Trex Decking Colors on Real Decks We Built

A Trex colour chart is a row of two-inch squares under studio light. Your deck is 300 square feet under an Illinois sky, next to your siding, half of it in shade by four o'clock. The only honest way to show a colour is on a deck, so here are ours.

Trex Foggy Wharf: grey, in Hoffman Estates

Grey Trex Foggy Wharf deck boards and white railing looking out over an above-ground pool — Hoffman Estates, July 2026. See the whole job.

Foggy Wharf is a mid grey with a soft, varied grain. On this 16 by 20 replacement it sits against tan siding with white Trex Select railing, and the whole thing reads cool and clean. Grey is the colour we recommend most for houses with tan or beige siding, and it is the one that stays looking clean between washes.

Elevated grey Trex Foggy Wharf deck with white railing and a full stair run, seen from the patio below — The same deck from the patio below. Grey in shade goes slightly blue; in sun it goes silver.

Trex Whiskey Barrel: deep brown, in Lisle

Brown Trex deck running along the house with the first step down to a concrete landing — Lisle, June 2026. See the whole job.

Whiskey Barrel is a rich brown with a strong grain, the colour people mean when they say they want composite that still looks like wood. On this 42 by 12 deck it runs the whole back of a grey-sided house with no railing, and the brown is what warms the elevation up. Dark browns get warmer underfoot in full sun than greys do; this yard has mature trees, so it is in shade for part of the day.

Long low Trex Whiskey Barrel deck across the back of a Lisle home, shed and white fence beyond — The same boards in dappled shade. Brown shows its grain most in low light.

The other composite colours from our 2026 jobs

These are not all Trex, and where the board line was not recorded we say the colour, not a brand name. They are here because colour families behave the same way whoever makes the board.

The South Elgin deck from the side with the pond and a play set behind the fence — Tan: TimberTech Coconut Husk with black railing, South Elgin, June 2026. See the job.

Tan is the coolest underfoot of the three families and the one that suits white siding best. With black railing it looks sharp; with white railing it can wash out.

The finished Bloomingdale deck from the yard, one step down to the lawn, air conditioner beside it — Brown composite with black aluminum railing, Bloomingdale, June 2026. See the job.

Brown with black railing is the pairing we build most. It works on almost any siding colour and it is the safe choice if you are not sure.

The same Streamwood deck rebuilt in white composite with black aluminum railings — White composite with black railing, Streamwood. See the job.

White is rare and it photographs beautifully. It stays the coolest of all in sun and it shows every leaf until you sweep. Pick it for a shaded yard and a house with dark trim.

Which colour, for which house

Tan, beige or white siding: grey boards (Foggy Wharf above) or tan boards. Brown can look heavy.
Grey, blue or dark siding: brown boards (Whiskey Barrel above). Grey on grey disappears.
Brick: mid brown or tan. Pair with bronze or black railing.
Full afternoon sun, no shade: the lightest colour you can live with, or a PVC board like Azek.

How to actually choose

Ask for the sample boards and put them on the ground where the deck will go, at the time of day you will use it. Look at them next to the siding, not in your hand. Then pick the railing second, because the railing is what you see from the yard. Our railing ideas page shows the pairings on finished decks.

We install every Trex line and we are not tied to the brand: the Trex decking page covers the lines and warranties, the composite decking page covers how we frame for it, and Trex vs TimberTech is the honest comparison if you are between the two. The samples come to the estimate; book one and see the colours in your own light.

Common questions

How many colours does Trex decking come in?

It depends on the line. Trex sells several lines at different prices, and each carries its own set of greys, browns and tans. The exact list changes year to year, so we bring the current sample set to the estimate rather than quoting a number that will be wrong by spring.

Does grey Trex decking get hot?

Less than a dark brown board does, and more than a pale tan. Any composite in full afternoon sun gets warm. If your deck faces west with no shade, a lighter colour or a PVC board like Azek stays noticeably cooler underfoot.

Does Trex fade?

Capped Trex boards shift slightly in the first few weeks as the surface weathers, then hold their colour. Trex warranties its capped lines against fading and staining for 25 to 50 years depending on the line. The uncapped composite of twenty years ago faded badly; that is not what is sold today.

Can I mix two Trex colours on one deck?

Yes. The common move is a picture-frame border: a darker board run around the edge of a lighter field. It costs a little more labour because every border board is a cut, and it makes a rectangle look designed.

Which Trex colour hides dirt best?

Mid-tone greys and tans with visible grain. Very dark browns show dust and pollen; very light boards show leaf stains until they are washed. Grey Foggy Wharf on the Hoffman Estates deck below is a good example of a colour that stays looking clean.

Grey or brown composite with my siding?

Grey boards suit tan, beige and white siding and read modern. Brown boards warm up grey, blue and white siding and show the grain. We bring both to the estimate and hold them against the house, because the colour of the wall changes the colour of the deck.

Trex Decking Colors, Shown on Decks We Actually Built