Deck makers meet record growth with capacity expansions

Orlando, Fla. — Deck makers continue to add capacity, launch new products and take leading roles in the circular economy as PVC and composite products carve out bigger shares of the wood-dominated market.

The strength of the repair-and-remodel market, the popularity of outdoor living spaces and increasing demand for low-maintenance alternatives to wood decking are driving record growth.

Chicago-based Azek Co. has made significant capital investments and expects to have doubled decking capacity by the end of 2022, compared with 2019 levels.

"We're in a great position," Azek CEO Jesse Singh said at the International Builders' Show, held Feb. 8-10 in Orlando. "We have seen strong demand and, as of the last several months, we have capacity to service more growth. There was an 18-month period where we couldn't, but now we can continue to expand our markets and provide best-in-class service to our customers."

Azek has three primary decking product lines: TimberTech Azek, which includes capped PVC collections; and TimberTech Pro and TimberTech Edge, which include polyethylene and wood composite decking lines.

Singh said about 22 percent of the decking market has switched to wood-alternative products so there are still a lot of consumers to convert.

"Approximately 77 percent of the market is still wood. There's enormous opportunity, and we're really well set up," Singh said.

Azek plans to form more partnerships with companies that have excess PVC for the extruder to recycle into new decking. Last year, the company released a new TimberTech Azek-brand capped PVC decking line called the Landmark Collection that contains about 50 percent recycled material and is recyclable at the end of its useful life — up to 50 years after installation.

This year, Azek added the color "French white oak" to the Landmark lineup, which is inspired by rustic, reclaimed wood and contains scrap from construction sites and remodeling projects that would have been discarded.

"Nothing PVC should be landfilled. Not with us here," Singh said. "We view this as a chance to be part of the circular economy. We can use all kinds of PVC in varying degrees. We can be the solution for taking the scraps and the dust while also helping other companies meet sustainability initiatives."

In addition to PVC and PE wood composite decking, Azek manufactures railing, lighting, cladding, trim, shingle siding, column wraps and more. The company's sales increased 31 percent to $1.2 billion for its fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2021.

Winchester, Va.-based Trex Co. Inc. also reached $1.2 billion in annual sales for the 2021 calendar year, which set a company record. Trex produces a PE wood composite decking with recycled content in addition to railing, lighting, cladding, fencing, outdoor furniture and outdoor kitchens.

To support growth, Trex built a new decking facility at its Virginia site and installed more production lines at its Nevada facility, increasing total capacity 85 percent above 2019 volume levels.

With $881 million in profile sales, Trex ranks sixth among North American pipe, profile and tubing extruders, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.

Azek ranks eighth with an estimated $530 million in profile sales, according to PN's ranking.

Retail, wholesale and export sales are up for Fiberon decking, too, as the brand also experiences record growth.

"We're making constant investments in our manufacturing to improve capacity and line speed to keep up with demand because it's very intense," Fiberon Senior Product Manager Jim Stange said in a Microsoft Teams interview.

"Even though there have been troughs with COVID, homeowners are still homebound, and decking is one of the top items that consumers are looking to replace and invest in," Stange added.

With an estimated $235 million in annual sales, Fiberon ranks 21st among North American pipe, profile and tubing producers, according to the PN ranking.

During the last two years, homeowners have reevaluated how they use everyday spaces, and outdoor living has never had a brighter moment in the spotlight, according to Leslie Adkins, vice president of marketing for Trex Co. Inc.

"While much of what a post-pandemic world will look like long term remains to be seen, one thing is clear: Outdoor living space is more essential than ever," Adkins said. "No matter where or how we live, there is continued demand for flexible outdoor areas where people can safely gather, appreciate nature or simply enjoy a change of scenery. As we continue to navigate and adjust to new ways of living in the coming year, outdoor spaces will play a key role and will become even more important and meaningful."

Based on input from consumers, contractors, retailers and industry insiders, Trex officials said these trends in particular will contribute to future sales: outdoor dens, activity zones, privacy needs, curving boards for character and outdoor kitchens.

