TimberTech vs Trex vs Fiberon: Flagships 2026
The top board from each of the three biggest US decking brands, compared vendor-neutrally: what each flagship costs, which are PVC vs composite, and which build each one actually suits.
The three biggest composite-decking brands put their flagship boards at very different price points: Fiberon Paramount at about $5.10 per linear foot (≈$10.90/sq ft in boards), Trex Transcend at $5.40 (≈$11.50), and TimberTech AZEK Vintage at $7.20 (≈$15.35). Two of the three are PVC with 50-year structural warranties; Trex's is capped composite with 25. Here's how to pick between them.
The 30-second answer
Fiberon Paramount is the value flagship: PVC durability and a 50-year structural warranty at the lowest board price of the three. Trex Transcend is the palette-and-brand flagship: capped composite, 14 colors, the name buyers recognize. TimberTech AZEK Vintage is the premium flagship: PVC with the deepest dark colors and built-in heat dissipation, at a price roughly 33% above the other two.
| Spec | Fiberon Paramount | Trex Transcend | TimberTech AZEK Vintage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | PVC (no wood fiber) | Capped composite (wood + plastic) | PVC (no wood fiber) |
| Board price (per lf, retail) | $5.10 | $5.40 | $7.20 |
| Boards only (per sq ft) | ≈$10.90 | ≈$11.50 | ≈$15.35 |
| Structural warranty | 50 years | 25 years | 50 years |
| Fade & stain warranty | 30 years | 25 years | 30 years |
| Colors | 6 | 14 (3 collections) | 6 |
| Heat story | Strong dark-color heat performance | Lineage heat-mitigation cap (4 colors) | Built-in heat dissipation, deep darks |
| Hidden fastener | Fiberon Stowaway | Trex Universal Hidden Fastener | TimberTech CONCEALoc |
| Brand installed range (all lines) | $48-95 / sq ft | $50-110 / sq ft | $50-110 / sq ft |
Prices are 2026-Q1 retail averages (Home Depot, Lowe's, each brand's pro channel) — the dataset behind DeckMath's brand calculators. Per-square-foot board figures assume a 5.5″ board face + 1/8″ gap (≈2.13 lf per sq ft). Installed ranges are brand-wide (entry line to flagship with railing options), not flagship-only.
PVC vs capped composite at the flagship tier
The most important split in this table isn't brand — it's material. Fiberon Paramount and AZEK Vintage are full PVC: no wood fiber in the core, so nothing to absorb water, and both carry 50-year structural + 30-year fade & stain warranties. Trex Transcend is capped composite: a wood-fiber/recycled-plastic core under a polymer cap, warranted 25 + 25.
In practice that means the PVC boards are the pick for wet and coastal exposure and for cool-underfoot performance, while composite's case is look and feel — Transcend's wood-flour core and Tropicals palette read closest to hardwood, and its board price sits well below AZEK's. For the material decision in depth, see PVC vs composite decking; for the same-parent-company version of this fight, see AZEK vs TimberTech.
The price ladder on a 16×20 deck
Boards-only budgets for a 320 sq ft (16×20) deck at the prices above, plus each brand's own installed 16×20 reference build from DeckMath's calculators:
| Flagship | Boards only, 320 sq ft | Reference 16×20 installed (national) |
|---|---|---|
| Fiberon Paramount | ≈$3,480 | ≈$23,500 with HavenView composite railing |
| Trex Transcend | ≈$3,690 | ≈$24,000 with railing + 4 stairs (Tropicals color) |
| TimberTech AZEK Vintage | ≈$4,915 | $34,000+ with Premier aluminum rail + drink rail |
Paramount and Transcend are within ~$210 of each other in boards; AZEK Vintage costs $1,200-1,400 more in boards alone on the same deck. The installed reference builds widen further because the AZEK example pairs the flagship board with the premium aluminum rail — a reminder that railing choice moves the total as much as board choice. Regional labor swings all three: roughly 0.92× in the South, up to ~1.28× on the West Coast.
Ecosystems: fasteners, railing, stairs
Each brand locks you into its own hidden-fastener system for grooved boards — and the economics differ more than most buyers expect:
| System | Box spec | Effective cost / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Fiberon Stowaway | 175 clips · covers ~100 sq ft · $138 | ≈$1.38 |
| TimberTech CONCEALoc | 90 clips · covers ~50 sq ft · $85 | ≈$1.70 |
| Trex Universal Hidden Fastener | 90 clips · covers ~50 sq ft · $89 | ≈$1.78 |
- Railing (installed, per lf): Fiberon Horizon aluminum ≈$165, TimberTech Premier aluminum ≈$175, Trex Signature aluminum ≈$188; composite kits run $55-95/lf across all three brands.
