Fencing & Decking

Composite lumber has two main ingredients: recovered sawdust (usually from pine, maple or oak trees), and virgin or recycled plastic. This combination of wood fiber and plastic makes composite decking very strong. In fact, composite lumber has a higher resistance to crushing than wood loaded perpendicular to the grain.

To create composite decking, the wood and plastic (usually polyethylene, PVC or polypropylene) are heated and mixed into a sort of dough, then formed into the desired shape. Lower levels of wood in the mix means the resulting lumber will be less susceptible to rot. Additionally, the more wood fibers in the mix, the less susceptible the composite lumber will be to fading and stains. Lumber with less than 50% wood is a good bet. Colorants, stabilizers, reinforcing agents, UV protection, mold preventers and moisture resistance may be added to strengthen the composite decking. The composite decking is then tested for strength and consistency.

One benefit of this manufacturing process is that composite decking may be molded into nearly any shape, including strong arches. Curved decks are quite pleasing to the eye, but they were much more difficult to build before the advent of composite decking. Composite decking may also be used for built-in deck seating.