If you’re thinking about installing PVC trim on your home, you know you’ve opted for a durable, beautiful material that will last for decades — all with minimal maintenance required.
Typically, trim on a home is used as protection at transition points, such as where the siding meets the windows, roof, or the ground. However, AZEK® PVC Trim® also has several other external applications and benefits for both your home and deck design, including:
Home Exterior Applications
- Fascia
- Window trim
- Skirt boards and bands
- Cornerboards on the corners of your home where the siding meets
- Column wraps used on columns of your home’s front or back porch
Deck Applications
- Stair risers
- Deck fascia
- Deck skirting
- Cornerboards on the corners of your deck, where fascia boards meet
- Column wraps used on the posts of second-story decks or pergolas
Benefits of Installing PVC Trim on Your Home & Deck
✓ Gives you a unified aesthetic across your home exterior and outdoor living space by matching your home and deck trims.
✓ Is highly-moisture resistant, making it suitable for ground-contact applications.
✓ Can be heat-bent into almost any shape, thanks to its innovative material composition.
Now that you know the benefits of installing PVC trim boards, it’s time to get familiar with installation best practices. Knowing some of the process associated with installation will help you decide whether you’ll DIY your project or work with a professional.
Keep in mind that any heat-bent applications will require a qualified contractor to build.
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Best Practices for Installing PVC Trim Boards
Installing PVC trim boards on your home or deck is similar to installation of traditional wood. However, there are a few specific variations, due to the differences in material composition:
AZEK® PVC Trim® and Moulding®
Made of innovative polymers that expand and contract with changes in temperature.
Traditional Wood
An organic material that is highly vulnerable to moisture and will expand and contract due to changes in moisture levels.
Proper installation of AZEK Trim limits expansion and contraction for a clean, finished look. Traditional wood can’t say the same thing — moisture will inevitably cause wood to expand and contract as paint and sealers don’t last long.
FAQs for Installing PVC Trim Boards
NOTE: These installation best practices are specific to AZEK PVC Trim and apply to installation applications on both your home and deck. Other PVC trim products may have different installation requirements. It’s also important to review your area’s local building codes to ensure your PVC applications are up to code.
IMPORTANT
Always review the installation guidelines for your chosen trim product before starting your project. READ THE INSTALL GUIDE
FAQ: How Do You Attach PVC Trim?
The best practices for installing PVC trim boards are similar for several different applications.
The following best practices work for these applications:
Home Exterior Applications
- Fascia
- Window trim
- Skirt boards and bands
Deck Applications
- Stair risers
- Deck fascia
- Deck skirting
Attaching PVC Trim to Your Home & Deck
✓ For premium results, use Cortex® fasteners with collated material-matched plugs to hide the screws.
✓ For best results, use fasteners designed for wood trim and wood siding. These fasteners have a thinner shank, blunt point, and full round head.
✓ Like wood, use 2 fasteners per framing member, not to exceed 8” on center for boards 12” or wider. If painting your PVC trim, use 3 fasteners per framing member to further limit expansion/contraction.
FAQ: Should PVC Trim Be Glued?
AZEK PVC trim should be glued between all AZEK-to-AZEK joints to prevent joint separation from contraction and expansion.
The following best practices work for these applications:
Home Exterior Applications
- Fascia
- Window trim
- Skirt boards and bands
- Cornerboards on the corners of your home where siding meets
- Column wraps used on columns of your home’s front or back porch
Deck Applications
- Stair risers
- Deck fascia
- Deck skirting
- Cornerboards on the corners of your deck where fascia boards meet
- Column wraps used on the posts of second-story decks or pergolas
Gluing PVC Trim: Home & Deck Applications
✓ For best results, all AZEK-to-AZEK joints, such as long fascia runs and window surrounds, should be glued with AZEK Cellular PVC Cement to prevent joint separation.
✓ For the strongest hold, always use a scarf joint for long trim runs with two fasteners on each side, instead of butt joints.
FAQ: How Do You Attach PVC Corner Trim?
AZEK PVC Cornerboards come in one piece, rather than two, for easy installation. Cornerboards can be installed on the corners of your home, where siding meets, as well as the corners of your deck, where the fascia boards meet.
The following best practices work for these applications:
Home Exterior Applications
- Cornerboards on the corners of your home where siding meets
Deck Applications
- Cornerboards on the corners of your deck where fascia boards meet
Attaching Cornerboard to Your Home & Deck
✓ Fasten both sides according to standard AZEK Trim installation best practices.
✓ 4” cornerboards may be installed using 2 fasteners at the ends and splices, and 1 fastener 12” on center through the length of board.
FAQ: How Do You Attach PVC Column Wraps?
AZEK Column Wraps can be applied to any column or post on your home or deck. They come in two pieces: A three-panel column that folds over the post and a fourth single panel to snap into place.
