As I discussed last week, Deck Expo really offers a very concentrated way of seeing what is going on in the decking world. Virtually all of the key brands in the composite decking category with representatives in attendance including Trex, Timber Tech, Fiberon, Vanguard, Moisture Shield, CorrectDeck, Rever, TAMKO, NewTech and others.
The news in this category was not so much what was new in the way of products, but how the composite market has evolved in product positioning, customer acceptance, new entrants and established companies exiting or rationalizing production. AERT is looking at some innovative ideas including the use of Juniper fibre in its composition to fight mold and reduce the use of chemicals in its product. Other lines have been trying to find the sweet spot in their composition mix to control costs with the increasing price of plastic and oil, while not compromising the integrity and longevity of their deck boards.
Innovation in this category to broaden the appeal with customers (addressing environmental and longevity concerns primarily) are going to be key to the growth versus wood and pure plastic products. While using more efficient production and sourcing of raw inputs are going to be the only way to counter increasing costs and to address the dominant use of pressure treated lumber as the low cost product of choice.
One incredible product on display was PureWood. This is a decking material made from wood that has been thermally modified (apparently any wood can be used, though pine and fir seem to be the options they are considering). This allows wood that has not been treated or sealed to withstand the elements without decaying like typical softwoods. There is a great article discussing the product here: PureWoodArticle
Thermally modified wood products have been used in Europe for around 10 years, but have not really been used extensively in North America. It offers an environmentally sensitive option with regards to chemical usage as compared to pressure treated lumber, although the carbon footprint of the thermal treating will have to be taken into consideration given that the product is heated and steamed for 50-60 hours in its production.
It will be interesting to see the uptake of PureWood and other thermally modified products as they are introduced. With the focus on innovation in materials, there is likely to be some interest in this category. However, with an expected price point to rival hardwood exotics and high end PVC decking, the question remains how much volume will actually convert.
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I can’t see thermally modified wood catching on. The samples and results I have seen are inferior compared to other low maintenance decking products.