Decks and patios have come a long way from the days when consumers hosted a barbecue once in a while. Nowadays outdoor dens and sunken outdoor living areas are outfitted with the comforts and conveniences of the indoors, such as upholstered furnishings, fully appointed kitchens, bars, big-screen TVs and surround sound.

"The concept of the den originally gained popularity for its ability to bring everyone in the home together in a relaxed, comfortable setting," Adkins said. "Bringing this concept outdoors and allowing homeowners to enjoy that same comfort and connection is the very definition and goal of outdoor living."

To optimize deck space, Adkins said homeowners are dividing it into activity zones or spaces dedicated to certain activities, such as relaxing, dining, playing, working and finding sanctuary. The latter use is becoming increasingly important, with people craving safety, serenity and privacy while they use their decks for meditation, exercise and relaxation.

To enhance privacy, Adkins said leftover deck boards can be used to make half walls. As well, Structureworks, the makers of Trex-brand pergola and lattice, created a new series of aluminum privacy wall panels for permanent or movable options around decks, patios and pools.

Deck designs are taking on new shapes, too, with curved footprints for porches, decks and walkways as opposed to the streamlined looks of recent years.

"Curves add character to any setting and create a truly custom look," Adkins said. "Trex outdoor living products give homeowners and contractors the freedom to design to every curve of their imagination."

Fiberon's PVC decking products — called Paramount for the entry-level line and Promenade for the premium line — were in the spotlight during IBS via an online platform called the Fiberon Virtual Experience.

Owned by Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc., Fiberon is promoting the benefits of PVC decking after some in-house testing last year. Fiberon staff looked at how its PVC products performed in different water environments to distinguish them from the competition's PVC, as well as highlight PVC's advantage in this application compared with traditional composite PE and wood boards. The tests covered brackish water for lake applications, salt water for coastal uses and chlorinated water for pool decks.

"We developed in-house testing because we wanted that validation, and the third parties weren't there," Stange said. "We felt it necessary to do it internally."

The results?

"Fiberon PVC boards performed tremendously. We're bringing attention to this to the market," Stange said. "If that dock becomes submerged for some time — maybe the lake rises and the board is soaked for a few days or short period of time — we know this product will stand on its own, whereas maybe boards with wood fibers and certainly pressure-treated lumber would not perform as well in any one of those water environments."

Fiberon also upgraded the capstock of Paramount decking to meet the Class A fire rating, which Promenade already does.

In addition, the Paramount line now has two collections called Mantel and Hearth to distinguish the entry-level and mid-tier colors and textures. Hearth features multitonal hues, while Mantel includes traditional, solid color options. The color clay is new to the Paramount Mantel collection, adding a warm and versatile tone, according to Stange.

Fiberon's PVC decking is made from virgin PVC. The company also manufactures PE wood composite decking with a minimum of 94 percent recycled content for its Concordia Horizon, Concordia Symmetry, Sanctuary, Good Life and ArmorGuard decking.

"The PE decking is tremendously popular. It's more than 75 percent of the market for wood alternatives," Stange said. "But the PVC decking is growing, and we've focused on that."

The lifespan of PVC decking is part of its sustainable story, according to Jake Szypka, Fiberon marketing specialist.

"The longevity and durability of our PVC decking is unmatched to wood," he said. "We offer a lifetime performance warranty and 50-year stain and fade warranty on Paramount and Promenade PVC decking. This means you should never have to replace your decking again."

Fiberon is also expanding into accessories such as outdoor lighting and furniture. The brand launched its lighting program last year and is now adding smart features to control it by phone through Amazon Alexa or Google Home devices.

"One of my most common phrases is now 'Alexa, turn off the mud room' because it's always on," Stange said. "This is becoming a part of people's everyday routines. As they spend more time outdoors, this feature allows them to carry it outside."

The lighting works with Fiberon's aluminum and composite railing as well as deck stair risers and walkways. Stange said it installs easily.