Keep in mind, column wraps are not structural, and should not be used in load-bearing applications.
The following best practices work for these applications:
Home Exterior Applications
- Column wraps used on columns of your home’s front or back porch
Deck Applications
- Column wraps used on the posts of second-story decks or pergolas
Attaching Column Wraps to Your Home & Deck
✓ Measure post height and cut column panels to desired length.
✓ The column wrap must fit snuggly around the post in order to be fastened securely. If there is gapping between the post and column wrap, install shims, evenly spaced, on all four sides of the post.
✓ Apply AZEK Cellular PVC adhesive to the grooved corner joints of the three-panel column wrap, fold, and place around the post.
✓ Snap in the fourth panel to the three-panel column wrap.
Now that you know the basics of installing PVC trim products, you’re ready to explore ways to use them in your home and deck design for a cohesive look across your entire home exterior.
Explore Curated Home Exteriors With a Unified Aesthetic
Your home exterior and outdoor living space should reflect the same intentionality you’ve applied to the interior of your home. PVC trim gives you an incredibly versatile, attractive material that gives you the unified aesthetic you want for your home and deck design.
Explore curated builds for the inspiration you need for your own project.
1.) Semi-Matte White PVC Trim With a Traditional Warm Palette
AZEK PVC Trim comes in a semi-matte white color, so you can maintain a soft, warm color palette — typical of traditional-style homes — without introducing harsh contrast.
Installing PVC trim boards as your deck fascia and stair risers is not only a great aesthetic choice, but a practical one, too. With its innovative polymer composition, AZEK Trim is highly moisture-resistant, making it ideal for ground-contact applications.
Pair your deck fascia with AZEK window surrounds and a classic pergola to pull the soft white accent through the entire home exterior. The result? A serene yet inviting look and feel.
How to Achieve This Look
Stair Risers & Fascia
Installing PVC trim boards as stair risers and fascia gives you clean, crisp lines for your deck perimeter that mirror the same lines of your windows and pergola.
Elegant Pergola
A pergola featuring white PVC column wraps and trim boards will give your design added sophistication, while also providing shade — and an ideal place to hang string lights.
Window Surrounds
Choose elegant window surrounds that match your home’s aesthetic and complement your deck design. Styles range from highly ornate to minimalist in design.
Explore Deck Colors
To find the perfect hue for you.
2.) A High-Contrast Design With Richly-Hued Decking
Pair crisp white PVC trim with dark, richly-hued decking for a striking aesthetic. With its highly versatile structure that allows it to be heat-bent, PVC trim can be used around nearly any deck shape — including curved deck designs — as fascia and skirting.
Give your deck its finishing touch with a stylish TimberTech white railing. Our Classic Composite Series Matte White railings are designed to perfectly complement AZEK Trim.
How to Achieve This Look
TimberTech Railings
TimberTech offers several aluminum and composite railing designs, many of which can be customized to suit your unique tastes.
Pair white rails and posts with black balusters for a striking look that echoes the contrast of your deeply saturated decking and white skirting.
PVC Trim as Deck Skirting & Fascia
Keep your deck perimeter clean and bright with PVC trim used as deck skirting* and fascia.
The white border helps your deck structure blend in with your home’s white trim, making the deck feel like a natural addition.
*Using PVC trim as skirting requires proper support and framing to prevent buckling of the boards. If you’re uncertain about the installation requirement, partner with a contractor.
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Bring Enduring Beauty to Your Home
3.) Stately Column Wraps With Elegant Crown Moulding
Capture a classic southern style with stately column wraps and sophisticated crown moulding. The columns’ strong vertical lines naturally draw the eye upward, making your deck or porch overhang feel taller and the area underneath more spacious. The moulding creates an attractive transition point from column to ceiling for a touch of elegance.
AZEK column wraps and crown moulding are made of the same innovative, weathering-resistant polymers as AZEK Trim, so you can rest assured your design will stand the test of time.
How to Achieve This Look
Column Wraps
AZEK column wraps can be straight for a classic feel or tapered in design for a craftsman-inspired feel. The crisp white of our columns match perfectly to TimberTech white composite railing, giving you a seamless perimeter. Create a cohesive look from the front of your home to the back with column wraps in your front porch design and deck.
Crown Moulding
AZEK Moulding is traditionally used at the junction of an exterior wall and ceiling but can also add a touch of elegance to columns, windows, and doors. For a unified look, choose a single crown profile for your entire home exterior. Or, go for a character-rich aesthetic by choosing different profiles for different applications.
Installing PVC Trim Boards: Get Started
Now that you’ve combined general DIY best practices for installing PVC trim with ample design inspiration, you’re ready to get started on your project.
Discover where to buy AZEK PVC trim products so you can make your selections, order your products, and break ground on your project.
Bring Enduring Beauty to Your Home
With AZEK PVC Trim and exteriors products.
