I have not used any timibertech, If it is a solid board you can run the decking past the fascia and router the ends with a 1/4- 1/2" round over bit thereby giving the edge you are looking for. You might have your carpenter run a router down a short cut off to see if this works for you.
I know it works with solid composite as this is how herring bone designs are laid up to seam borads.
steve scholl

Are you using the grooved boards with hidden fasteners? If not maybe you could "Bondo" the ends and paint them? That's the best I can come up with. My fascia trim covers the ends of the boards and I haven't had a problem with debris getting in the crack - it's no different than the cracks between the boards.

I put on end grain trim.

This is a rip of the decking glued/screwed to the flush cut decking. Not only does it seal up all the outside edges the skirting is bumped up to the bottom of the trim.

I install this on most all of my projects and can be seen on my site www.deckmastersllc.com I agree runing the skirting up flush with the decking will allow problems down the road.
John

Steve,TT XLM is a lightweight composite with a PVC coating.. So, when the boards are cut their is a definite visual difference in the core and the outer PVC of the boards... Routing the ends wouldn't change this look.
Dennis,I have two black labs and I can just imagine black hair and decomposing leaves laying there. I have always been told a lip on anything is done for proper run off..as in a window sill, a tread,etc....Please explain what you mean by "bondo ing" the end of the boards? tocoat the end of the board and paint it?? And yes I am using TT grooved boards w the hidden fastener system...
John Hyatt, ahha I did view your website and I admire your attention to detail and seaming... You have done a nice job on your decks with small trim..I'm one of those people who thinks shoe moulding makes a world of difference in a room(others wouldn't even notice) Same thing with a deck. I like everything to flow......Explain to me how to maximize the ripping of a non grooved board to make this trim piece....You can use 'carpenter' terms...

Its pretty simple Jen.

With the given riping TTxlm is going to provide a different color. Say your skirting is 1 1/2'' to one inch. The rip would be 1 1/2'' this will give a reveal that looks pretty good after the skirting is bumped up to the bottom of it.Fastening the endgrain trim I use a 2 1/2'' trim gun to tact it on then SS screws to clamp the glue.

That TTxlm material really would not make a good endgrain trim Its still unproven if the coating is going to hold up under normal use riping it would be sill more risky. Using azek might be better but azek would requires a different glue than normal, Tightbond 111 would not work, I have tested tightbond cyanoacrylate or CA glue bonding azek with good results but its a little spendy and tricky to work with and be very carefull using it for a lot of reasons on the other hand after contact the bond is forever.

Another route might be using TT boards,like the earthwood brand, and crafting rips out of that. Under the xlm coating its just regular composite anyway and regular waterproff glue would. A different color might be intersting.Keep in mind regular composite takes finish really well so you might be able to find a color you like.

Intersting project. Let me Know. JonMon

Thanks JohMon... I went to the TT website and the manufacturer does not recommend ANY glues or caulks to be used. I'm itching to take a risk,but with synthetics disaster can sometimes happen -imh experience.
I might be brave and have the carpenter glue/nail a half round White Azek to the edge and have it bumped out 1 1/2" past the fascia(tuck 10" white Azek fascia underneath)....That would give me a soft effect....THEN, for my skirting I'm still stumped as to what I should do...I can't leave it open.. I just can't pass up having private storage space like that.. I can't comprehend how in 2011 there are not affordable matte white 4x8 panels that I can picture frame and use as skirting...

Its a deal Jen. TT is a big outfit they can not cover all the things that might happen in the field.

Try test areas and different product for the endgrain. I could install it/figure it out but thats just me. Defentley do not go full bore without a few tests.

I am thinking you are over thinking the skirting, just pick one and go with it!! There are manmade 4 x 8 ' pannels out there Com outfits use them on a regular they are a little spendy and require framing or support that normaly goes with a Com project. J.

TELLLL me names of the synthetic matte white 4x8 panels..
I don't pull anything up under COM when I google it.
I dont mind putting out a little extra money for a product that gives me what I need.
Please spill some names
ty, jen

DUHHHHH... LOL... you mean commercial outfits.....
Took me a minute there..
Please tell me if you know of specific names...
I am having trouble finding them.
I can't imagine a 4x8 sheet costing over $130???

Imagine it.

There are several ways to go. All require a support structure followed to the letter.

The JonMon will look around but dont shoot the Mesenger.

Jen, not sure on your particular design but instead of ripping the TT, why not use full width boards to make a border? Almost certain the XLM has solid boards at 16' and grooved in 12' and 20's. otherwise the trim piece seems like the next best option, we usually have ours hang 3/4" past the fascia but have never tried it on the XLM.

ty JonMon and ty addadeck... .
Addadeck, I am boxing the rim joist with a white Azek board.. The house is a traditional Victorian with Colonial alterations- sided in grey and trimmed heavily in white...
I would use the TT XLM fascia if it were used in a more 'modern looking' home... For this situation I think it's more suitable to box in white azek for fascia and my rise on the stairs will be white as well as the fascia on the side of the stringers.
I am just being greedy when I expect TT to produce a half round so I can give the horizontal decking a nice 'finished' look. I don't like the fascia run up flush with the horizontal decking. It looks so boxy and unprofessional..IMHO nice "trim" can TOTALLY change the look of something... Reminds me of when a Victorian house is sided in vinyl and all the curves/lines of the house are removed bc the guy siding doesn't or can't accomodate the cuts.. You lose all the softness of the home and it ends up looking like a big NJ vinyl box instead of having any flow to it anymore.... New Joisey, wrong in soooo many ways...LOL
Orrr, this is an even better look.... Know how people nail lattice on skirting with no framing around it??....then,within a few months because it wasnt adhered properly the lattice starts to fall in one corner. I'm always tempted to get out of my car and straighten the lattice on the house...
I hate when a job looks sloppy.. Finishing touches are everythinggggg.....
You guys are great! I love this

