Environmentally Friendly Decking

Johnny Abruzzo

I'm in the market for a new deck, and this contractor tells me that Azac PVC products are eco-friendly.

They have a lot of info on their website about sustainability, but I don't know if I can trust it. I was under the impression that PVC production is kind of a disaster for the planet.

Anybody out there who knows more about this than me, and any advice on the most eco-friendly way to replace my deck? Thanks!

Here's Azac's website: http://www.azek.com/azek-deck/

Stardog3..

Greenwashing.

PVC is PVC. It's the most common plastic and not environmentally friendly. I know there are mixed views on this when using it.

Found this for you:
Despite such distinctions and long life cycles of PVC products, the controversy over PVC intensified recently as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), creator of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, wrestled with a decision to add a credit to its program for contractors who avoid PVC products. The USGBC decided not to add the credit because of a gap in the data and questions about the environmental quality of PVC alternatives. But the report concluded that factoring in landfill fires, “the additional risk of dioxin emissions puts PVC consistently among the worst materials for human health impacts.”

London Bridge

I'm sure the contractor is just trying to get your business.

Do the research.
Here's a 2009 article that mentions Azek.

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/decks/pvc-decking-grows-in-popularity.aspx

RKCNDY

Trex decking recycles PET plastics (as in plastic grocery bags and water/soda bottles) into decking.

Formed in 1996, Trex Company is the country's largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking, railing and fencing products.

Trex® turns millions of pounds of recycled and reclaimed plastic and waste wood each year into Trex products. Most of these raw materials come from recovered plastic grocery bags, plastic film, and waste wood fiber. Trex Company purchases approximately 300 million pounds of used polyethylene and an equal amount of hardwood sawdust each year, materials that would normally end up in a landfill. The company recycles over 1.3 billion grocery retail bags annually.

Trex outdoor living products are true value-added features for residential and commercial installations. They offer unmatched good looks and longevity, and will never rot, crack or splinter. Trex products are extremely weather-resistant and never need painting or staining for protection. And, Trex decking is the only composite lumber to be code-listed by the nation’s three major building code agencies. Trex products are stocked in more than 5,500 retail locations across the United States and Canada.

I know several people that have replaced their decks with Trex (living in a constantly damp environment really wears on the wood decks), all of them are very happy with their decks, and you really can't tell it's made of recycled materials util you actually touch it...it really looks like painted wood.

Johnny Abruzzo

RKCNDY wrote:

Trex decking recycles PET plastics (as in plastic grocery bags and water/soda bottles) into decking.

Formed in 1996, Trex Company is the country's largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking, railing and fencing products.

Trex® turns millions of pounds of recycled and reclaimed plastic and waste wood each year into Trex products. Most of these raw materials come from recovered plastic grocery bags, plastic film, and waste wood fiber. Trex Company purchases approximately 300 million pounds of used polyethylene and an equal amount of hardwood sawdust each year, materials that would normally end up in a landfill. The company recycles over 1.3 billion grocery retail bags annually.

Trex outdoor living products are true value-added features for residential and commercial installations. They offer unmatched good looks and longevity, and will never rot, crack or splinter. Trex products are extremely weather-resistant and never need painting or staining for protection. And, Trex decking is the only composite lumber to be code-listed by the nation’s three major building code agencies. Trex products are stocked in more than 5,500 retail locations across the United States and Canada.

I know several people that have replaced their decks with Trex (living in a constantly damp environment really wears on the wood decks), all of them are very happy with their decks, and you really can't tell it's made of recycled materials util you actually touch it...it really looks like painted wood.

Another contractor told me Trex has problems with mold.

This deck project has been going on for years while we try to figure out the most cost-effective & eco-friendly method. Arggh. :fp:

polaris_x

hey ... just wanna say - kudos for you for factoring the planet into your decision making!! ... :thumbup:

i'm not sure on this decking stuff as to truly consider the environment you have to look at the entire life cycle of the product from not only it's materials but how it is produced, it's longevity, etc ...

without knowing exactly how this pvc stuff is manufactured - i would guess that building your deck using sustainable wood products (FSC) or even reclaimed wood would be the most eco-friendly along with proper maintenance of the deck. Even if this pvc deck is made from recycling plastic bags - the embodied energy in converting that plastic to pvc I would suspect is quite high. I didn't notice anything on the website that says it is eco-friendly - was that just ad-libbed by the contractor?

Johnny Abruzzo

polaris_x wrote:

hey ... just wanna say - kudos for you for factoring the planet into your decision making!! ... :thumbup:

i'm not sure on this decking stuff as to truly consider the environment you have to look at the entire life cycle of the product from not only it's materials but how it is produced, it's longevity, etc ...

without knowing exactly how this pvc stuff is manufactured - i would guess that building your deck using sustainable wood products (FSC) or even reclaimed wood would be the most eco-friendly along with proper maintenance of the deck. Even if this pvc deck is made from recycling plastic bags - the embodied energy in converting that plastic to pvc I would suspect is quite high. I didn't notice anything on the website that says it is eco-friendly - was that just ad-libbed by the contractor?

Thanks man. There was a link on that website about how PVC decking is sustainable, mainly because of its life cycle and the fact that is doesn't burn easily, and that it's recyclable.

PVC decking isn't made from recycled bags - that's composite wood decking, which is what we really want to do. PVC is plastic and made from petroleum I believe. Thus my skepticism about its "eco-friendliness".

I need a low maintenance deck because I know I will maintain it poorly. So plain old wood is probably not going to work.

polaris_x

Johnny Abruzzo wrote:

Thanks man. There was a link on that website about how PVC decking is sustainable, mainly because of its life cycle and the fact that is doesn't burn easily, and that it's recyclable.

PVC decking isn't made from recycled bags - that's composite wood decking, which is what we really want to do. PVC is plastic and made from petroleum I believe. Thus my skepticism about its "eco-friendliness".

I need a low maintenance deck because I know I will maintain it poorly. So plain old wood is probably not going to work.

oh ... definitely not eco-friendly then ...

brianlux

Like polaris_x said, big thumbs up for considering environmental factors in your decision making. Nicely done!