Ross Goodwin just finished building a massive cellular PVC deck on a beach house in Ventura, Calif., and his clients adore it. "At the beach, they really love that they can just take the hose and wash it off, especially with the sand," says the owner of Ventura-based R and S Construction. "The maintenance part is the key to the whole deal. They just love it to death."
It's not just his customers who are devoted to the product; Goodwin himself likes working with the material because he says it doesn't generate callbacks. He says it requires little maintenance and no painting, and is rot- and termite-resistant, so "once you've built it, you're done."
This increasing interest in "ultra-low-maintenance" decking has spurred a spate of new products made from cellular PVC, a material that manufacturers say works like wood while addressing the performance issues of wood and wood-plastic composites.
Made of foamed polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and sometimes featuring a capstock made from solid PVC or acrylic, cellular PVC boards contain little or no organic material that could lighten and fade, absorb moisture and stains, or grow mold.
"We live in a society where we're demanding things to be easier," explains Scott Fedor, senior product manager for decking at Trex. Homeowners view the deck as an extension of their home, he says. "They want to be able to enjoy it, not work on it."
This desire leads some manufacturers to believe that while cellular PVC is only a small portion of today's decking market, it could eventually make up as much as 15 percent to 25 percent and match or surpass the current 15 percent to 20 percent market share for wood-plastic composites.
Stain Stopper
Cellular PVC's success depends largely on its ability to resist staining, scratching, and splitting, three problems sometimes associated with composite decking, manufacturers claim. Because composite products are made up largely of wood fiber, they may absorb stains like barbecue grease or ketchup. But on cellular PVC boards, those spills can be wiped or washed away. Cellular PVC boards also are more scratch-resistant, manufacturers say, and thus not susceptible to damage from an installer's tools or a homeowner's furniture.
While all decking will fade over time, cellular PVC decking retains its color better than composites because it does not contain wood fibers that can fade, manufacturers report. Using technology similar to vinyl siding, some products have improved pigments with UV stabilizers to reduce fading in the PVC material. Some companies offer color warranties of up to 10 years.
Long-lasting color was particularly important to Goodwin's clients. "They like it because the color they chose almost matched the house. Now they know, 'We don't need to worry about painting it.'"
The product also has a number of installation-friendly features. Due to the material's cellular nature, the boards do not split, even when screws are driven near the end of the plank, manufacturers say. At 1.3 to 2 pounds per linear foot, versus 2.5 to 3 pounds for composite, cellular PVC boards also are easier to ship and install. "The light weight, to me, is very important," says Thomas Mastandrea, owner of Custom Decks in Bohemia, N.Y. "My back doesn't go on those [cellular PVC] jobs."
Down Sides
Cellular PVC does face challenges, however. Expansion and contraction is one concern, especially for contractors like Goodwin who erect massive decks. "That is the drawback," he says.
Azek president Ralph Bruno says that cellular PVC Azek Deck features Procell technology, a flax product made from agricultural waste that bonds with the plastic around it, reducing expansion and contraction. Other manufacturers say inorganic, reinforcing fillers in their products help minimize the material's thermal expansion, and they recommend installing the decking with gaps at the ends between boards and along the sides, based on the temperature of the material, to accommodate expansion.
Cellular PVC's price also may scare away some consumers, pros say. The deck boards range from approximately the same cost as higher-end, tropical-look composite decking up to 20 percent more on a linear-foot basis, and two to four times the cost of treated wood. But some pros compare the cost to expensive hardwoods like ipe or redwood, which may be only slightly less expensive or even more expensive than cellular PVC.
Exotic wood decks are more labor-intensive to install, especially with hidden fasteners, says David Pimental, owner of New Bedford, Mass.-based upscale remodeling firm Pimental Contractors. An ipe deck with hidden fasteners could cost 10 percent to 20 percent more than a cellular PVC deck, he says. And, especially in waterfront communities, he says his customers love that cellular PVC, unlike wood, requires little maintenance, another cost saver.
Strong Look
A shiny, plastic appearance has traditionally been the main deterrent for some customers interested in vinyl decking. Though a type of vinyl, cellular PVC sports a matte finish and has a solid structure and an expanded color palette. In addition, some cellular PVC decking companies are taking other steps to make their products look more like wood. Composite decking still maintains an advantage over cellular PVC in realistic color, looks, and texture, Fedor claims, but cellular PVC is coming closer with embossed wood-grain patterns and deeper, darker hues.
