# how to bend trex decking



## Russell Rutalj (Dec 7, 2010)

Hi this is Russ from Sun Valley,California. Im building my elevated garden railroad with trex decking.. The boards i have to bend are 1" thick and 5 .5 in wide.The radius is 90". the book said the Mim. is 15feet. I have to bend boards about 12 feet long. The temp required is 160 degrees. If i add more heat will it be more pliable? What would be a good heat source to heat them? I will make a form with the 90" radius. My distance for the whole track system is about 160 feet. Its shaped like an oval which means 4 curves. Any suggestion would be helpful. Thanks Russ


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

First, Trex is an extruded product consisting of polyethylene bags and saw dust. When extruded it forms a plastic skin which seems to seal it and protect it from weather damage; however I heard that algae and mildew can form in the texture surface. 

Most people that use this type of material for a raised railroad use it perpendicular to the track. This allows it to be radiated with variation in the spacing at either end. 

I will caution that any cutting exposes the interior mix of plastic and wood. I thought that the plastic would cause warping when exposed to excessive sun, but know the exposed saw dust (when cut) will absorb the moisture and warp in thin sections. 

Hope this experience helps. 

PS: The trestle you see in my signature block is made from Trex. The curves were made from 1/4 strips, many clamps and brad nails.


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

I will caution that any cutting exposes the interior mix of plastic and wood. I thought that the plastic would cause warping when exposed to excessive sun, but know the exposed saw dust (when cut) will absorb the moisture and warp in thin sections. 

Another reason to use Dibond.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I tried using Trex as ladder roadbed on my highline, failed in the heat and took on the shape of the ground. 

old thread in track/roadbed someplace.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Why not use the plastic strips, you could curve the first one, the glue on the second layer, following that curve and so on till you get the width you want. It's solid plastic about 3/4" x 1 1/2". Re-inforce with screws.


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## hawkeye2 (Jan 6, 2008)

I have just found this thread and this is the SAME question by the same person that was asked in the Product Reviews forum on the 18th. This was asked in this forum a day later. It seems we have parallel discussions onging here and I had just composed an answer in the orther forum. See this:
http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By hawkeye2 on 20 Feb 2011 10:30 AM 
I have just found this thread and this is the SAME question by the same person that was asked in the Product Reviews forum on the 18th. This was asked in this forum a day later. It seems we have parallel discussions onging here and I had just composed an answer in the orther forum. See this:
http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx


Thank you, I thought I was loosing my mind! I knew I answered this question but didn't see the answer here and thought I was loosing it.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey folks, 

Russell is an old friend and he is new to this forum stuff. He put the first post in Product Reviews not realizing that he should have posted in another area. So now he has it in Public Forum. Nobody is looding their mind.....yet. He. he. He called me this morning saying that after church, he would get on and post thank you's to everyone. He learning, but he is like a person "on a mission" now that I got him into the great hobby! 

Hawkeye: Thanks for your insight about the Trex board. I WAS going to try to use this stuff for my new layout, but have gone back to my original idea of building a ladder roadbed, both ground-level and elevated, using PVC trim board. THX


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So, I'll keep responding over there, and forget this one.... Thanks Gary!


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

hey Russ, I used trex deck boards, bought them at lowes 1in thick, by 10.5 in wide, ripped them to about 2in wide, used PVC pipe about 2.5 to 3ft apart, bolted the Trex to the PVC pipe, one strip on each side, been out there for 3 years no problem, its raised from ground level to 3ft of the ground.










tom h


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