NADFIA.'s-r:n

Goal two is to identify five areas of consumer concern and develop tests for those areas, such as the solar heat gain co-efficient on the board surface.

n--nn

NORTH A,MERICAN DECK AND RAILING ASSOCIATION

the product group has certainly transformed to overcome these "growing pains," as I like to call them. That's good news. The surviving brands have gotten better at spreading the word of the incredible quality of their products.

But what about disclosing their limitations? How does one even know the limitations of a piece of plastic that is a mixture of so many chemicals, polymer compounds, organic and non-organic fillers, and other "proprietary mixtures"? Can we take the salesman's word for it? Perhaps we can read the MSDS sheet, do some online research, or maybe look for ICC or CCRR approval. I, for one, being a reasonably educated member of the industry, do in fact look for all three.

Salespeople know their products, which are likely made by a reputable company and have the appropriate code approval (or it's pending). But what if you are a homeowner, or a contractor who just can't focus the time and energy on learning if the one board your client picked out is a piece of gold or the opposite? You sure can't believe what you read on the Internet, despite what they say on TV.

So, a couple of years ago, a few of us at the North American Deck & Railing Association (NADRA) got together and decided that some kind of "truth in decking" disclosure would be kind of neat. It could establish standardized testing protocols for the industry, so the scores from the tests could be evaluated on a level playing field, and then the results could be published along with non-

Finally, this data would be published, along with the ICC or equivalent code approval on a label that should accompany an information packet, so consumers can quickly determine how products compare to each other. Similar programs include the NFRC window label or the familiar energy guide found on refrigerators and other appliances.

This program will benefit everyone in the supply chain, from the manufacturer down. The best part is the comparative value it brings to the in-home sale process. NADRA contractors can be educated on the system and how to share the program with their prospects, giving them advantage over contractors who do not. The same applies for dealers and distributors alike.

The future of the decking business is going to be based on statistics of performance and quality of products. Streamlining the delivery of stats will help propel deck and rail upward in the LBM industry.

With the CPAC program in the development stage of establishing standards, now is the time for manufacturers, dealers and contractors alike to get involved and steer the industry in the right direction.

For more information, contact cpac @nadra.org.

- For over 12 years, David Elenbaum has worked in the LBM industry in the retail, wholesale and contractor fields. He owns Specialty LBM Holdings of 5.C., LLC, a company engaged in contracting, retail and liquidation of building materials. Reach him at davidelenbaum@ gmail.com.

/\Nu ot rnr, Hor-r'Est'trends in out\-/door rernodcling is the creative use ol' traclitional cunrposite decking. Morc ancl nrrlre pcoplc. prclf'essionals ancl consunrcrs alikc. are findin-t sur-

1;r'isirru, entircly new applications fbr conrl'rositc clccking nraterials. With a littlc crcativc flair. compositc deckin-g providcs an alternative to wood with thc aclcled bcr.rcfits of more durabiliti' lrrtd lor,r et tnititl(enane e requirentents. Whcther it is a contractor or a cl-i-

1"cr. people are discovcring that conrpositc deckin_e isn'1 lirnitcd to dccks anl lon-ser-it's a building rnatcrial. It's a highll' adaptablc building nratcr' ial that's being usecl alntosl anywhcrc

1,ou u,oulcl traditionally l'incl woocl with the exccption of structuritl uscs fbr which cornposite nratcriitls arc not designed. A f cu of thc itcnrs u'e 'r'c secn built with contltositc dccking mltcfials incluclc bclLrtifirl bcnchcs. ncur-i ilr1lt'r'r roIts pltrrrler''. Jriet u t'c-pctl'cct pcreolas, l'abulous fencin-u ancl outstuncling outdool kitchen cabincts. With toclly's conrpositcs entulatin-c cxotic halclwoocls. cxpanding the use of conrpositc nratelials beyond the clcck sr,rll'ace can crcatc a bearutiful acsthctic in clutcloor living arezrs that keeps its good looks. Wood-like. contemporar,v appeilrirnces and a \ailctv ol' colors in rnoclern coml.rosite decking proclucts deliver artistic fleribility' in outcloor lir inq arcas. rclaration spaces. hurclscupcs ancl lanclscapcs. Therc arc cvcn instlrnccs in Eur-opc wlrcrc it's r,rsccl us sicling on ltouscs. hoarclwalks bv thc scir. pr-ir ucr lcnc ing ancl ol'f ice cLrbiclcsl

Custorr dcck builclcrs arc in uu iclcal position to c\pl()rc Irc\\ \\'llvs 1o Lrtilizc conrlrositc nratclills.'l'liis is cspccially truc as. accorcl ing to u rcccnt Frccclonia (inrup sturlr. Ll.S. clcmancl firr clccking is crpcctctl to lisc 2..1%,annuall) throLrsh 20 16 to l.i billion lincal ft.. uorth S5.7 billiun.

The versatilitl' of conrposite clccking rnakcs it thc pcrl'cct nrecliurn to satisfy thc crcatirc inraginings of artisan deck builders and thcir clrstorners. And. custoln dccks buvcrs are -lenerally willing to pa) a prcmir.rrn price fbr a clcck clesigned ri ith their sn'lc' ancl needs in nrincl.

Prolcssional cleck bLrilcler\ cln r.lsc cornposite clccking to cliffcrcntiatc thcnrsclvcs b1' crcating bclLrtilul ls wcll as practicul outtkror livrnr: spirccs that havc all thc bcncl'its ol conrl.rositc tlccking: clLu'abiIitr'. Ioricr' nurintc lralrcc. anrl stain. nrolrl lnrl tclmitc lesistlrttee. \\ lrerr it L(rnle\ t() ir)tri!ilte strllcturcs such lrs pcluolus. bcncl.tcs or l'cncing.',r'hcrc pcliocl ic stlining is lcquirccl. conrpositc clccking is u uclcornc rclicl' to tirrrc-consunring. backbrcaking labor.

D-i-ycrs can shou of'f the ir bLrilrling expertise bl creating rrorks ol art that fr,rr erceed boxl clecks. Thc sinrple acldition of a feu bencl'tcs. sort'rc latticen,ork for privacr'. ol sturdl r'ct elegant planters can elevatc a dcck tcr ncarly prolcssional clualitl'. Other popular pro.jects inclLrcle replacing stair trcads. builcling u sanclbor. ur creating a laisecl hcrbal becl. The value. ease of i nstlr | | lrt iort. ' 11.1 | o\\ - rttlr i tt lcnlr tt. e rcquircnrcnts for conrpositc dccking nrakc it iclcul for pro.jccls such us thcsc.

Whcthcr' \'our cLlstonrcl is l prole's sional clcck bLrilclcl ol an anrbitrur-rs cl i ycr. opcning thcil cvcs t() thc possi bilitics ol'cle signing r'r ith cornlrositc rlccking ri'ill inspirc thcnr to crcatc runicluc uLrlcloor lir inl spaccs that ri ill bc cnjoyccl lirr vcars to corlrc.

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By facqueline Palazzolo, Weyehaeuser Distribution