Hey Jen

There are Com pannels they use as sidding for big buildings but the price is pretty silly

I was thinking if all you want is a flat white pannel try cement board, like is used around bath/shower areas. Its fiber enforced,very stable,not all that heavey,easy to install and can be painted any way you want.
J.

azek comes in 4x8 4x10 4x12 sheets 3/4, 1/2, 3/8
retail prices in Mich are 3/4 4x8 148.62. 3/4 4x10 245.00 3/4 4 x 12 302.11, 1/2 4x8 103.00 1/2 4x10 170.00 4x12 unavailable
welcome to the world of profiteering, by azek
smooth on 1 side textured on the other
steve scholl

We always use trim on the edges of the deck, including steps. You can rip azek to any width and router the edge.

Yes, the seam between the boards is a collection zone, but the alternatives are not any better.

Here is a link that might be useful: Decks

Well fastened endgrain trim is deffentley an alternative that is better than just runing the facia up flush with the decking. So is leting the decking extend past the frame but this leaves the decking ends exposed.

Fruther Detail. No matter how much care is taken the outside of the frame is not going to be perfectley straight same with triming the extended decking. Running facia up and fastening it to the uneven line is going to allow water and debris to get in behind and cause problems.

Fastening endgrain trim to this not so perfect line wont be perfect either but it will follow that line and,if well done, wont allow enough entrance to cause problems to the facia.
J.

I am either going to rip the TT XLM fascia and make vertical skirting orrrr I'm going to buy the 1/2" 4x8 panels of Azek at $105 a panel(the panels weight 52lbs)and have it framed w 1x4 Azek...Either way I'm paying about the same in materials.....whether i choose Azek panels or use ripped TT fascia(adhering it behind my fascia)..... I would like to give my neighbors a clean view from the exterior.. My skirting ranges in height from 6'6" to 7'2" and running about 40 linear feet....Maybe I'll wait until the decking is down and raiiings being put up before i decide. thanks you guys!.. I love to talk product

"Dennis,I have two black labs and I can just imagine black hair and decomposing leaves laying there. I have always been told a lip on anything is done for proper run off..as in a window sill, a tread,etc....Please explain what you mean by "bondo ing" the end of the boards? tocoat the end of the board and paint it?? And yes I am using TT grooved boards w the hidden fastener system... "

Bondo is just a brand name for a wood filler - see below. So I was suggesting using it to cover over the extrusion pattern on the end of the "boards". But that isn't going to help with the grooves - but if you're concerned about stuff getting caught between the boards I'd stay away from the hidden fastener system - the grooves on my deck catch more debris than the space on the ends between the deck boards and the fascia board.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bondo Wood Filler

we're basically talking about the ends of the boards right?

what we're doing on our XLM deck is picture framing the deck, mitering the corners. That way you have a nice finished edge all the way around.

we're using hidden fasteners for the deck, and using the "solid" boards for the pictureframe.

I'm planning on a replacement deck this spring and wondered about this also. I was thinking about trying to miter the ends with a small trim piece like you do on the returns on window trim. I don't know how amenable these composites are to adhesives and/or pin nailing. Anybody tried this?

This simple solution is to route the ends but the change in texture and color "ain't perfect" .. . what if one experimented with some stain applied to to ends to get less jarring contrast? Just a crazy idea.

TT does make a colored coating that you can brush on the cut ends to help with the color difference. But as far as seeing the grooves on the sides of the XLM boards I'm still trying to find a solution. Picture framing the deck is an option but requires so much more framing/support for the boards to run 2 different directions. They are installing my decking now so I'll have to come up with something here quick.

Here is a link that might be useful: Timbertech end coatings

top of the stairs looking down

Yooper, i glanced at the TT website a few weeks ago and they NOW have the HALF rounds to cover the ENDS of the boards as well as the "coating"......me? i dont trust any synthetic coating...... My carpenter ripped the boards in half so i would have a FINISHED edge on top when looking down from the deck... and then we butted up underneath a nice white AZEK(or similar) white board as a Fascia... For a budget project it came out pretty nice....
Here is a pic....
In 3 years i have only lightly power washed(inexpensive electric unit) and it still looks really nice......
Note how i used deck boards vertically for skirting... If i had more money to spend i would have skirted the entire deck with it... is a nice strong look......

We're considering TT XLM and glad to hear after 3 yrs you're still happy. Thanks for your pictures. Your whole job looks really, really nice!

Q: from the photo it looks like the risers on the steps are a different color and wider than the tread boards. Is that just an illusion or could the risers be white Azek? Just can't tell.

Q: also, do you recall the color gray you used with the TT decking? We're considering River Rock or Harbor Stone (the latter more $$) & I like yours.

Thanks

Sorry, i am two months behind with this response...
RIVER ROCK is the color.... it's almost "builder special" neutral.....
And yes, the risers are a board similar to Azek..... i havent had the time to research all the new white boards that are out now,but there ISSS a lot to choose from..... I personally like the lack of sheen on Azek but it also tends to scuff more easily... some of the newer board that are out have a slicker finish and resist scuffs and abrasions better....

This post was edited by jenniferusey on Sat, Sep 14, 13 at 17:15