Trex vs Fiberon vs TruNorth Composite Decking

Trex, Fiberon and TruNorth all make sound composite decking, and we install all three. The bigger choice is the line within the brand. Trex's home warranties run from 25 years on its entry line to 50 years on Transcend. Fiberon's run from 25 years to lifetime. Pick the look and the warranty you want first, then compare brands at that level.

Whatever you pick, the deck lasts as long as the frame under it. Composite needs joists closer together than many wood decks were built with, and every maker's warranty depends on its install rules being followed.

The three brands at a glance

From each maker's own website and warranty, checked November 2026. Line names and terms change, so we confirm the current warranty for your line before we order.

Trex

Trex says its composite is made in the U.S.A. from 95% recycled plastic film and reclaimed sawdust. A shell wraps 3 sides of the board, the top and both edges, so the underside is bare composite. Trex sorts its lines from good to luxury: Enhance, Select, Transcend and Transcend Lineage, with Signature at the top.

The warranty is where the lines split. Trex's decking warranty gives a home deck 25 years on Enhance, 35 on Select and 50 on Transcend. It can be passed to a new owner once, within 5 years of the original purchase. Trex sells in Canada through dealers.

Fiberon

Fiberon's composite lines are Good Life, Sanctuary and Concordia. Concordia has a cap on all 4 sides and is 94% recycled material, recycled wood and recycled plastic. Fiberon also makes PVC boards, Promenade and Paramount, which are a different product with no wood in them. Our PVC deck page covers those.

Fiberon's warranty table gives Good Life 25 or 30 years, Sanctuary 40 and Concordia a lifetime performance warranty with 50 years on stain and fade. Fiberon also offers a labour warranty on some products, but only through a Fiberon Certified Installer.

TruNorth

TruNorth is the Canadian option. TruNorth Composites is based in Brantford, Ontario, and its brochure says the boards are made in Ontario. The core is rice hulls and recycled plastic, with no wood, and the boards are 95% recycled material. Home Hardware sells it.

There are 2 composite lines, Enviroboard and Accuspan, and TruNorth says Accuspan is capped on all sides. Both carry 25 years on the board and 25 years on fade and stain. The warranty passes to later owners of the house, and it only applies to boards bought and installed in Canada or the US.

What a long warranty covers, and what it doesn't

A 50-year or lifetime warranty is a limited warranty on the boards. Read these points before you pay extra for one:

• Trex and TruNorth pay in full for the first 10 years. After that, a claim is prorated, down to 10% near the end
• Fade cover allows some change. Trex and TruNorth both allow 5 Delta E units, a measured amount of colour shift, before fading counts as a defect. Trex allows more after year 25
• Stains are covered only when the spill is cleaned off with soap and water within about a week
• The board warranty doesn't pay for labour. Trex says it won't cover removing bad boards or installing new ones, and TruNorth limits what it pays to the purchase price
• It can be voided. Trex names metal shovels and paint or coatings, and TruNorth excludes improper gapping

Our own 2-year workmanship warranty covers how we build the deck. The board warranty is the maker's. Our winter deck guide covers which ice melts each maker allows.

The frame matters more than the brand

Composite boards span less than wood. Fiberon lists Concordia at 40 cm (16 in) joist spacing for boards laid square to the joists, and 31 cm (12 in) for boards laid at an angle up to 45° and for stair stringers. Each line has its own chart, and we frame to the one for your boards.

That's why an old wood frame doesn't always take composite. Many were built with joists too far apart for it. Our repair or replace guide explains how we check one.

Composite also grows and shrinks with temperature. End and side gaps are set to the maker's chart for the day the boards go down, which is part of keeping the warranty valid.

Permits and Canadian approval

Most GTA cities want a permit once a deck sits about 60 cm (2 ft) above the ground. Our deck permits by city guide lists the rules. On a permit job, the inspector may ask how the boards meet the Ontario Building Code.

Kitchener's August 2026 building bulletin says decking alternatives such as composite may need Canadian testing or an Ontario engineer's design, and that foreign test results aren't accepted. Trex's downloads page lists Canadian evaluation reports for its main lines, and Fiberon links a product evaluation report from its Concordia page. We couldn't find one posted for TruNorth's composite boards. Before we order for a permit job, we get the paperwork for the exact line.

What a composite deck costs

Our installed range for mid-range composite is $55 to $95 per sq ft, before HST. A 12 x 16 ft deck runs about $10,560 to $18,240 for the deck itself. Railings, stairs, removal and permit drawings are extra. Trex marks its own lines from $ to $$$$$, so the line you choose moves the price. Our deck cost guide has the full breakdown.

How to choose

• Want the longest warranty: Trex Transcend or Fiberon Concordia
• Want a board made in Ontario: TruNorth
• Tighter budget: an entry line like Trex Enhance or Fiberon Good Life, on a frame built right
• Deck in full sun: look at samples outside first, since darker boards get hot
• Still deciding on composite at all: read our composite vs wood guide

We bring samples to the site visit so you can see them in your own light. To start, send us the size of the space and a few photos. See our composite deck page for our recent work.

Sources: Trex, Decking, FAQ, Decking, fascia and cladding limited warranty and Downloads; Fiberon, Composite decking, Concordia and Warranty; TruNorth Composites, 25 year limited warranty and product brochure; Home Hardware, TruNorth Accuspan deck board; City of Kitchener, Building Bulletin 2026-05. Checked November 2026.