{Re}habitat

Composite decking is exterior deck board made from a combination of organic material and plastic. Developed in the early 1990s, composite decking has experienced significant growth in the building industry and is used on residential decks, waterfront docks, and commercial boardwalks. Many manufacturers produce composite decking products with several new products appearing each year, often with different material combinations.

Structural composites are engineered products made from plastic, wood, glass, or carbon fiber materials. The formed or extruded products have applications as outdoor deck floors, railings, fences, landscape timbers, cladding, siding, moulding, trim, and window or door frames. These low maintenance products are resistant to cracking and can be smooth or have a simulated wood grain. Available in a variety of colors and sizes, structural composites are shaped using typical woodworking tools.

Several types and formulations of plastic simulated wood trim are available for exterior and interior applications. Plastic decorative trim can be high-density formed to simulate hand-carved, layered, profiled and shaped boards or ornamental pieces. Plastic materials are durable, long lasting, low-maintenance products that are waterproof and resistant to the growth of mold or mildew.

Fabricated from virgin raw and recycled materials, plastic railings are commonly found in applications where wood railings would typically be installed. They are usually used in conjunction with a balustrade system that consists of a newel, balusters and railings. Plastic railings are extruded materials that are field assembled with metal inserts and offer a low-maintenance option that doesn't stain or allow for the growth of mold or mildew.

Plastic fabrications are non-structural finish materials used in a variety of interior and exterior applications. Simulated stone fabrications, cultured marble, solid surfacing and quartz surfacing can be used as surface finishes on the walls and ceilings of interior spaces, around tubs and showers, and inside elevators. Plastic paneling, another type of plastic fabrication, offers a wall surface material that can be formed to simulate tile, bead board or any other type of pattern. Plastic railings are commonly found where wood railings would typically be installed. Similarly, plastic simulated wood trim and custom ornamental simulated woodwork can be used in applications where wood trim would normally be used. Plastic fabrications can be manufactured with virgin raw or recycled materials and offer a maintenance conscious material choice.

Plastic decking or flooring is made from plastics such as High-density polyethylene (HDPE), Polystyrenne (PS) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Used in place of traditional wood decking, plastic decking is installed over a treated lumber structure that is raised above grade, creating the floor surface of an outdoor living space. Typically adjoined to a structure, such as a home, decks with plastic decking can also be built as a boardwalk or atop of buildings as observation decks.

Structural plastics are a relatively new material, compared to the wood materials that have traditionally served a similar purpose. Plastic lumber, decking and assemblies are made from raw material or recycled plastic content. Types of plastics include High-density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP), Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Polystyrene (PS) and Polylactic acid (PLA). Installed using conventional tools, structural plastics offer the advantage of not having to be painted, and they are also water proof and resistant to decay, mold and insects.

Wood screens are any type of assembly, primarily constructed of wood, that provides visual privacy. Exterior wood blinds and shutters are often decorative features found at exterior openings (windows and doors), but may also be utilized for sun control and privacy.