"This is truly a plug-and-play lighting system. You don't have to worry about wires and cutting it to the right length and if you did the right connection at the right point," he added. "Even a novice can upgrade and hide wires under the deck and connect them at the post."

For outdoor furniture, in mid-2021, Fiberon partnered with Breezesta to offer Fiberon Furniture by Breezesta both online and through its dealer network. The two collections — called Chill and Coastal — feature 26 pieces of furniture in 10 colors with seven cushion options. The furniture line includes Adirondack chairs, bar-height chairs, gliders, chaises, coffee tables, side tables and more that can withstand the elements and sun.

"This is high-end furniture, and you can distinguish that by the weight," Stange said. "People have said they don't want to move chairs, chaises, couches and rockers in and out every season or when the wind comes."

Westlake Royal Building Products added a color called hickory to its Zuri brand of composite decking, which has a PVC substrate capped with a wood-grain print and a clear acrylic that resists stains, scratches, fading and moisture.

Meanwhile, Surrey, British Columbia-based Duradek Ltd. introduced two new colors of vinyl decking for 2022 — mountain quartz and legacy cottonwood — to expand its palette of grays.

Duradek says mountain quartz is a warm mixture of multitonal off-white and carbon grays that camouflages dirt and dust, while legacy cottonwood is a light gray that offers a high contrast in the pattern for a faux wood-grain look.

Founded in 1974 by two contractors inspired by marine applications for vinyl, early Duradek franchise-holding brothers John and Bob Ogilvie acquired one-third of the company in 1978 and then bought out their partners in 1995.

By then, Duradek had developed the industry's first "roof deck" material, called Surcoseal, meant to be walked on, according to a company timeline. The application continues to be an important part of sales for the company, Duradek Marketing Coordinator Kim Smallwood said in an email.

"Rooftop deck applications are definitely on the rise," Smallwood said. "In addition to coastal metropolitan areas, they are now appearing more in suburbs. Homeowners want more outdoor living space, and builders can provide that without increasing the footprint of the home by incorporating roof decks."

Duradek is rapidly growing in North America as homeowners create outdoor living spaces with low-maintenance decking. Smallwood said the company is seeking new dealers and installers to keep up with the demand.

"Duradek offers something that traditional wood decking can't: It meets building code as a roofing membrane, so it performs as a roof deck over living areas or usable outdoor-covered patios below," Smallwood said. "For that reason, it can't be directly compared to the traditional wood decking market. As a wear surface, it is an excellent low-maintenance alternative to wood decking. It is also an ideal method of waterproofing underneath wood decking or composite boards in rooftop deck applications instead of traditional roofing products."

Duradek decking is produced in the U.S., Smallwood said, but didn't identify any manufacturing sites.

At IBS, Trex unveiled new products to improve installation and extend the longevity of a deck's substructure.

The company introduced a new universal fastener tool designed to increase installation ease and accuracy while reducing installation time up to 50 percent for professionals and DIY. The tool, which sells for about $23, lets installers actuate the fastener in one step by using a nose cone and a unique drive angle to tighten each clip while sliding the next board into place.

"At Trex, we are constantly looking at how we can improve the deck-building process not only for consumers but for all the overworked contractors out there," Adkins said. "These latest innovations do just that by making it easier for builders to work with Trex products and deliver increased quality and satisfaction to their clients."

The makers of Trex-brand tapes also created two new products. One product is an 11-inch-wide butyl-based tape reinforced with an aluminum liner, which creates a waterproof barrier that completely covers the ledger board. The other is a rim joist tape that comes in a new 11-inch-wide option to create a moisture-proof barrier.

"Ask any contractor where a deck is most likely to fail, and chances are they'll point to the ledger board," said Dave Kile, founder of Trex RainEscape, which manufactures Trex Protect and Trex Seal products. "If not properly installed and protected, this single element can be the downfall of any deck. Our new ledger and rim tapes are engineered to preserve a deck's integrity and longevity. And with their easy-to-apply design, there's no reason for any deck to be left vulnerable to the elements and premature failure."