- Stairs (installed, per step): Fiberon ≈$285-425, TimberTech ≈$290-430, Trex ≈$320-460.
- Maintenance: all three flagships are wash-only — budgeted at roughly $0.04-0.05/sq ft per year, with no staining or sealing.
Which flagship for which build?
- Hot climate, dark board: AZEK Vintage — PVC with built-in heat dissipation and the deepest darks of the three (Dark Hickory, Mahogany). Trex's answer, the Lineage cap, covers only 4 Transcend colors.
- Coastal or splash-zone deck (pool, lakefront): either PVC board — Paramount or AZEK Vintage. No wood fiber means no water absorption; that's also what the 50-year structural paper is priced on.
- Longest warranty per dollar: Fiberon Paramount — 50-year structural + 30-year fade/stain at $5.10/lf, the lowest board price in this comparison.
- Hardwood look and the widest palette: Trex Transcend — 14 colors across Tropicals, Earth Tones, and Lineage; the most convincing wood-grain cap of the three.
- Resale-driven build: Transcend — 'Trex' is the brand homebuyers and listing agents recognize, and it's the most widely stocked (Home Depot + Trex Pro Platinum). Fiberon and TimberTech run through Lowe's and their own pro-dealer networks.
- Budget forces a choice below flagship: compare each brand's value lines instead — see Fiberon vs Trex Enhance and the Trex line comparison.
For a ranked look across every major composite line — not just these three flagships — see best composite decking.
Where this pricing comes from
Board prices are 2026-Q1 retail averages across Home Depot, Lowe's and each brand's pro channel — the same dataset behind DeckMath's Trex, TimberTech and Fiberon calculators. Warranty terms and palettes are the manufacturers' published product data — verify at trex.com, timbertech.com and fiberondecking.com before you buy. Per-square-foot conversions use a 5.5″ board face + 1/8″ gap (≈2.13 lf/sq ft). See our methodology and sources.
Frequently asked questions
Which is best: TimberTech, Trex, or Fiberon?
None is best across the board — they win different builds. TimberTech AZEK Vintage wins hot climates and dark colors (PVC, built-in heat dissipation, 50-year structural warranty). Trex Transcend wins palette, hardwood looks, and brand recognition. Fiberon Paramount wins value: PVC and a 50-year structural warranty at the lowest flagship board price (~$5.10/lf).
Is Fiberon cheaper than Trex and TimberTech?
At the flagship tier, yes: Fiberon Paramount runs about $5.10/lf vs $5.40 for Trex Transcend and $7.20 for TimberTech AZEK Vintage. Fiberon's brand-wide installed range ($48-95/sq ft) also starts below Trex's and TimberTech's ($50-110/sq ft). Its Stowaway hidden-fastener system is the cheapest per square foot too (≈$1.38 vs $1.70-1.78).
Who has the longest decking warranty of the three brands?
At the flagship tier, Fiberon Paramount and TimberTech AZEK Vintage both carry 50-year structural + 30-year fade & stain warranties (both are PVC). Trex Transcend carries 25-year structural + 25-year fade & stain. All three require registration and are transferable to a new homeowner.
Are these prices installed or materials only?
The per-linear-foot and per-square-foot figures are board (material) prices at 2026-Q1 retail. Installed cost adds framing, labor, railing, stairs and permit — brand-wide that lands at roughly $48-95/sq ft for Fiberon and $50-110/sq ft for Trex and TimberTech, depending on line, pattern, and region.
Where do I buy each brand?
Trex runs through Home Depot plus Trex Pro Platinum dealers; TimberTech through Lowe's plus AZEK Pro dealers; Fiberon through Lowe's plus its own pro network. Big-box stores stock partial palettes — full flagship palettes (Transcend Lineage, AZEK Vintage, Paramount) usually mean a pro-dealer special order with a 2-4 week lead time.
Is PVC worth the extra cost over composite?
If your deck is in full sun, near water, or you want the longest structural warranty (50 years on both PVC flagships vs 25 on Transcend), PVC earns its premium. If your priority is a hardwood look at a lower board price, capped composite — Transcend here — delivers that for $3.85/lf less than AZEK Vintage.
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