Composite decks get more affordable

Las Vegas — Trex Co. Inc. says it has engineered cost out of the equation for homeowners wanting to upgrade from pressure-treated wood decking — and the sanding, staining and sealing work it needs — to low-maintenance composite wood decking.

The Winchester, Va.-based company showed two new lines of its Enhance decking, which is made from recycled polyethylene plastic film and reclaimed wood fiber, at the International Builders' Show, put on Feb. 21-23 by the National Association of Home Builders in Las Vegas.

Trex's decking line called Enhance Basic was re-engineered with a scalloped profile on the underside to cut material costs, Leslie Adkins, vice president of marketing, told Plastics News. The savings are being passed on to consumers as the No. 1 manufacturer of composite wood decking strategically prices Enhance Basic to close the spending gap with pressure-treated lumber.

"This collection introduces a premium quality, low-maintenance decking option for budget-minded consumers who may have previously eliminated composite from their consideration set due to price," Adkins said. "By narrowing the price gap, we're able to widen our reach and capture a larger share of the decking market."

At $1.75 per linear foot, Enhance Basic costs about twice as much as wood, which sells for about 85 cents per linear foot, according to the latest Trex investor presentation. Still, company officials expect the price and value proposition to entice more homeowners and put Trex within their reach.

Unlike wood, composite decking does not fade, stain, scratch, mold, rot, warp or crack. The boards don't require any time-consuming maintenance either beyond cleaning with soap and water. And the scalloped profile is lighter weight than other decking for easier handling and installation.

Trex's other new composite decking, Enhance Naturals, is priced at $2.50 per linear foot along with Trex Select. Both decking lines are targeting the do-it-yourself market and budget-conscious buyers, while the company's premier line, Trex Transend, costs $4 per linear foot.

Trex isn't the only composite decking manufacturer rolling out new or modified products to compete more directly against wood decking, which in 2016 held about 83 percent of a $2.5 billion market. At IBS, TimberTech Edge, Fiberon Good Life, MoistureShield and Tamko Envision representatives also were talking about the benefits their products bring to outdoor living spaces as the conversion to nonwood materials continues.

Despite its long and strong dominance, wood is losing market share — it was at 84 percent in 2014 — at the expense of composites, according to Prinicipia Partners, a research and consulting firm focused on the construction industry, although the new figures are expected later this year.

Every percent of market share that wood loses represents a gain of about $50 million a year in sales to competitors, according to Trex officials.

With annual sales of $565.2 million, Trex leads the pack and ranks sixth among pipe, profile and tubing extruders in North America, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.

TimberTech Edge is another new composite decking priced to compete with wood from Azek Building Products, a division of Skokie, Ill.-based Azek Co. LLC. Azek launched a rebranding of the TimberTech line on Feb. 3 with a Super Bowl ad and the tagline of "Go against the grain."

Previously, the company went to market under both the Azek and TimberTech brand names. However, TimberTech now is the umbrella brand for all decking, railing, porch, paver, fastening and lighting product, while Azek Exteriors takes in the trim and moulding business.

Azek Building Products ranks at No. 11 with estimated sales of $425 million for the decking and railing extrusion that Plastics News tracks.

The company's decking portfolio includes three lines of which TimberTech Edge — made from high density polyethylene and wood fiber — is geared at cost-conscious consumers.

"This is a product to help people move away from pressure-treated wood. Hopefully they will say, 'The price point is close enough; I'm going to go to a composite product,'" Patrick Barnds, senior vice president of product management of Azek Building Products, told Plastics News.

Like Trex, TimberTech Edge is capped on three sides. It comes with a 25-year fade and stain warranty.

"You get no warranty on wood and it is higher maintenance, so why not change?" Barnds asked.

The addition of a 16-by-20-foot composite deck in a simple linear pattern with a built-in bench and planter and three steps to grade costs about $19,150, according to the 2019 cost vs. value report by Remodeling Magazine. The homeowner will recoup 69.1 percent of the cost, or $13,232, the magazine says.

The $2.5 billion value of the decking market comes from a news release from Deerfield, Ill.-based Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc., which acquired New London, N.C.-based Fiberon LLC for about $470 million in August 2018 and added it to its new Doors & Security segment.

A market report by Freedonia Group projected the value of the decking market would reach $7.1 billion by 2020.

To win some of that share, Fiberon has a decking line called Good Life with a scalloped underside that offers manufacturing efficiencies that were passed on to customers. The decking has a wood composite core, which prevents splintering, insect infestation and decay, and it is bonded on three sides with durable HDPE for stain and fade resistance.

"The difference between us and the competitors is that our deck board wasn't something we just came up with. It's proven in the marketplace for five years," James Gunning, Fiberon director of sales, said at IBS.

Fiberon introduced three new Good Life colors at the show — beach house, bungalow and Tuscan villa — that are variegated or streaked to better mimic hardwoods.

With other manufacturers also launching low-priced composite decking, more consumers should take notice.

"What's really important is that for the first time ever, if you look at replacing a pressure-treated wood deck, that cost stretcher of going to a composite is the smallest price differentiation that it has ever been," Gunning said. "We have a great opportunity to grab some more share against wood because not only is the price very attractive but the look has gotten more attractive."

With $215 million of estimated sales in the last year, Fiberon comes in 21st among North American pipe, profile and tubing extruders, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.

The brand MoistureShield introduced an improvement at IBS to its line of Vision composite decking with an all-polymer cap that resists scratches, stains and fading.

The coating, called DiamondDefense technology, is durable enough to withstand high-heeled shoes, furniture legs and golf cleats in demonstration tests.

DiamondDefense represents an evolution in MoistureShield cap technology, according to Joey Peters, senior brand manager.

"DiamondDefense technology brings peace of mind to customers who want the look of interior hardwoods with the strength that's needed in outdoor environments," Peters said in a news release.

MoistureShield also came out with two new colors of composite decking featuring its CoolDeck technology, which Peters said minimizes heat absorption by up to 35 percent compared to traditional capped composite boards. The newest colors, mochaccino and cathedral stone, were added to the Vision decking line.

"The addition of CoolDeck colors to the Vision line represents a marriage of two technologies that together provide a visually appealing indoor-flooring look and a more comfortable composite decking experience," Peters said.

MoistureShield decking is extruded from recycled polyethylene and recycled wood fiber by Oldcastle Architectural Inc., which acquired the brand's original owner, Advance Environmental Recycling Technologies Inc., in a $117 million cash deal in March 2017.

Joplin, Mo.-based Tamko Building Products Inc. also has a line of capped composite decking called Envision that it is offering at various price points, with the Expression line being its entry-level product.

The company uses compression molding to manufacture the boards as opposed to an extrusion process, saying it leaves a deeper grain with better board variation.

At IBS, Tamko officials invited attendees to "feel the difference" in a space where many products look alike.

"Envision is strikingly beautiful. The colors and patterns set it apart," Shara Gamble, Tamko's director of decking sales and marketing, said in a news release. "But when you get close enough to feel the boards, then you really understand what makes this product so special."