Plastic Lumber & Composite Lumber

You should use plastic lumber when:

• You need a product that is resistant to moisture, corrosive substances, insects and other environmental stresses

• You need a product that does not absorb paint or marker graffiti. With plastic lumber, paint and markers can be wiped off with Simple Green and a sponge.

• You need a product that does not rot, warp, splinter or crack.

• You need a product that requires no waterproofing, staining or similar maintenance when used in exterior applications.

Wood composite plastic lumber

The most common uses for plastic lumber are:

• Site furnishings, such as picnic tables, benches, trash receptacles. Below is a list of manufacturers which sell furnishings made with recycled plastic lumber.

• Bench and table refurbishings. Plastic lumber is sold as dimensional lumber.

• Deck, boardwalks, walkways

• Sign posts and signs

• Playground equipment (usually sold as playground systems by companies like Landscape Structures, Columbia Cascade, etc.)

• Planters, landscape structures

It’s very important to know the intended use of plastic lumber before you choose which plastic lumber to buy. The use will determine the performance requirements of the lumber, and, since all plastic lumber is not alike and plastic lumber is not “graded” like wood, it is important to know what you are buying.

Plastic Lumber & Composite Lumber are not the same.

• Plastic lumber contains only plastic.

• Composite lumber (like Trex, Choice Dek , and Smart Deck) contain plastics and wood waste. Composite lumber incorporates some of the characteristics of wood with those of plastic lumber. Like plastic lumber it will not rot, crack or splinter, and wood composite products generally have a more natural coloring and appearance. The wood component will absorb water and fade in color over time. Some wood composite plastic lumber is graded for structural use, primarily as deck sub-structure and marine use. This is not true of all wood composites, however, so it is important to check with the manufacturer for specific product indications.

Plastic Lumber is not a straight substitute for wood.

• Plastic lumber is not as strong as wood. Therefore, manufacturer recommendations regarding spacing of supports should be read and followed closely. This is especially pertinent when using plastic lumber to refurbish a bench that originally used wood. Situations where plastic lumber deflects (gets wavy) are almost always the result of inadequate support of the material.

• Plastic lumber will expand. Unlike wood, which contracts over time, plastic lumber will expand. Again read the manufacturer recommendations closely regarding the amount of expansion that will occur. This is especially pertinent when using plastic lumber as decking material.

• Like wood, plastic lumber will warp or deflect if not stored properly (on a flat, hard surface).