Fiberon Sanctuary decking, for instance, has a capstock that uses the same pigment technology as the company's Tropics composite boards for a random, multichromatic look, according to Craig Sherrett, director of marketing at Fiber Composites. "If we can achieve that aesthetic realism, we think that's the future."
Trex Escapes decking uses a proprietary technology to deliver truer, darker, and more natural-looking hues such as dark and medium browns and dark grays, says Fedor. Combined with an embossed wood-grain pattern, "It gives a very natural look," he says. TimberTech XLM was designed to look like painted wood with a figured, flat grain similar to oak on one side and a straight grain on the other, says Tom Day, senior product manager at TimberTech.
Still, pros add that even if the product doesn't look like the real thing, their customers are more concerned about cellular PVC's low-maintenance aspects. "They just care that it's bright and stays clean," Mastandrea says. "You're not going to get the real wood look of it, but it's going to last forever."
Sensibuilt
Sensibuilt. Sensibuilt cellular PVC decking incorporates a unique surface technology that offers rich, stable architectural colors, creating a fade- and stain-resistant product, according to the maker. Even the darkest of the four available colors, which comprise redwood, mocha, driftwood, and cedar, will not have detectable fading after a decade of outdoor weathering exposure, the company claims. 724-799-2030. www.sensibuilt.com.
WeatherBest
WeatherBest. Constructed by wrapping a protective ASA/PVC layer over a core of foamed PVC, "high-performance" cellular PVC decking (HPD) is resistant to scratching and staining while providing a realistic wood look, the maker says. A multi-chromatic manufacturing technology creates random, distinctive graining patterns, meaning no two pieces are alike, the company adds. HPD is available in two colors: tigerwood and redwood. 800-343-3651. www.weatherbest.com.
Azek
Azek. Azek Porch planks are made of cellular PVC and have the same performance characteristics as the manufacturer's decking, the maker says. Available in brownstone and slate gray colors, the tongue-and-groove, 1-inch-by-4-inch planks install easily with traditional woodworking tools and are up to 40 percent lighter in weight than wood composites, the company adds. Because of its reduced expansion and contraction, the product can be used in covered or uncovered areas, the manufacturer states. 877-275-2935. www.azek.com.
Fiber Composites
Fiber Composites. Fiberon Sanctuary cellular PVC decking features a PVC alloy finish that combines PVC and ASA. The result, the company says, is a decking with good color retention and durability, and resistance to mold, mildew, and stains. The product also uses a coloring process that blends light and dark hues to create natural color variations found in real wood. 704-463-7120. www.fiberondecking.com.
Gossen
Gossen. WeatherReady cellular PVC decking contains no organic fibers used as fillers or stiffeners. The product is stain- and scratch-resistant and low maintenance, according to the maker. The boards' texturing is welded under extreme pressure and heat to form a permanent surface that helps protect against slipping, the manufacturer adds. Boards are available in dark goldenrod, slate, and sand colors. 800-558-8984. www.gossencorp.com.
Tiger Claw
Tiger Claw. The Proclip hidden deck fastener (pictured) is designed to work with cellular PVC decking materials that do not have a capstock, such as Azek. It has a concave-tipped prong that provides more edge tension and helps stop the fastener from popping out during installation. The TC-3 fastener is designed for cellular PVC decking with a capstock, such as Trex Escapes and TimberTech XLM, the maker says. 800-928-4437. www.deckfastener.com.
Trex
Trex. Developed with Veka Innovations, Escapes decking and fascias resist stains, mold, scratches, and fire and can be cleaned easily with soap and water, the maker says. Made with cellular PVC technology, they feature a natural wood-grain pattern and come in three colors: pewter (gray), Sahara (beige), and acorn (brown). Fascias also are available in glacier white. 800-289-8739. www.trex.com.
TimberTech
TimberTech. XLM cellular PVC decking provides scratch- and stain-resistance and a Class A fire rating, according to the manufacturer. The decking is 40 percent lighter than the company's wood-plastic composite planks, features a solid cap to reinforce its structural integrity, and is available in grooved or non-grooved planks. 800-307-7780. www.timbertech.com.