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of Home Improvements

*AZEK TRIM*

Trim has traditionally been made of wood. Unfortunately, as beautiful as it is, it requires a lot of maintenance to maintain its beauty. Azek products are the best replacements for wood trim. It performs wonderfully as trim, fascia, soffit, beadboard, window and door surrounds, and more.

Azek boards come in just about as many shapes and sizes as traditional lumber. It is a celluar PVC product that you work with just like you would with wood.

It's a little heavier than wood and a bit more flimsy (Azek is a non load bearing product) than wood, making makes it terrific for radius designs. You can use your same nail gun, saw and router with it. You don't have to buy any additional tools to work with this product.

Azek takes paint really well.. It does not have to be painted to preserve it (It comes with a 25 year warranty). Over time it will get dirty, so you will need to paint it to keep it looking great. Acrylic latex paint works well in either white or colors.

AZEK® Trim is the #1 brand of trim. AZEK products are the perfect replacement for wood in all non-stress and non-load bearing applications.

STORAGE AND HANDLING

Store AZEK trim products on a flat and level surface.

Since AZEK trim products are more flexible than wood, they
may conform to uneven surfaces.

AZEK trim products have a density comparable to pine and
should be handled in a fashion as pine would be handled to
avoid damage.

CUTTING

AZEK products can be cut using the same tools used to cut lumber.

Carbide tipped blades designed to cut wood work well. Avoid
using fine tooth metal cutting blades.

Rough edges from cutting may be caused by excessive friction,
poor board support, or worn or improper tooling.

DRILLING

AZEK products can be drilled using the same tools used to drill lumber.

Drilling AZEK products is similar to drilling a hardwood. Care
should be taken to avoid frictional heat build-up.

Periodic removal of AZEK shavings from the drill hole may be
necessary.

ROUTING

AZEK products can be routed using standard router bits and
the same tools used to rout lumber.

Carbide tipped router bits are recommended.

Routing AZEK products provides a crisp, clean edge.

FASTENING

For best results, use fasteners designed for wood trim and
wood siding.

These fasteners have a thinner shank, blunt point, and full round
head.

To take advantage of the performance of AZEK products, use a
highly durable fastener such as stainless steel or hot dipped
galvanized.

Staples, small brads, and wire nails must not be used.

The fasteners should be long enough to penetrate the solid
wood substrate a minimum of 11/2".

Standard nail guns work well with AZEK trim products.

Like wood, use 2 fasteners per every framing member for trim
board applications. Trimboards 12" or wider, as well as sheets,
will require additional fasteners.

Fasteners must be installed within 2" of the end of each board.

PAINTING

AZEK Trim does not require paint for protection, but accepts
and holds paint very well.

Use a 100% acrylic latex paint with a Light Reflective Value (LRV)
of 55 or higher.

For darker colors (LRV of 54 or lower), paints specifically designed
for such applications must be used, such as Sherwin-Williams
VinylSafe™ coatings.

Follow the paint manufacturer's recommendations to apply.

AZEK surfaces must be clean, dry, and void of any foreign material
such as dirt, oil, grease or other contaminates that may come
from normal handling, storage and/or installation prior to painting.

o Moisture cycling is a main reason for paint failure on wood. Since
AZEK material absorbs no moisture, paints last longer on AZEK
products than it does on wood.

Since AZEK products have almost no moisture absorption,
paints may take longer to cure on AZEK material than on wood.
Generally paints on AZEK products will be dry to the touch
quickly, but may take up to 30 days to fully cure depending on
the humidity and temperature.

GLUING

For best results, glue all AZEK to AZEK joints such as window surrounds, long fascia runs, etc., with AZEK Adhesive to prevent joint separation.

The glue joint should be secured with a fastener and/or fas-
tened on each side of the joint to allow adequate bonding time.

AZEK Adhesive has a working time of 10 minutes and will be
fully cured in 24 hours.

If standard pvc cements are used, these products typically cure
quickly which will result in limited working time and may
reduce adhesive strength.

For best results, surfaces to be glued should be smooth,
clean and in complete contact with each other.

To bond AZEK material to other substrates, various adhesives
may be used. Consult adhesive manufacturer to determine
suitability.

EXPANSION & CONTRACTION

AZEK products expand and contract with changes in temperature.

Properly fastening AZEK material along its entire length will
minimize expansion and contraction.

When properly fastened, allow 1/8" per 18 foot of AZEK product
for expansion and contraction. Joints between pieces of AZEK
material should be glued to eliminate joint separation. See
"Gluing" above.

When gaps are glued on a long run of AZEK material, allow expansion and contraction space at ends of the run.

SPANNING

AZEK products must not be used in load bearing applications,
but may be used in spanned applications such as fascias, soffits
and ceilings. AZEK material should be installed over a solid
backing.

FOR SOFFIT INSTALLATIONS:

When fastening over 16" OC, use a 5/4 AZEK product.

When using AZEK Beadboard, fasten every 12" or less.
Install AZEK Beadboard perpendicular to structure.

For ceiling installations:
When fastening over 16" OC, use a 5/4 AZEK product.

When using AZEK Beadboard or thinner AZEK product,
fasten every 16" or less.

If temperature at time of installation is 40° F or below, spans
need to be decreased to 12".

Never span AZEK products more than 24". Proper fastening will
help reduce the possibility of excessive movement from expansion
and contraction.

*Thanks to our friends at Azek for their help in preparing this article

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