I saw this article on line with the discussion focusing on the challenges in determining which composite deck to go with and what determines value. Have a look and let me know what you think offers value in a composite deck.
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/porch/msg0711084121089.html
Campbell
What is a good product for building a dock? Some of the key considerations I have come across are the weight if it is a floating dock, and the resistance to water and sunlight. I am not recommending one over another but if you look at the groups of products the feedback ranges like the following
- Pressure treated - good economical, and usually strong enough depending on the size or species. the downside is the weight can be excessive if water soaked or the heavier 2×6 size.
- Western Red Cedar - much lighter and non chemical if that is a consideration, and is quite durable.
- Composite decking - usually very good, durable, long lasting, and almost impervious to water.
- Vinyl Decking (PVC) - for water I think this is one of the better ones, totally impervious to water, a very long lived product, and can be the lightest. One drawback would be damage on the edge if a proper boat bumper is not installed.
Regards, Glen
For the last couple of months almost everyone has been using their crystal ball to estimate the market activity in 2008. I like to think there are two broad categories, the new homes and the renovation market.
New home starts are going to be down, no question about it, estimates are anywhere from about 1.0 million up to 1.2 million new units, and the worst sector will be the single family starts. Let’s hope the bottom arrives soon, but we all know that is going to depend on how the sub-prime mess gets resolved.
On renovations, if folks are not buying new homes, then more will decide to fix, change, or upgrade the existing home. Our customer base is heavy to the the contractor, deck building and the DIY persons and this market should remain steady. If there are about 100 million housing units in the market, many of those homes will be doing some sort of deck/garden renovation. It is a multi- billion dollar business.
This is only early January however the calls have started for the spring projects, let’s see how it goes.
Regards, Glen
One question we get a quite a lot, “what do you have for boat docks and piers?” The answer is either of the Composites (Yakima or Rever), PVC Quadra, or the Western Red Cedar, whatever you want.
The most impervious to the water, fresh or salt, is the Quadra vinyl decking and it will last a long time, the only suggestion I would make would be around the edge make sure you add the rubber bumper for the boats. It is about 30% less in weight than the Yakima. This has a lifetime structural warranty even near water.
Yakima and Rever are also good choices, and Yakima can span 24″ which seems to be a distinct advantage on spans for long narrow docks- less joist usage.
For wood, Cedar is the species, no chemicals, long lasting, few slivers and good around water.
Take your pick, regards
Glen
I cannot say enough about this species, it has been used for decades around the world. It grows in western North America from Oregon up to Alaska, and has been used in roofing shingles and shakes, exterior siding, window and door framing, decking and interior paneling. It is sold to Asia, Europe and through most of North America.
Aside from its rich red brown color, the physical properties make Cedar easy to work with. First of all a very durable outdoor species and decking has been known to last well over 20 years. The long fibers also make the lumber less likely to twist and turn when in place and it dries to a normal moisture content. I have heard stories of other species shrinking excessively and Cedar’s dimensional changes are about one half of “whitewoods”. Less shrinkage and size change means less chance of twisting and warping.
We have two grades available, one is the grade designed for decking, “select decking”, details are on the website but the key points are sound tight knots and very little “wane” - rounded corners due to a lack of wood. The other grade is still very workable but is more economical - expect some extra trimming to be needed but overall is still a very good price and grade.
One website that is a great resource is the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association www.wrcla.org where you can get information on products, grades, finishing and even projects for the DIY person.
If you want a natural wood for your deck, at a good price, Cedar is the species and I urge you to check it out.
regards,
Glen
First of all Happy New Year.
My last entry was about “mid winter and decking?” but spring is not that far away when you consider time lines of planning and construction, and getting a contractor lined up! Renovation of the deck can add value to the home so start the process now.
As I look back over the past year some trends and key considerations have been played out. The first has been the green trend, recycled, no chemicals long lasting and that would fall directly onto our composite and PVC decking. Yakima and Rever are our two brands on composite, and Quadra is our recylced PVC decking. They all come with a hidden clip system, and the composites can be fastened directly with deck screws as an option.
The Quadra is PVC and is a pleasant surprise to many buyers. It is light, good looking and comes with a life-time structural warranty. Siding and window/door frames have been done for years and now decking is coming into its own. At a weight of 1.25 lbs per lineal foot it is ideal for docks and piers where weight and water are factors to consider.
I call them low maintenance with the only maintenance being to keep it clean. Nothing is no-maintenance. If it gets dirty then mould will grow on the dirt, no way around it. Most cleaning can be done with a mixture of brush/soap/water and a garden hose. Please be careful if using a power washer.
Check out the composite and PVC on www.builddirect.com in the decking section. My next article is going to be about Western Red Cedar, a very durable all purpose wood indigenous to the western part of North America from Oregon up to Alaska.
regards
Glen
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