Content about Deck

Cali Bamboo, a leading manufacturer of green building materials made primarily from bamboo, is now offering composite decking made from bamboo and recycled plastic. BamDeck Composite Bamboo Decking is composed of 60% recycled bamboo fiber and 40% recycled HDPE plastics. (High density polyethylene plastic products are labeled with the number “2” and include bottles, laundry detergent containers, plastic bags and water pipes.)

Edison, N.J.-based Starborn Industries, a manufacturer and distributor of fastening products, introduced Deckfast Metal for the fast-growing market of steel joist deck framing systems.

The company said more architects and deck builders are using metal joist substructures when creating decks. Deckfast Metal is a fastener that can be used to attach every type of decking -- PVC, composite, capstock and hardwood -- to steel and aluminum substructures.

National Nail Corp. is expanding its CAMO brand to include CAMO Exterior Screws comprised of Premium Deck, Structural, Composite/Capstock and Stainless screws.

“From the beginning, our plan has been to offer the market a complete line of deck fasteners from a brand the industry identifies with,” said Scott Baker, President and CEO at National Nail Corp. “The expansion of our industry leading CAMO Fasteners brand to include one of the most complete offerings of deck fasteners is consistent with this plan.” 

A group of plaintiffs seeking class action status have filed a lawsuit against decking manufacturer Fiberon over its Portico wood composite line. The lawsuit, filed March 14 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Hagens Berman, a Seattle-based firm, claims that the decking has a defect that results in the growth of mold, mildew and other fungal growth. Furthermore, the complaint claims that Fiberon refused to repair the decks under its 20-year warranty.

Sunrise Decking, a pressure-treated lumber product by Sunbelt Forest Products, is now available through lumber dealers, home centers and fence contractors across Florida, the Southeast and into the Caribbean Basin.

Treated with Ecolife, a non-metallic wood preservative and wood made by Viance, the product can be purchased in 10-ft., 12-ft. and 16-ft. lengths throughout Florida exclusively at 84 Lumber store locations.

The Empire Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of New Zealand-based Tenon LTD, has been selected as the exclusive distribution partner for Eastman Chemical Company’s new Perennial Wood decking product into Lowe’s stores.

Eastman is a Fortune 500 company with more than 80 years of history in acetylating wood pulp, according to the announcement. In 2010, 13% of Eastman’s total revenues were derived from sales of raw materials to the building and construction industry. 

Demand for wood-plastic composite and plastic lumber, used in decking, railing, trim and other building materials, is projected to rise 13% per year until 2015, according to a report from The Freedonia Group.

Choosing material for a new deck used to be a simple proposition: There were pressure-treated lumber, which most people used, or fancier woods such as cedar, redwood and mahogany. Then came Trex, and a bunch of other composites, and the alternative decking market exploded. Cellular PVC, capped versus non-capped, decking made from recycled nylon carpet, special fasteners, not to mention all those railing systems.

Winchester, Va.-based Trex Co. launched the new Trex Enhance high-performance composite decking. 

The new product will be positioned between Trex Accents and Transcend in the company's good, better, best decking line-up, according to CEO Ronald Kaplan.

"Trex Enhance will both expand and strengthen our high-performance decking portfolio and provide consumers with a composite product that features a multitude of innovative features," said Kaplan.

AZEK Building Products, a manufacturer of PVC-based molding, trim and decking, has entered into a strategic alliance with VAST Enterprises, a maker of composite masonry products. Under the agreement, AZEK Building Products has purchased an interest in VAST and will make the VAST brand available to AZEK's distribution network. AZEK and VAST will collaborate on sales and marketing initiatives to drive brand awareness among architects and contractors, according to the announcement.

Simpson Strong-Tie has announced that it will now be offering decking software solutions from Feeney Inc., a leading manufacturer of high-quality, innovative architectural and garden products. Feeney has joined Simpson’s DeckTools deck sales and design software partners’ library with some of its most popular products: CableRail railing infill cables, Lightline door canopies, and two styles of wall-mounted cable and rod trellises.