Design a deck that will last

Watching the sunset from one’s patio with a cool beverage in hand is a well-entrenched local tradition. The region’s hot summer days and long twilight hours lure people outdoors, turning many backyard decks into second living rooms.

Devoting a couple of weekends a year to maintaining that deck or patio, however, can erase a bit of the allure. And for some, the thought of using virgin trees for a non-mandatory function is unthinkable.

Whatever their reason, many consumers have been turning to composite decking and other alternative building materials.

With more recyclables being returned to the manufacturing process, and with more manufacturers catering to the green culture and to people who just want to save a little time, product selection is increasing every year.

Today’s consumers have a wide selection, including decking manufactured entirely from recycled plastic as well as composites of plastic and wood fibers. The wide variety of finishes makes it easy to match most color palettes and garden styles.

Manufacturers are increasingly offering more options for patios and paths as well. Garden paths can be lined with tumbled recycled glass, nut shells or wood chips. Consumers can choose recycled bricks, glass blocks or concrete chunks for patios, greatly lowering the cost as well as the ecological impact. Whatever a yard’s style and functionality, a material can be found to suit it.

Decks still dominate, though, and composite materials are taking over the market.

“Recycled (plastic) wood tends not to splinter. It will fade but has very good durability. It’s resistant to rot and insects, and lasts a lot longer,” said Allison Gray, sustainable building specialist for the Department of Ecology. “With research, you can make a wise wood choice, but there will still be the additional maintenance. It’s not durable and not going to last.”

The demand has become so large, independently owned Windsor Plywood finds it financially advantageous to offer composite decking exclusively.

“It’s been five years or more since we got out of redwood. By the time you maintain a wood deck, composite will pay for itself for years to come,” Windsor Plywood manager Blaine Gibson said. “Once it’s in, it’s done; there’s no finishing the product. It lasts a long time and has great durability.”

Gray’s 100-year-old home is surrounded by mature, flowering trees.

“It’s really lovely, lots of vegetation,” she said, “but there is nowhere to sit.” She recently began pricing materials to have a deck added this year. Because of what she does for a living, Gray keeps up-to-date on the newest green options and said she will not hesitate to use recycled materials for the project.

The EPA estimates 24.7 million tons of plastics were headed for landfills in 2000; 23.5 million tons made it. With only 1.2 million tons being recycled, there is still an enormous supply that can be converted to consumer products. With petroleum costs rising, the price of virgin plastics will continue to rise as well, further enhancing the desirability of recycled products by making them comparatively cheaper, Gibson said.

“Ultimately, you decide what is most important to you: human health, energy costs, the environment, ease of maintenance? There are lots of choices,” Gray said.