The "Signature" Outdoor Space

When Rick and Laura moved to their Aldie, Virginia, home in 2002, they fell in love with the backyard and the lush treelined property. They built a deck out back “just to have something, but it wasn’t composite. It was wood. And I stained it every year,” said Rick. After 20 years of painstaking upkeep, the couple traded in their sander, paint rollers and rubber gloves for a new Trex composite deck. 

“It needed to be replaced – not just aesthetically but because of the constant maintenance,” explained Rick. “It was terribly time-consuming.”

Rick and Laura enlisted the help of their neighbor, Ted Tidmore, a TrexPro® Platinum decking contractor and General Manager of Holloway Company in Dulles, Virginia.

“We’ve known Ted for 20 years and we love him and all of his work,” said Laura. “He has the ability to see a backyard not for what it is but for what it could be.”

Decking that Leaves a Signature

To ensure the new deck felt like a natural extension of the family’s home, Tidmore recommended Trex’s newest innovation – Trex Signature® decking. Pioneering the industry’s most realistic wood aesthetics to date, Signature features the natural look of interior hardwoods in two luxurious hues – Ocracoke, a rich dark brown, and Whidbey, a subtle mix of variated grey hues.

“We looked at a lot of samples but Trex Signature was hands down our first choice. We were impressed by how authentic the woodgrain looks, and the Whidbey color works really well with the rest of our house,” Rick remarked. “It’s a perfect complement to the stonework surrounding our pool and hot tub.”

As the owner of dogs and parents to kids, the family’s backyard gets a lot of traffic. They’ve hosted neighborhood gatherings, pool parties and baby showers on their Trex deck. Their daughter also invited all her girlfriends over for Labor Day Weekend and the deck was their primary hangout. 

“It’s gotten a lot of use,” said Rick. “I’ve noticed that the Signature deck boards really don’t scratch. I’m particular about things like that. It stands up to dogs’ nails and to people walking all over it. It’s very durable.”

Engineered to endure the rigors of time and nature, Trex Signature decking features an ultra-resilient core and a proprietary, high-traffic surface formulation that resists scratches, stains and mold. Unlike wood, Signature boards won’t rot, warp, crack or splinter.

Laura and Rick also appreciate that their new deck is eco-friendly. Sustainably made using up to 95% recycled and reclaimed materials, Trex decking offers an environmentally responsible choice that feels as good as it looks.

Best of all, especially for Rick, upkeep is hassle-free. Unlike wood, Trex decking never needs to be sanded, stained or sealed. Just an occasional cleaning with soap and water keeps boards looking like new for decades.

“As someone who has stained a lot of decks over the years, the low maintenance of Trex was especially appealing to me,” said Rick. “When we had a wood deck, I would always be stressed because there was always some kind of maintenance that needed to be done. Now, I no longer feel guilty when I’m outside enjoying the day.”

Sophistication that Connects with Nature

When it came to railing, Rick and Laura wanted something that would allow them to showcase and enjoy their spectacular view. Once again, they found the perfect solution in the Trex Signature Collection. Offering a complete system of decking and railing profiles designed to work seamlessly together, this first-of-its-kind collection makes it easy for design-savvy homeowners to create expertly curated, sophisticated outdoor spaces.

“We chose Trex Signature railing with mesh infill because is blends in with the surrounding nature but also has a timeless, modern look,” said Rick. “It doesn’t obstruct the view so we can enjoy the beauty of our backyard, and it’s hassle-free from a maintenance standpoint.”

Crafted from premium-grade aluminum, Trex Signature® railing delivers exceptional strength, effortless style and enduring ease. A range of colors are available along with a variety of infill options, including traditional balusters, horizontal rod rails, cable, mesh or glass.

Doubling Down on Outdoor Space

To fully optimize their outdoor space, the family had Tidmore’s team install Trex® RainEscape®. This innovative under-deck drainage system features an integrated network of troughs and downspouts that capture rain, snow, and other precipitation and divert it away from a deck. In addition to protecting the substructure from moisture damage and deterioration, it keeps the space beneath the deck dry and useable for storage or as additional outdoor living space.

“The RainEscape system allows us to not only double our outdoor space but to be able to use it year round,” Laura shared. “Even after we close the pool for the season, we still use the outdoor space beneath our deck all the time. It’s like a whole other room down there.”

“We had a subpar drainage system before but this is really the best one out there,” added Rick. “You can sit out there even if it’s raining. Even in a torrential downpour, it’s dry under the deck. It really does its job. It’s pretty impressive!”

Word of Mouth and Words of Wisdom

Rick and Laura’s Trex Signature deck not only adds curb appeal but value to their home.

“It will be a big selling feature if we ever sell our home,” Laura said. “We get so many compliments from our friends and we’ve given out a lot of referrals. We even have friends who chose the exact same product because of how great our deck looks.”

As far as advice for other homeowners, Rick emphasized, “Invest upfront in a quality product like Trex. We’re planning to be here for a long time and I feel like our deck is timeless. Every time I walk outside and look at it, I say, ‘Good call!’”