Azek and dominos

[Kevin Johnson]

I have a project coming up where I will be replacing the exterior trim on a house with Azek.  Part of the project will include replacing the outside corner boards with mitered Azek corner boards.  I am  going to make the corner boards.  I don't have a lot of experience with Azek.  Does anyone think that I need reinforcement on the miters with something like an Azek domino or will the glue along the long miter be sufficient?  Thanks

 

[Brice Burrell]

Kevin, I have a ton experience with Azek. My first piece of advice is to skip the miter joint, just butt the boards up, glue and screw the joint. Of course there are times when you can't butt the boards, like when you're using the textured side of the Azex (I never use the texture its far too ugly) or when the client wants the cleanest look of the corner.

If you are going to go for the miter the Domino is the way to. I keep a stash of Azek Domino tenons handy just for this sort of occasion. The tenons are for alignment not reinforcement. Again, glue and screw the boards up and if you can't get the joint tight in place try screwing the joint.

I once did mitered Azek corner boards, three stories. The Azek trim boards come in 18' lengths, ever try to pick up a piece of Azek, talk about floppy. The TS55 cut and a few guide rails joined made the bevel very nicely.    

 

[butzla]

Brice, you're making your own Azek dominoes I take it?  If so what's the process?

 

[Brice Burrell]

Brice, you're making your own Azek dominoes I take it?  If so what's the process?

Yes, I just rip 5/4 Azek on the table saw to what ever size I want then crosscut them on the miter saw. I don't bother rounding over the edges.

 

[Tom D]

Kevin,
When you mitre Azek you get a very sharp corner, I would advise rounding them over with a small router bit.
Azek also makes preformed corner boards out of 5/4" stock but you are limited to 4"+ 6" widths.

Tom

 

[GreenGA]

Why Azek and not Koma?  [unsure]

I will be replacing some corner boards myself and I kinda like the Koma over the Azek, which I have used in other areas, because the Koma seems harder than the Azek.

JMO

 

[Brice Burrell]

Why Azek and not Koma?  [unsure]

I will be replacing some corner boards myself and I kinda like the Koma over the Azek, which I have used in other areas, because the Koma seems harder than the Azek.

JMO

Seems I remember using Koma sheets because it was a little cheaper and it was slightly softer than Azek. Maybe I got it backwards.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Kevin,
When you mitre Azek you get a very sharp corner, I would advise rounding them over with a small router bit.
Azek also makes preformed corner boards out of 5/4" stock but you are limited to 4"+ 6" widths.

Tom

Tom, I never used the corner boards because they didn't offer them with the texture. I just looked it up, turns out they are now available in smooth.

Kevin (I'm sure Tom already knows), you don't need to miter the trim boards for them to be sharp, the edges are super sharp form the factory, be careful. No doubt you'll find out and if you're real lucky you'll get the glue in the cut. ;D

 

[Tom D]

Brice,
You are right about the sharpness! Wear gloves when handling whenever possible.

 

[peter halle]

If you can get the size (width) in the preformed corner boards in the smoothness you want, check out the prices.  When I started doing my house, there was maybe a one dollar premium in cost versus doing it myself.  Faster, neater, easier, one less joint.  The original azek were actually put together with lock miter joints.

Of all the brands of PVC my least favorite is Plasticlad.

Peter

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I end up using Certainteed restoration boards, or excell trim boards the most.  THey are easy for me to get close to home.  I do use some of Azek's other trim profiles though. 

On a side note, I just saw some really good ways to make a flat sawn porch railing like were on many old houses.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I end up using Certainteed restoration boards, or excell trim boards the most.  THey are easy for me to get close to home.  I do use some of Azek's other trim profiles though. 

On a side note, I just saw some really good ways to make a flat sawn porch railing like were on many old houses.

I've used the Certainteed boards, there very much like Azek but with a nice grain pattern.

Darcy, please share what you've learned about flat sawn railings.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

It was basically made from the sheet stock of Azek. 

I hope most are familiar with flat sawn railings.

They just cut the shapes that were desired out of the Azek sheet and used some stock railing parts for the top and bottom rails.

It sure beats trying to find cypress around here.  I will see if I can find some pictures of flat sawn railings.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Something similar to this:
http://www.vintagewoodworks.com/spear.html

I cant seem to paste any pictures.

I am a wood guy, I like old houses because of the wood trim and details, the only problem now is that it is hard to find wood that will last outside anymore.

Like I said earlier, Cypress is hard to find and I have not run across much black locust either.

 

[Brice Burrell]

It was basically made from the sheet stock of Azek. 

I hope most are familiar with flat sawn railings.

They just cut the shapes that were desired out of the Azek sheet and used some stock railing parts for the top and bottom rails.

It sure beats trying to find cypress around here.  I will see if I can find some pictures of flat sawn railings.

I thought you had some special tricks you were going to share with us. I've used a ton of Azek sheet material, it's not cheap. Cypress isn't readily available around here either. Still wouldn't mind seeing some pics if you can find some good ones.

 

[Kevin Johnson]

Thanks for all the replies and especially the hint about rounding over the corners, I did not think of that.  I looked into the preformed corners, but the price I was quoted was astronomical.  I think one 8 or 10 foot post might have been $80.00.  I am not sure about the price, but I whatever it was I concluded that it was much less expensive to make them myself.

I considered butting the joints together, but the customer wants them mitered.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

The corners might be a little more than two boards put together but, the amount of time saved will be way more than the price difference in the pre-made corners.  Plus there is no chance of water infiltration on that preformed corner.

1x6 18' azek is about 50 bucks isn't it?

 

[peter halle]

Most of the PVC corners I've seen made up are 3 1/2 to 3 5/8 per side.  I normally pay about $31 for a 5/4 x 4 x 18 ft piece of PVC.  $41 for 5/4 x 6 x 18.  Here Douglas Fir is what I am replacing.  Only about 5 percent more - sometimes less to use the PVC.  Azek is more expensive than Certainteed or other brands though.

Peter

 

[peter halle]

Brice,

I know you've used a ton of the PVC products.  I use it more than wood.  You wrote that you use the dominoes for alignment rather than strength.  Are you gluing the joint also?  If so, wouldn't there be an advantage to using the sipo dominoes?  

Darcy,

I don't know if you've seen this thread on railings here, but your post brought this back to mind.  Not a low budget project for sure.  Check it out:

Mike Chrest's Railing Project

Peter

 

[Brice Burrell]

Brice,

I know you've used a ton of the PVC products.  I use it more than wood.  You wrote that you use the dominoes for alignment rather than strength.  Are you gluing the joint also?  If so, wouldn't there be an advantage to using the sipo dominoes?  

Darcy,

I don't know if you've seen this thread on railings here, but your post brought this back to mind.  Not a low budget project for sure.  Check it out:

Mike Chrest's Railing Project

Peter

I usually glue the Azek tenons in with the Azek glue. The sipo tenons really can't be glued to the PVC, well maybe with special adhesive. If you can get some pressure on the joint the Azek will fuse the two (or more) pieces of PVC together so in most cases tenons won't be adding much if any strength.  

And thanks for digging up Mike's thread, I did remember someone did a nice railing just couldn't remember who.