"There's a great future in plastics", Mr. McGuire told young
Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate, a coming-of-age
movie from 1967. Today, pressure-treated wood remains the most popular building
material for decks and railings. Yet plastics still look promising. That's the word from Principia Partners, a strategic consulting firm for the construction materials industry.
From 2000 to 2005, pressure-treated lumber lost 12% of its share
of the decking and railing marketplace, mainly because the construction
industry weakened. Meanwhile, wood-plastic composite (WPC) products overcame
problems with color fading, mildew, and staining to capture marginally more
market share.
The real winner, however, may be ultra-low maintenance
decking materials like capped polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Even during the current economic recession, suppliers who sold WPC decking with an outer capstock
couldn't meet demand. Cellular PVC decking also looks promising - and profitable.
Do you see plastic decking in your backyard's future?
Sources: Plastics News and Principia Partners
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