Eco-Friendly Alternative Materials for Deck Building

Building a deck isn’t just about adding an outdoor area to your home that you and your family use for three or four months of the year to barbeque. It is about a change of life style for the entire year with the addition of benches, planters, and a partial roof. But don’t be stuck with the constant worry of sanding and restraining your deck every three years, instead, discuss an alternative building material when consulting your contractor about deck building.

Composites and PVC are alternatives to the traditional wooden decking materials and are highly favored in areas with all types of weather, even harsh climates. Environmentally responsible consumers find themselves in a quandary because they want a natural product for decking, but they understand trees are being cut down at a significantly alarming rate. Knowing that reclaimed plastics are combined with a small about of wood fiber to create a deck building material that is resistant to foot traffic, moisture, insects, and dents, may often sway even the wariest conservationist.

Composite decking material is especially popular because of the variety of wood-like grains and colors it comes in. Some types are considered to be 95 percent recycled materials so that composite decking can be one of the eco-friendliest alternatives made. Plastic is gathered from grocery bags, sandwich and zipped bags, package wrap and numerous other plastic items that would otherwise be thrown away. A plastic film is created and then combined with recycled sawdust, heated, and formed into boards. 

The resulting boards are UV resistant, won’t chip, or rot, and insects won’t bother them. The boards won’t splinter or warp either, so that means the deck building materials require almost no maintenance other than a power washing once a year. Instead of repairing or repainting, you can spend time with family and friends, or alone with your feet up reading a book.