Unstacking the Deck
By John D. Wagner
Many industry trend watchers now see decking as a unique breakout category, with its own breed of specialty decking contractors, much as we see with roofing or foundation work. Though decking is still a product most general contractors offer, today you see an increasing number of specialty deck-only operations, and there is a great opportunity for dealers to cater to them.
Why the rise of this specialty? It's all because of demand for outdoor living environments. Today's up-market decks are way beyond the CCA decks we knocked together in the 1980s. These new decks are outdoor living centers, designed and built as lifestyle choices, with integrated sitting areas, grill, pool, or hot tub...and premium decking material.
According to Cleveland-based Freedonia Group, which tracks industry trends, the decking market is expected to grow by about 20 percent annually to become a 3.6-billion-lineal-feet industry by 2011. This offers dealers a clear opportunity: You can sell good-margin, low-maintenance products to receptive consumers, who are willing to pay for premium products they will proudly display in high-profile areas of their homes.
Now, the question is: What exactly do you sell them?
There are four categories of decking, and though many products have been around for quite a while (like aluminum decking, which we won't cover here), new all-plastics and composite-decking products are really dominating now. The main decking categories are: 1) Wood, 2) All-plastic decking, 3) Composites, and 4) Aluminum.
Each category has sub-categories. Wood decking breaks out by wood species, ranging from southern yellow pine and cedar, to Ipe' and Meranti. The various wood species can be further differentiated by their sources ("green" and "chain of custody" are increasingly under scrutiny). And by how the wood is treated or preserved, with options ranging from micro-copper factory treatments to on-site, brush-on sealants.
As for All-plastic decking, products are differentiated by the source and type of plastic, and sometimes by its recyclability. The most popular choices of deck plastics are:
A. Recycled high-density polyethylene plastic (ReHDPE);
B. Common HDPE (#2, milk jugs);
C. Polypropylene (think Tupperware);
D. Solid polyvinyl chloride a.k.a. PVC;
E. Cellular PVC (polyvinyl chloride with a foaming agent).
(It's important to know the difference between the types of plastic, because they are also used in composite decking.)
With so many kinds of plastic, manufactures of all-plastic decks will point out differences in the plastics they use, especially where the plastics come from. Points of pride for marketers are features like "virgin plastic," or a high percentage of "post consumer resins" (PCR), and even "100% recyclable." Also, since plastic decking can be manufactured through extrusion (pushed through a mold), even the speed of extrusion can be a selling factor, as product that is extruded too quickly is considered poorer quality.
Whether you are dealing with all-plastic decking or composites, HDPE is the most commonly used product. It performs very well in most situations, and expands only along its length, like vinyl siding. Plus, it does not swell, as many lumber products will. Manufactures argue that it retains color well, and the all-plastic product is entirely recyclable.
Another product, all-plastic PVC decking generally has resistance to scratching, staining, and fading that is superior to composite decking. (Trex Escapes, a foamed PVC product, is now available. The product is made by Veka, Inc. Similar to Timber-Tech's XLM, Trex Escapes can offer better stain, mold, and scratch-resistance than Trex's composite decking line.) But PVC decking has been getting slammed for its toxicity. The manufacture of PVC releases mercury and creates dioxin. But there is a "green" case to be made for PVC's performance and durability. It goes like this: If you use PVC, you are less likely to harvest, manufacture, and ship replacement products, which therefore makes PVC is a viable alternative.
Composite decking is called composite because it has more than one component, and this class of decking has some characteristics of wood and some of plastic. Most composite decking is created when wood is added to plastic resin (usually polyethylene). Since the properties of composite decking vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, marketers will differentiate their products using various metrics or features, most notably:
A. The source of their plastics ("post-consumer" is considered greener),
B. The percent of recycled plastic (for those who want to use recycled products),
C. The percent of virgin plastic (for those who don't want to use recycled plastics because of perceived quality issues),
D. The source of the non-plastic components used (recovered wood is the greenest alternative),
E. The quality of the post-consumer resin used in the plastic (you don't want chopped-up milk and vitamin labels in the deck boards),
F. The color-fast properties of the decking (fading is so common, manufacturer call it a "mellowing process"),
G. The surface feel and slip-resistance,
H. structural performance of the product (look for 16 o-c span-ability),
I. The UV-protection the decking (anything to frustrate the sun's punishing rays), and
J. The deck board's weight per board food (for transportation, easy handling during installation, and span loading).
For a good composite example, let's look at a popular product and see how it presents itself in these categories. Latitudes Composite Decking produced by Universal Forest Products is made with both recycled and virgin polyethylene, and 100% of the wood additive is reclaimed product. Indeed, Latitudes is made from approximately 70% recycled materials.
No matter what composite products you offer, be sure they can span 16-o.c. joints, and that they comply with the all the crucial codes and standards. Look for a warranty of at least 10 years, and it should cover splintering, corrosion, as well as rot, warp, cupping, checks, or damage caused by termites or fungal decay. And finally, urge your customers to purchase premium products, for their own sake. If they always use low cost as the ultimate metric of value, they risk their reputations, as well as the prospect for annoying callbacks that are hard to solve without painful and costly tear-outs.
What's Green About Decking?
With all there attention to green building, there has been a surprising rise in consumer demand for "life-cycle explanations" of the products installed in their homes. Though it was unusual even five years ago, it's not extraordinary to expect a consumer to ask where the wood or plastic came from for their decking, and where it will go if the deck is ever demolished.
That said, what's the greenest decking alternative? Like many things green, there is more than one right answer. First, certain wood decking is green, if the wood is sustainably harvested or is a renewable species, e.g. plantation-grown or managed-harvest tropical's or southern yellow pine. As for decks that contain plastic, pure polyethylene is the greenest choice, in terms of recyclability and relatively low-impact manufacturer. Next down the list is a product like Latitudes, which is made of 70% recycled products. - JDW
The award-winning author of many articles and books - and a sought-after green trainer and keynote speaker for dealer events - John D. Wagner is the Green Editor for LBM Journal and the content manager for the Green Dealer Program. Contact John:
John.Wagner@LBMJournal.com. Or visit: www.JohnDWagner.com
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