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What could be better than a well-placed wooden deck? It's a perfect spot for entertaining outdoors, an ideal place to while away a summer afternoon. But it's not without its vices: Traditional lumber may keep your client's budget in the black, but when homeowners complain about weekends spent sanding and resealing, everyone will see red.
Made from wood flour and recycled or virgin plastic, composite lumber has become a hot product because it offers the benefits of wood without the maintenance issues typically associated with most species. On the market for about 10 years now, composite lumber occupies about 10 percent of the $2 billion decking market and is growing at a rate of about 15 percent to 20 percent per year, says Paul Bizzarri, marketing manager for TimberTech in Wilmington, Ohio. Manufacturers claim it's the spec of the future.
A primary reason for the growth is maintenance--or the lack thereof. While the product isn't completely maintenance free, makers say it's as close as you're going get to a hands-off product. Most composite decks need only an occasional sweeping or hose washing, and those that have been painted will require repainting after a few years.
Gail Lindsey, FAIA, who specializes in green design, favors composite decking because many products contain recycled wood and recycled plastic bags or milk jugs. Low-maintenance benefits attract her, too. "You don't have to treat it once you install it," says the principal of Design Harmony in Wake Forest, N.C.
Other architects spec the material for aesthetic reasons. Architect Reed Axelrod, AIA, uses composites in certain jobs to solve design issues. "The product is attractive because of its longevity and its ease of maintenance," says the principal of Reed Axelrod Architects in Philadelphia. "But it also can come in tongue-and-groove styles so there are virtually no seams once it is installed. This provides a nice detailed look that is more suitable than typical deck planks."
Meanwhile, one stumbling block is the initial cost of the material--something everyone's sensitive to. Architect Gail Lindsey says that when she speced Trex in her own house years ago, the product was quite expensive. Although across the industry the price has come down, composites still cost about 15 percent to 20 percent more than treated Southern yellow pine, according to Bizzarri. However, the product makes up for this cost difference in about five years, manufacturers say. Lindsey agrees. The architect installed two decks at her house about seven years ago--one composite and another with treated lumber--and in that time the traditional lumber deck has cost her more money.
The entire article in its entirety can be found in Residential Architect, 2004. Article orginally written by Nigel F. Maynard, 2004. Copyright© Residential Architect, 2004.
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At Red Earth Construction, we invest in the future of our Children and the planet that we will pass on to them. That's why we are proud to partner with Trex Decking. Composite material is a clean, affordable alternative to traditional wood decks. While we still offer Clients wood products, we encourage the use of Composite decking for its durability and environmental benefits.
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children". ~Native American Proverb
Recycling Facts
Trex keeps some 300,000 tons of plastic and wood scrap out of landfills every year.
o that comes to about 600,000,000 pounds saved annually
NO TREES ARE CUT DOWN for the purpose of making Trex.
The wood comes from:
o reclaimed wood from woodworking operations
o used pallets
o sawdust (300 million pounds a year)
Trex recycles all forms of polyethylene.
As much as possible, Trex packaging is made from recycled paper and plastic.
Trex is one of the largest plastic bag recyclers in the United States.
o Grocery/Retail/Drug Stores
7 out of every 10 recycled grocery bags in the U.S. end up at Trex (about 1.5 billion per year!)
o Industrial Accounts
o Agricultural Operations
o Food & Beverage plants
o Government agencies
o Colleges & Universities
o Bulk Pellets/Flake & Densified
Their manufacturing process is as green as the final product.
o Trailers are hydraulically
powered with vegetable-based oil
o The proprietary processing method eliminates smokestacks
o Factory runoff/refuse is recycled back into the manufacturing line.
See our Featured Decks in our Photo Gallery.
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