| Question |
Southern Pine |
Composites
or Plastics
|
What are the Facts? |
| Natural appearance? |
Yes |
No |
There is no substitute for the look and feel of real wood. Southern Pine
decking provides a warm, natural look that blends beautifully with the landscape.
Plastic or plastic composites, even with faux wood grain, still look and
feel artificial. |
| Expensive? |
No |
Yes |
Treated Southern Pine is a very economical choice compared to plastic
or composite decking, which may cost up to five times more per piece. |
| Safe to use? |
Yes |
Yes |
Pressure-treated Southern Pine is safe for people, pets and the environment.
Furthermore, new wood preservative formulations contain no arsenical or
chromium compounds yet provide the same resistance to decay and termite
attack. |
| Hot under foot? |
No |
Yes |
Wood is a naturally insulating material and does not conduct heat or cold
like metal or plastic. In direct sun, some types of plastic or composite
decking may become much hotter than wood, hot enough to burn or blister
feet. In fact, some facilities post signs to warn pedestrians of the hazard.
|
| Decay/termite warranty? |
Lifetime limited |
Limited |
Against decay and termite attack in residential use, wood preservative
manufacturers typically offer a limited lifetime warranty; whereas, plastic
or composite deck manufacturers typically offer a limited warranty (usually
10-20 years). |
| Maintenance free? |
No |
No |
Despite claims to the contrary, all decking requires maintenance. Periodic
cleaning and application of a water repellant sealer is all that is needed
to keep a Southern Pine deck in top shape. A good scrubbing usually gets
rid of most stains on Southern Pine. |
| Standardized product? |
Yes |
No |
Southern Pine pressure-treated lumber conforms to uniform quality controls
established by the American Softwood Lumber Standard and the American Wood-Preservers'
Association. No such uniform standards exist for composite decking, making
performance claims difficult to compare. Furthermore, composite decking
manufacturers do not have a third-party, quality auditing system that provides
assurances of uniform and reliable product performance. |
| Structural uses? |
Yes |
No |
Treated wood is stiffer than plastic or composite products, meaning it
can be used to frame and support decks, docks and other outdoor structures.
Southern Pine radius edge decking can be as much as nine times stiffer than
artificial decking, and at least four times stronger. |
| Renewable? |
Yes |
No |
Wood is the only building material that uses the sun's energy to renew
itself in a continuous, renewable cycle. Sustainable forestry practices
ensure that our supply of homegrown Southern Pine will be maintained for
future generations to come. Plastic decking and plastics used in composites
are derived from dwindling petroleum resources. |
| Environmentally friendly? |
Yes |
No |
The manufacture of wood products uses less energy and produces less air
and water pollution than other building materials. In fact, the manufacture
of plastic decking requires up to eight times the energy needed to produce
a comparable piece of pressure-treated Southern Pine decking. |
