advanced PVC lines are 100 percent PVC, no wood fiber.
$9 to $16 per square foot for EDGE and PRO composite lines, $16 to $25 per square foot for AZEK Advanced PVC lines.
Quality vinyl with UV stabilizers and impact modifiers holds up well in freeze-thaw climates. Cheap, unstabilized PVC cracks at post-to-rail junctions in sustained cold. Ask for the minimum installation temperature before buying.
Soap, water, and a soft brush for routine cleaning. A pressure washer at 1,300 PSI or lower with a fan tip nozzle handles tougher grime. Never apply paint or stain, it voids the fade warranty.
