Trends in the US decking market: A national survey of deck and home builders

The deck-building industry is going through a period of rapid growth and dramatic change with respect to the types of materials available to build decks. Naturally durable timber species (i.e., redwood, western redcedar, Alaska yellow-cedar and tropical hardwoods) are facing acute competition from engineered decking products, primarily plastic lumber and composite wood products. The results of a 2004 national survey of 156 deck builders and 212 home builders indicate that wood-plastic composites are quickly gaining popularity among deck-building professionals as they increase their market share. This paper investigates deck-building professionals' use and perceptions of the different decking materials. The study also reveals the usage patterns of the various decking materials in the primary end-use applications (substructure, deck surface and deck accessories). Finally, a comparative assessment of the different decking materials relative to a common set of material attributes is presented.