RECENTLY DISCONTINUED Elevations steel deck framing was well liked by builders who used the product—there just weren’t enough of them.
End of the road for Elevations steel framing By David Koenig
Not 18 months ago, residential steel deck framing was being heralded as a serious threat to treated wood for deck framing. Backed by two giant composite deck manufacturers, the systems claimed to have myriad advantages over wood, including improved aesthetics and straighter, uniform pieces with no crowning, warping or twisting. Yet at the end of last year, market leader Trex abruptly discontinued its Elevations steel deck framing, leaving Fortress Building Products’ Evolution as the last system standing. Trex explained to dealers that the move was part of its normal annual culling of less profitable colors, sizes and products to make room for new products and colors and sizes. Yet the end of Elevations is a great deal more than the loss of a fifth shade of brown; it’s the elimination of an entire product category, one 28
|
Deck Specialist
|
Spring 2021
with great promise, a number of satisfied users, and a much larger number who never gave the pricier product a chance. “I’ve never thought of using it,” said Jason Matousek, M3 Carpentry & Remodeling, Black Creek, WI. “I’m just used to using lumber.” Danny Shushan, DannyDeck Construction, Encino, CA., said, “I never used the Trex steel frame before because of the high price and complications of ordering/providing plans and installation.” In fact, of 12 builders contacted, only two had tried steel framing. “We’ve used Trex’s steel framing several times,” said Matt Breyer, Breyer Construction & Landscape, Reading, PA. “It was a nice product, but it felt incomplete—there were limitations to hardware and material sizes that created unnecessary limitations to projects… and it was expensive! We actually have a Fortress project coming up in the next few months; we’re
