Ultra-Low-Maintenance PVC Decking Debuts at International Builders Show

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 (VNS) – New lines of vinyl/PVC decking that are easier than ever to care for debut today at the International Builders Show, largely in response to consumer demand for low-maintenance decks that keep their looks longer. The show, which runs through Feb. 16, is the world’s largest annual light construction convention.

Demand for ultra-low-maintenance vinyl/PVC decking came from homeowners who told their contractors what they really wanted: resistance to staining, scratches and abrasion, weather, fading, mold, and mildew, according to Bob Foster, a spokesperson for Wilmington, Ohio-based Timbertech, whose XLM (extremely low maintenance) vinyl/PVC decking is being launched at the show.

“This is the next generation of decking,” said Maureen Murray, spokesperson for Scranton, Pa.-based AZEK® Building Products, whose new AZEK® Deck, she explained, “mixes light-weight cellular PVC with reinforced flax fiber for increased strength and to combat expansion and contraction.” Stain resistance is a major plus for PVC decks. Cooking grease, barbecue sauce, wine and other foods clean up with a quick wipe, Murray said. Also, vinyl/PVC is resistant to insects and does not splinter or rot.

While he admits his sampling is anecdotal, Andy Engel, editor of Professional Deck Builder magazine, said that a few of his authors have tried vinyl/PVC material (such as Procell, now AZEK® Deck), “and they report good results. They like that there’s no wood to support mold, and they particularly like its light weight.”

Fire resistance is another plus for PVC decking. Scott Feder, senior product manager of decking at Winchester, Va.-based Trex Company, explained that Trex Escapes™, a new cellular vinyl/PVC decking also on display here, “offers superior fire resistance. The tragic wildfires of 2007 made the importance of fire-resistant home products even more evident,” Fedor said.