Composite manufacturers roll out new decking

Composite manufacturers roll out new decking

Manufacturers of composite deck boards are increasingly introducing an array of new products or expanding and improving old ones. Below are a number of options and developments available to North American consumers profiled in a recent building products newsletter. These and other alternatives to treated wood decking and other outdoor products will be covered in more detail at the upcoming Wood Preservation 2012 technology series running for New Zealand and Australian companies in mid-May.

“Advanced Environmental Technologies Inc. has just introduced NanoShield, the first composite deck board to incorporate nanotechnology. The process bonds inorganic nanoparticles to treated wood particles to form a durable shell of similar composition.

"We believe nanotechnology will be one of the next technology leaders for this industry," says chairman and CEO Joe Brooks. "AERT's NanoShield board will represent a game-changing product with unmatched performance and characteristics." Brent Gwatney, vice president of sales and marketing for AERT's MoistureShield brand, says that NanoShield will be a "high-end product that will look more like wood. It will be something to compete with cellular PVC and capstock composites."

Tamko Building Products plans to introduce a new compression-molded deck board that is capped on three sides. The new product will be produced using Tamko's compression-molding manufacturing process-already used for the company's EverGrain composite decking-which experts say gives boards a deeper grain and texture than composite boards that are injection-molded.

Armadillo Deck is the latest offering from Master Mark Plastics, which also produces Rhino Deck. The composite boards are made from a proprietary mix of wood pulp and recycled, high-density polyethylene plastics then fully wrapped with a tough polyethylene coating to resist fading, weathering, scratching, stains, and mildew.

Trex, Winchester, Va., recently introduced Enhance composite decking, which is positioned between its Transcend and Accents lines. Like Transcend, Enhance has a three-sided shell that protects against staining, fading, mould, rot, cracks and splinters. Available in two colours-clam shell and beach dune-it's manufactured from 95% recycled content, including reclaimed wood, sawdust and plastic bags.

TimberTech, Wilmington, Oh., has added three new colours-brick, slate and brownstone-to its new Earthwood Evolutions collection. Featuring proprietary HydroLock technology, the line is the company's first fully capped composite decking product, with a flat-grain surface that doesn't trap dirt and a consistent variegated colour for the look of hardwood.

Universal Consumer Products, Grand Rapids, Mi., is unveiling the next generation of co-extruded composite decking under its Latitudes Capricorn and Captiva brands. The new product has a more natural looking, realistic grain pattern that is resistant to scratches, stains and fading.

ProTekt capped composite deck boards from Fiberon, New London, N.C., are now offered in four colors: two solids, canyon brown, and harbor gray, and two multi-chromatics, chestnut and gray birch. Each board has a rigid core that is encased on three sides with a patent-pending, non-organic surface material that is resistant to staining, fading, scratches, and mould.

Natures Composites, Torrington, Wy., mixes recycled milk jugs with wheat straw cellulose to produce TerraDeck composite decking in three grades: standard, premium, and ultimate. All three contain 94% recycled content and 6% non-toxic adhesive. Current vice president Heath Van Eaton founded the company and developed the products, which recently received building certification from ICC Evaluation Services, a subsidiary of the International Code Council.”

Source: Building-products.com

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