A Greener Home - BALTIMORE

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Decks

Over the past decade, several new decking products have emerged on the market. Probably the most notable have been a series of composite material decking solutions. Most homeowners are now familiar with names such as Trex, Nexwood, and TimberTec, just some of the companies that offer composite decking solutions.

While it is true that composite decking material contains significant recycled wood materials, they also contain a significant amount of recycled petroleum products as well. When these materials are combinded, the resulting product can no longer be easily recycled after its useful life. For that reason, we are not in favor of using these composite materials on your new or rebuilt deck.

Our first recommendation would be to use a strong natural wood, such as Redwood or Ipe. While it may seem counterintuitive to recommed building with natural wood products, this process insures complete recyclability. Having said that, these products can be expensive, especially Ipe, which as a Brizilian tropical hardwood must be FSC (Forest Sustainability Council) certified for use in a LEED or gree project.

If a natural wood solution proves to be beyond the constraints of your budget, we recommend Azec decking products. Azec is a strong, stain resistant product, with a life expectancy much greater than natural wood or composite materials. While it is not made from recycled material, the product is completely recyclable at the end of its useful life. The complay also has a commitment to environmentally sound manufacturing processes.

More on Azek Decking -->

More on Azek's environmental commitment -->

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