Building a deck for your home or property can add great structure and character to it. Traditionally, decks were made of wooden lumber. However, with changing times and developments in building materials, people started to prefer other materials. Expert knowledge is essential if you are willing to build an outdoor space or deck for your home.
Today, you can find several options apart from traditional wood when it comes to adding a deck. Among many such materials, composite decking in Melbourne has been the most popular alternative when it comes to decking materials.
Composite decking and its components
Composite decking has been the most preferred decking material for many years. It is the perfect decking product to help you build your dream deck. It is much better than a traditional wood deck, as it is more durable. Now, one might wonder why it is more durable and preferred. This is mainly due to the materials that are used to make composite decking. Here is a detailed account of the components of composite decking:
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Wood fibres
It is one of the primary materials used for making composite decking. This involves reclaimed wood particles and fibers. Such wooden fibers affect anything ranging from sawdust to wooden chips and other pieces of wood fibers. Reclaimed wood particles are used as composite decking, which was manufactured with the idea of making it eco-friendly.
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Plastic
One can think that composite decking has plastic as a component, so it cannot be called eco-friendly. But here, recycled or high-quality virgin plastic is used to make it environmentally friendly. Normally, the plastic materials used in the manufacturing process involve polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE).
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Bonding agent
Bonding agents in composite decking generally refer to additives and stabilizers. These agents are essentially added to the mixture of wooden fibers and plastic to ensure they remain stable and protected from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays and to ensure that they take the shape of traditional wood deck boards.
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Coloring agent
A coloring agent is an additional material that may or may not be added. It essentially depends on whether one wants their deck to have a particular color or not. When a specific color is desired, a coloring agent is added.
These ingredients are combined in different ratios that vary from company to company. The mixture of these materials is then all brought together with the help of adhesion, heat, and pressure. Once mixed as per requirement, this mixture is molded or extruded into decking boards.
Normally, these composite decking boards are created by the manufacturers by following one of two procedures, which are explained below:
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Extrusion
Extrusion is a process that involves high heat. Here, the manufacturers heat the raw materials once they have been mixed according to requirements. The mixture of the raw materials is heated until it is malleable. Once the concoction has reached a malleable state, it is pushed through a mold or an opening that is in the shape of a deck board, which ensures that each deck produced is identical.
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Compression molding
Compression molding is the second procedure that is used in the manufacturing of composite decking. Composite molding, as the name suggests, essentially involves compressing the mixture of raw materials by pouring it into an old. The mold is shaped like decking bars, and as the mixture is poured into the mold, the heat and pressure created by closing the mold give the decks the desired shape and maintain uniformity.
Final Words
Therefore, if you are someone who is willing to build a deck and is not sure about what material you should choose, composite decking will be the right choice for you. It is a better option than wood any day, as it is much more durable and eco-friendly. If you are not sure where you will get the best quality materials, Tuff Deck is the right place. They have been in the business for many years and have a reputation for being the best composite decking suppliers. The professionals here use the best-quality wood fibers and raw materials to ensure enhanced quality and sustainability. So, contact us today for our impeccable services.
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