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Composite & Synthetic Year Over Year Increases

2K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  LEVELBEST 
#1 ·
Just got some updated pricing information from my primary supplier and was dismayed at the rising costs of composite and synthetic products. It looks like our raw costs are going up 5%-10% across the board. :sad: Anyone else seeing a similar trend? (I know the cost of materials varies greatly from region to region, but I would imagine that relative increases/decreases are fairly uniform.) I was talking to one of the guys at my supplier about the increases and he mentioned that the plastics are closely linked with the rising price of petro which should have been obvious. I wonder if we'll continue to get incremental increases if oil continues it's upward climb throughout the year?

I hope not...
 
#2 ·
We did not get much of a increase here. I don't think the market will bear a continuing increase, everything will go back to wood.

When we see the first synthetic that can offer great quality, strong & stable company and a price point close to cedar it will go through the roof, but if they keep raising prices none of the synthetic companies will be around.
 
#3 ·
There is a little glimer of hope. Moisture Shield is coming out with a 5/4 x 5 1/2'' board with a retail way under what I am paying for red cedar.

Nothing fancy, slight wood grain, two colors, no clip cut but Hey I am thinking this is what we all want.

I love working with South American lumber but the shiping is the deal breaker and there is no way to cut that down. The board is not out yet but my handy Rep is going to tell me when and how.

JonMon
 
#4 · (Edited)
John, did you see a large year-over-year increase in the hardwoods you often use? With my suppliers, some of the lower end (if they could be called such) hardwoods pretty much stayed the same, but ipe jumped way up too. Again, not sure if it's rising popularity/demand, rising shipping costs, or something else entirely.

Just wondering...:rolleyes:
 
#5 ·
did you see a large year-over-year increase in the hardwoods you often use
Here in Jersey, Ipe went up about $1.25-1.50 a lf for 5/4x6 over the last few years. It's so high I rarely use it anymore. IIRC, last job I did last summer w. it, it was $4.10 lf. 5 years ago probably 85-90% of my jobs were Ipe.

Word from the manufacturers is synthetics are going up 7-10% this season. Oil is a big factor... in manufacturing and delivery.
 
#6 ·
I get a really good deal from East Teak for a lot of reasons.

But still ipe is higher than a couple years ago. For a top end ipe job I use resurfaced 5/4 comes out 5 1/8 x 7/8 '' its a little less to me. For the cost aware bids Garapa is still a good deal compaired to most any manmade a lot less if you figure in the handrail.

However with the trucking from ET to OKC being way higher than say two years ago, like double, the total price gets up there where you Guy's are with mid range manmade including the rail. For me its not the price of the material its the transport.

This is going to be a bad season I am thinking Gentelmen. The $23 /$28 sq ft thing is not going to fly. In my area anyway its going to have to be $18 / $20 with a lot of fancy stuff tossed in.

Again for Me if Moisture Shield turns out a 5/4 board for around say $1.50 I could use it for decking and rail with the given the plant is 4 hrs from my beloved Butler Manor. It would take a little talent to build the post wraps and the top/bottom/ cap rail but using alum balusters and making the conectors, I Think, the money would be the same as the high end of yester year.
I dont belive making the caped product is the anwser a well made composite board will be.

All though no one else that I know is doing this, a quality outdoor finish like TWP works super fine with the soft composites. Not hard at all really to put it on and it lasts forever. Of course no manmade outfit can recomend this it blows their whole maintance thing. It Works. This would be one of the Fancy Things I plan to do almost for nothing this Summer.

It would be a Major change for my Co to go manmade for the top end. Something has got to change to stay in the Business at least for me anyway.
JonMon
 
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