Where Do You Think Decking Is Heading?

Garrett

After alot of reading and research on the forums I was wondering what some of you think as far as where deck building is going. With all the composits out there I am starting to second guess the quality of these products. There have been law suits against many of the big companies in regards to mold and defects in the materials. I am guilty as the next guy for selling my customers on low maintenece decks, and even though i have had no call backs it seem like its a matter of time before i do. So i guess what i am trying to say is we have gone from wood( non pressure treated) to pressure treated to comosits and on to pvc only to say the last was not so good where next steel? it will rust ., maybe stainless steel or carbon fiber or berilium? so being that im rambiling(drunk) were do some of you see the decking products going, whats next? Build On!

Tom F.

I don't know about decking, but I'll have two of whatever your drinking.

Garrett

i feel stupid for posting im a mess tonight

odellconstruct

i think they should promote cedar more , light weight, resistant to insects , no treated chemicals , and not too hot to stand on in the summer , just my opinion

buildenterprise

Best one I've read all week!

Seriously, PVC seems to be the way the big players are all headed, until the "green" consortium takes over and reveals how "un-green" the process of manufacturing PVC is. Then we'll be on to EPS decking, made from recycled milk jugs. Then after that, corn cob decking. Invest now, it's gonna be big!

DecksEtc

Ditto!

Garrett

hammerd or not its hard to keep up with new products no sooner do i get comfortable with one someone sayes its no good keep the coments coming its early lol

John Hyatt

Any day now I am looking for recycled composite decking made from all the decking torn out and replaced. There is plenty of trex laying around they will probley start there.Just grind it all up run it thru the mill and ship it out. The end product wont be any different then what we are getting now.

All posting while drinking gets a special high end place on this site, in fact one day a week should be set aside for this,no sober posting allowed!!!

J.

AtlanticWBConst

Dirt....Dirt decks....Back to the old world....

What's old is new.

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- Build Well -

mawe54180

Not too long ago I had a factory rep. here. I can't remember what company he was with. I talk to so many, and the all have the best products. Just ask them. He was telling me that his company was looking into banana peels. I not sure where you are going to find surplus banana peels, but more power to them. Maybe we will have banana recycling centers.
Mark

Garrett

banna peels! No way! I think i have some power bars from my old cycling days maybe i could deck with them? I was wondering myself when will we be able to recycle some of this stuff. At the local landfill they recycle most everything BUT the pvc building materials weather it be composite decking pvc decking or trim boards or all the vinyl doors and windows i am replacing these days. I dont feel to good giving someone a deck that should last 30 plus years only to throw the waste materials out . Not so GREEN. maybe wood needs a second look but without the chemicals anyone want to start up a business recycling this stuff? find a new use for it and make millions. as a side note i am sober tonight so i have no excusses

BuiltByMAC

Cedar, baby, cedar (or redwood)! It's real wood, lasts a long time, keeps the loggers and foresters here in the Pac NW (US & CA) working, when demo'ed - can be turned into bark-o-mulch, tried and tested for 100s of years, smells nice when being cut and can be shaped with much nicer results than composite...

Yeah, it requires maintenance but that's how deck restoration/maintenance guys make their money! The best costs more - you want a prime deck - get it built out of wood and maintain it yearly, voila!

Mac

John Hyatt

Dammmmmm Straight Mac!!!! Fu***K a bunch of composite, the total trex thing kicked open the door to all the man made outlaws and Bang Bang!! here we are no telling who is buying out who, how may class actions are going on, what the " latest upgrade re form u lationg" is going on, solid plastic or an unknown mixture of what ever. And All of them claiming wild stuff that even a 2 year woodshop HighSchool student would question.


Wood is and has always been and will always be the best choice for outdoor areas. There is Redwood, Western Red Cedar, Incence Cedar, Old growth Doug Fir is still around, # 1 pt pine for crying out loud!!

And of course all the S American Lumber,Ipe,Garapa,Masenramduba,TigerWood, Cumaru Ghesssssssss

Why the Hell are messing around with this man made stuff???? dont tell me,thats business thats progress. John

Garrett

if i offerd a ceader deck to one of my customers i would probably loose alot of work. Its a moral delema build with wood(which is what i like) or build what the customer wants. I wish I was independently weathy wouldn't have to worry about putting food on the table. Thanks to all who replied! I agree with ya mack. the wood can be re used to a point instead of being in the land fill

Garrett

i almost forgot! what night will be the night where" no sober posting" takes place. bet that would be fun!

MartyCD

Garrett,
I'm actually very interested in this topic. We've got a program to place dumpsters at dealers for composite decking collection and recycling. We mostly get end cuts, and we make industrial block flooring out of it. I'll be placing one today as a matter of fact (and it's raining and 35 degrees - and I'm a wimp with a desk job). But separating out the different composites, all of which can be recycled just not together, is a b*tch.
On the demo on your remodelling jobs, do you guys have to separate out vinyl, asphalt, PT, etc? Any and all separation makes recycling easier.
Marty

Garrett

Thats interesting news. As far as i know nobody around my area will take any of this material back. As well as i personally have no idea where i could take it once i aquire it. So if im not mistaken you put roll offs to collect the mis. materials but then have to seperate it? The local landfill i go to has containers for metal/clean drywall(new scraps)/wood/ glass/plastic bottles/shingles/ but nothing for composits or vinyl and when i asked them is there any place taking it the said no. Is the industrial flooring the only avenue for it being re-used? Thanks for the reply. and as far as separating the materials I usually put it in my enclosed trailer and sort it out at the dump

deckman22

I sure do like building cedar decks, but it just does not last on low decks here. I've seen them rot out in 8 years & less in the right conditions, wrong conditions actually. It's always a dilema when a customer wants a deck low to the ground & wants wood. I try to steer them towards concrete w/tile or slate over it. As far as resistant to insects, no way. Texas termites love the stuff.

The wood I'd like to see more of in the decking industry is cypress, but it's hard to find anyone who has it on hand.

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www.alscustomdecks.com

Garrett

im in PA so this is gonna sound dumb, but isnt it pretty dry down there? I do agree wwith structures really close to the ground should be somthing else other than wood plus it seems a little less to get a poured pad and a set of steps

MartyCD

This is one of the collection bins:

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