Getting ready for spring... New deck products for 2011

We just got back from a Timber Tech deck clinic at a local lumberyard - Dillman & Upton they are going to stock only Timber Tech for their synthetic decking this year.

You could feel a little excitement in the presentation of their new products and product line. One of Timber Tech's product designers did the presentation and he did a great job. Even one of the owners was there to answer questions
Big thanks to Dillman and Upton for the clinic

I have to give all the credit to Timber Tech for their product development and their broad product line, they have just about everything imaginable in synthetic decking, and it is A+ top quality.

Just for a little back ground from what I know of Timber Tech. They are owned by Crane plastics who is one largest and oldest vinyl/plastics company that makes vinyl products for windows and siding and much more.

Timber Tech is the second largest and second oldest synthetic decking manufactures in the world, which makes for a very secure company, in a very volatile market, synthetic companies come and go every year it seems.

Timber Tech has a new cap layer composite line out called Evolutions. The line is a revamp of their Earthwood product line that was very popular a few years ago. They have kept the same or similar look/colors of the Earthwood line except the Evolution has the Cap layer protection over the old composite core. This is a major evolution of the Earthwood line, giving the composite a much more durable cover or cap layer.

I am a big believer in the Cap layer composite product. We have used Correct Deck CX for quite a few years and have not had any call backs ! GAF has since bought Correct Deck out and In my opinion ruined the company by changing the name, and not progressing with Correct Deck and going backwards by developing a first generation composite.

We have always liked Timber Tech because of their original more dense composite product. They again have always been the most innovative in the synthetic decking business. After the original Twin Finish and Floorizon lines, They came out with the XLM PVC line which is still a really great product, and could still be considered the best deck boards on the market.  They also have the very best kit railing on the market,  Radiance rail, and now they have the Evolutions line.

In the last two years both Trex and Fiberon have introduced cap lay composites into the synthetic decking market. One thing I want to say here and it is just my opinion. There are four big players in the synthetic decking market, Trex, Timber Tech, Azek, and Fiberon.

Any other synthetic decking product manufactures I would becareful with, because of the volatility of the small companies which seem to fold just as quickly as they start. The problem is you the home owner could be stuck with no warranty and a suspect product with no recourse.  Where the big four have gotten over the hump and established themselves as fixtures in the synthetic decking business

Back to the topic

Timber Tech Evolutions 

Has three colors all which have dark colored streaking, which is trying to mimic the look of South American hardwood decking and flooring,  such as Ipe, Tigerwood, Teak, or Mahogany  

Pacific Teak

 Pacific Walnut

Pacific Rosewood

The cap layer composite technology might be they best synthetic decking product.

It differently has some pluses over PVC

1) Less shrinking & expansion

2) Stronger than PVC

3) Better at UV protection

4) Green friendly using recycled raw materials in its formula instead of PVC which uses all virgin materials

 

Timber Tech waited to introduce Evolutions until they had completely tested their cap layer product and had a full line of matching trim boards. Lets hope that is the same for the other newer cap layer products especially in the testing. 

Evolutions looks to be the best of the bunch !

Next we will look at the rest of the new Timber Tech products for 2011

Thanks for reading

Chesterfield Twp. MI New cedar deck

Hello again,  Well it is a new year and winter is in full force here in Michigan. It has been high temps. average 10-15 degrees the last few days, not much fun.

We have been remodeling two bathrooms, so thank God for inside work !

 Anyway back to reviewing our summer projects from last year.

This cedar deck we built was on a new home, and is a very simple design to keep it within the customers budget.

Here is the design
A basic 12x16 square cedar deck

1. On the first day of construction We start by notching the 6x6 support posts to receive the 2x10 beams.  There will be two 1/2" thru carriage bolts connecting each post/beam connection. From there we set the joists on top of the beams, since it is a free standing deck we do not attach the ledger board to the house. This is because of the cantilevered bay, which according to the code a deck cannot attach to a cantilevered bay.

 Here we are working on the stairs, installing the two tiered stepped fascia, and the 4x4 rail posts.

 Some final pictures with the stairs and railings completed

 Our railings is a typical builders rail with 2x4 top and bottom rails, 3/4 round deckorators metal balusters. and a 5/4 deck board railing cap. This is our standard railing for wood decks. On this project everything is in cedar wood

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