Changing Materials Of all the changes affecting the market, the most obvious is in the materials used. Wood-plastic composites get much of the attention these days because they’re still relatively new to consumers. Add to that the millions spent by a few large manufacturers promoting their brands, an investment that’s lifted awareness of the entire product category.
Yet in spite of the rising popularity of composites they still represent only about 15% of the market. Pressure-treated pine remains the dominant planking material with, according to Rossi, three-quarters of the market for deck boards. Other softwoods — such as redwood and cedar — represent about 10%, hardwoods account for 2% to 3%, and vinyl, plastic lumber, and metal account for the remainder.
The same pattern holds true for railing materials, with the exception of vinyl, which probably gains a couple of percentage points, Rossi adds.
Pressure-treated pine and composites are the middle market. At the upper end, so-called “exotic” hardwoods, like mahogany, and in particular, Ipe from South America, are getting more than their share of attention and gaining ground (see “Exotic Growth,” page 56). Plastic lumber — the predecessor of today’s wood-plastic composites — has virtually disappeared from the market.
Regional Differences The evolution in deck material preferences differs from region to region and market to market. According to John Burns, marketing director for Trex, composites do well in many places, “wherever there is any good-sized, middle-class population and the terrain lends itself to decks.” They do less well in the South, the heart of the southern yellow pine industry, and in the Pacific Northwest, “where for years [contractors] have had access to very good redwood and western red cedar.”
Most decks built by Archadeck of Clemson, S.C., are of southern yellow pine, says Garland Gravely, owner/president. Between 60% and 80% of the decks built by DeckMasters franchises are wood, says Pat Nicholson, CEO of DeckMasters Technologies, a franchise operation with locations in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
But Archadeck of Central Connecticut, in Berlin, builds more than half its decks with composite. “Only about 15% are pressure-treated lumber,” says owner Phil Brown, “and the other 30% are Ipe, mahogany, or cedar.” In Oklahoma City, John Hyatt of Deck Masters, (not affiliated with the DeckMasters franchise) builds 70% in Ipe.
Whatever the customers’ choice, most in the industry agree that composites are coming on strong. That growth is “driven largely by consumer interest in the low maintenance requirements and the splinter-free nature of the material,” Burns says. Consumers generally prefer composites with a grain or textured appearance.
Composites’ share of the deck and railing market is likely to climb by two-thirds in five years, from 15% to 25%, says Rossi. That will come largely at the expense of pressure-treated lumber. Composite decks cost 30% more than pressure-treated wood decks on average, says Rossi, so consumers buy composites not only considering initial cost but also their low maintenance and longevity.