| Installed cost | $45 to $70 per square foot including framing |
|---|---|
| Boards alone | $5 to $16 per square foot |
| 12' x 12' deck (144 sq ft) | $6,500 to $10,000 |
| 300 sq ft deck | $10,500 to $21,000 |
| Resale ROI | 88.5 percent |
| Enhance warranty | 25-year limited residential |
Strengths
- Low maintenance. No sealing, staining, or sanding — an occasional wash is the routine.
- Durable and resistant. Resists splintering, rot, mold, and insect damage, and capped composite lines add an outer shell for better fade and weather resistance.
- Long warranties. Trex's entry-level Enhance line carries a 25-year limited residential warranty plus a 25-year fade-and-stain warranty.
- Strong resale and looks. Wood-grain textures and a range of colors, with the ~88.5% ROI noted above.
Considerations
- Higher upfront cost than wood — roughly 2 to 5 times the material cost, and higher labor because of the precise assembly and special fasteners.
- Heat retention. In direct sun, composite — especially lower-end lines — can get noticeably hotter underfoot than wood.
- It's not structural. Trex is the surface, not the skeleton — you still need a properly built wood or steel frame underneath.
- Quality varies by tier. "Composite" spans entry-level to luxury; the cheapest line and the premium line perform differently, so compare by warranty length, not just price per foot.
Trex composite decking typically runs, as of 2026, $45 to $70 per square foot installed including framing, with the broader composite range spanning $35 to $80 depending on the product line and how complex the build is. A 12-by-12-foot Trex deck runs roughly $6,500 to $10,000; a 300-square-foot deck about $10,500 to $21,000 all-in. It costs more than wood up front and earns that back over time in saved maintenance. Here's the honest breakdown before you decide.
How much does a Trex deck cost in Raleigh?
The installed figure most sources land on is $45 to $70 per square foot including framing, though the composite category as a whole spans $35 to $80 depending on the line you choose and your site. Boards alone run $5 to $16 per square foot, climbing from entry-level lines up to the premium tiers. The rest is labor, framing, railings, and stairs — and labor is a larger share for composite than for wood, because the material calls for precise assembly and special fasteners.
By project size, expect roughly:
- 12' × 12' (144 sq ft): $6,500 to $10,000
- 300 sq ft: $10,500 to $21,000 all-in, including framing, railings, and a basic stair run
Add-ons move the number: Trex-approved fasteners run about $1 to $2 per square foot, railing systems $40 to $70 per linear foot, and features like lighting, built-in seating, or multi-level designs add more. North Carolina building permits for decks vary by county, so factor that into a Wake County project.