The Benefits of Wood-Plastic Composite Decking

Composite decking of plastic and wood fibers, compared to pure wood decking, is becoming the choice for most homes in developed countries these days. While costing more upfront, the former requires lower maintenance costs and is more durable. More importantly, wood-plastic composite (WPC) is the wisest option if you want to help in environmental issues such as deforestation and recycling.

WPCs are usually made up of recycled plastic and wood wastes. They have the ability to be molded into spatial requirements specified by users. They also do not need to be painted or stained, unlike hard wood, which has to be sealed and stained regularly. This is one of the reasons why, over time, WPCs need less maintenance. If you are concerned about design and colors, though, these materials come in a variety of shades to match the area of your home or building where you need to use them.

But the most significant advantage of having composite decking of plastic and wood is environmental. WPCs are composed of about 40-50% recycled plastics and 50-60% recycled wood chips or fibers. This helps reduce the amount of wood and plastic wastes in landfills worldwide.

Also, to make a whole deck area solely made of wood, you need to cut down, perhaps, a whole tree. Using WPCs decreases the demand for wood and the need to cut down trees and, thus, helps stop the destruction of natural habitats across the globe.

Less air pollution is promoted by WPCs, too. Unlike treated wood, they do not contain copper, chromium, arsenic and other such toxins. You do not need to stain or seal them even after a long period of use, so you avoid ingesting harmful fumes that linger in your area when treating wood.

Most manufacturers of WPCs do not only use materials that are recycled, but are also recyclable. Their products can be later reproduced as similar materials for other outdoor areas. Indeed, some even call this "green" decking.

WPCs usually have low moisture absorption and a high resistance to rotting, insect and damage by UV rays. Their low maintenance requirement and expenses truly make them the preferred materials by many people these days compared to traditional wood. Because it is splinter-free and resistant to warping, it makes them even more popular. Undoubtedly, they do help save the environment as they use nearly 100% recycled and recyclable materials. So, the next time you look for decking materials, try to consider WPCs.

Wood and plastic decking are the best for your outdoors today. Browse online to know more about WPCs, their benefits and where to buy them.

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Seven Tips For Making a Small Deck Appear Larger

If you're struggling to fit a cedar or composite deck into a tiny yard, or if you have a small deck you wish looked bigger, you're not alone. During the past century, average American house sizes have grown, while yards have gotten smaller. As a result, more and more homeowners are trying to make the most of minimal outdoor space. Fortunately, by applying a few basic deck design principles, you can easily make a small deck look larger.

1. Landscape with care. The first step is to carefully choose plants and landscaping features that will expand your space.

Avoid clutter. Don't overwhelm a tiny yard with hundreds of blossoms and abundant statuary. Be careful not to go overboard with colors, or they could lend a clownish appearance to your tiny space. Instead, plant blocks or spots of complimentary colors.

Vary height and texture. As you surround your deck with inviting plants, maximize the use of your space by incorporating vertical elements into your deck design. Tall, skinny plants, such as bamboo, draw the eye skyward and make the area feel more expansive. By using contrasting textures, you can add complexity to your landscape without overwhelming it.

2. Emphasize the deck. Instead of planting around your boundary line, surround your deck with appealing plants to make it the focal point of your yard. Use variegated, glossy or compact plants to draw the eye. Keep the area around your cedar deck from becoming overgrown by hacking back overwhelming bushes and trees to allow the open space to shine.

3. Rearrange your deck furniture. Give some extra thought to how your furniture will be situated. A round table goes especially well in the corner of a cedar deck, for example. If your super-sized grill is crowding your deck, consider buying a smaller one or adding a small, off-deck patio for grilling.

4. Add sensual details to create privacy. It can be difficult to make a small space feel separated from the outside world. To create a sanctuary around your deck, activate the five senses with objects such as wind chimes and fountains. Consider adding a trellis or pergola to your deck design to provide a surface for climbing plants to grow into a natural sound barrier.

5. Consider built-in furniture. A bench around the edge of your cedar or composite deck will provide much-needed seating while taking up minimal space.

6. Keep pathways clear. Nothing makes a space feel cramped like having to sidestep ill-placed furniture. Make sure your furniture placement does not block the natural movement within your deck.

7. Choose cool and/or pastel colors. Colors that make a space feel larger include blues, greens, grays, whites and tans. In contrast, warm tones such as ruby make a space appear more intimate. Keep these principles in mind when choosing either the color of your composite deck or a deck stain for your cedar deck.

If you enjoy entertaining outdoors, dealing with a small deck design can be frustrating. However, making a few simple changes to open up the space can often lead to surprising results.

~Colleen Welch, 2010

Discover more tips to help you make the most of your cedar deck design at the Rick's Fencing & Decking website for cedar and composite decks in Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Salem and the greater Portland area.

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Ipe Decking Outlasts & Outshines Other Decking Materials

There's a lot of interest in ipe decking. This is evident when you see all of the new commercial projects that are popping up throughout the country that are using this premium exotic hardwood. In addition many green building projects are also using ipe wood in many interesting and unique ways.

Recently, New York City just unveiled an extremely innovative and unique park concept called the New York City Highline Park. This park was created by designers who thought that an abandoned railway line could be reinvented as a park that the city's residents can use and enjoy. One of the park's key features is its benches and an amphitheater style sitting area. Both are made of ipe wood. The reason why this wood was chosen was specifically because it can be cultivated and harvested through sustainable forestry practices. When you visit New York City, take the time to visit this park to see how ipe is being used in a new and unique way.

In addition, the city of Toronto in Canada also recently unveiled a new bridge that, quite frankly, is making waves in the commercial design world. Why? Because, parts of this bridge were actually designed to emulate a wave! That's right, as part of Toronto's downtown renovation project they chose to make a walkway that really captures the eye.

You can also find ipe decking on boardwalks all along the east coast of the United States. From the Atlantic City Boardwalk, the Miami Beach boardwalk, ipe decking is renowned for being able to tolerate extreme weather and daily use. These cities also choose ipe wood because of its ability to naturally withstand mold, mildew, insects, rot and decay. This is why the Florida city of Boynton Beach chose ipe decking to actually REPLACE their current composite decking.

For commercial green building projects, ipe decking is also the preferred choice. Just take a look at the brand new Eco Park in Houston, Texas. They chose ipe for many different applications including benches and siding.

From New York City to Treasure Island in Las Vegas and beyond, ipe decking is the number one choice for cities and municipalities that want to build eco-friendly structures that are both affordable and enduring.

Ipe decking has earned this reputation due to the fact that is a durable wood product that has virtually no flaws or downside. Simply put, Mother Nature built ipe wood to withstand the elements for decades. How many? Well how about ten. That's right; ipe decking can be left alone for a century before it really needs any maintenance. Composite decking, cedar decking, pressure treated decking and other wood decking can't say the same. In fact, ipe decking is eight times stronger than redwood and three times stronger than teak.

Ultimately, if you're looking to build a commercial product and are weighing the pros and cons of ipe decking, do yourself a favor and Google "composite decking problems" and "composite decking recalls." You'll see that many brands of composite decking produce an inferior product that costs just as much, if not more, than ipe. Why settle? Why use taxpayer money on a material with a horrible track record?

Hopefully, the choice has become clear. Ipe hardwood is, by far, the best decking material that you can buy. The fact that many other cities and companies choose ipe over many other choices is the best reason to consider using this wood for your next commercial project.

Learn more about Ipe Decking. George Amarillo is a decking expert and can shares his knowledge about green building and other decking materials.

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