How to Create a Sustainable Outdoor Deck

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Final Up to date on July 12, 2024

Do you know the typical American spends 90% of their time indoors? The irony is getting exterior is so good for our well being: Spending simply 20 minutes exterior a day helps cut back stress.

You don’t even have to depart the consolation of house to reap the advantages: Having fun with out of doors areas in your entrance yard, porch, patio, or yard are a easy solution to get exterior.

How to Create a Sustainable Outdoor Deck

This put up was sponsored by TimberTech. All ideas and opinions are my very own; for extra info please see my disclosure coverage. Among the hyperlinks on this put up are affiliate hyperlinks; for extra info please see my disclosure coverage.

There are such a lot of methods to create a sustainable out of doors house too: Planting a local pollinator backyard, beginning a veggie backyard, thrifting secondhand out of doors furnishings, and eco-friendly decking are just some.

I’m a giant advocate for procuring secondhand and never simply with garments. Yow will discover so many distinctive and inexpensive out of doors furnishings units in thrift shops, Fb market, or your native Purchase Nothing group.

Plus, there are such a lot of inventive methods to customise your finds, be it by means of an elaborate paint job or a fast polish. The extra effort you place into making an outside house yours, the extra possible you’re to put it to use.

In Maine, we get a number of months of absolute bliss through the summer time. The climate is so excellent, and I wish to absorb each single second earlier than the lengthy winter. I really like internet hosting events and gatherings and if you happen to do too, and also you’re in search of sustainable decking or making a extra eco pleasant house then look no additional.

Sustainable decking shouldn’t be precisely a scorching matter most individuals speak about, not to mention take into consideration. However we should always! Decking can take up an enormous chunk of house within the yard and it does require loads of supplies, vitality and labor to place collectively.

That’s why I used to be so excited to seek out TimberTech, a sustainable decking firm that makes use of recycled supplies and aware manufacturing processes. Their decking is crafted from excessive efficiency supplies which might be sourced thoughtfully and responsibly.

In case you’re trying to improve your yard house with minimal affect on the surroundings, right here’s the whole lot that you must learn about sustainable out of doors decking.

TimberTech: How to Create a Sustainable Outdoor Deck

what materials must be used for a deck?

There are a number of completely different supplies to select from on the subject of deciding on a deck. The commonest supplies embody wooden, recycled PVC, and composite decking.

Which materials you utilize is dependent upon your particular wants and circumstances. For instance, in case your deck will probably be close to water, will encounter loads of foot visitors, and also you need it to remain cool to the contact, PVC could also be the only option.

Whereas many suppose wooden is essentially the most sustainable materials as a result of it’s pure, that isn’t essentially the case. Wood decks don’t final so long as composite or PVC decking and they’re prone to mould and mildew.

Whereas wooden has a pure really feel and is biodegradable, this additionally means it’ll finally deteriorate over time. On common a picket deck will usually final 10 to fifteen years. Nevertheless, capped composite boards can final 25 to 30+ years and capped PVC can doubtlessly final 50 years or extra.

Additionally, TimberTech’s Superior PVC has an 89% decrease lifecycle carbon footprint vs. Brazilian Tropical Ipe decking. It additionally has a 26% decrease lifecycle carbon footprint vs. pine decking. Which means not solely does PVC decking last more, but when it’s sustainably manufactured and principally created from recycled content material (like TimberTech’s PVC is), it has a smaller carbon footprint than some common wooden decking choices.

Selecting supplies and merchandise which might be designed to final will all the time be an eco-friendly possibility. Total, much less sources will should be wasted or used to keep up that materials.

In case you are in search of PVC decking, I like to recommend wanting into recycled PVC, which is what TimberTech makes use of (extra on this later).

It’s additionally value noting that composite decking is created from recycled plastic and reclaimed wooden. This lasts twice so long as wooden and doesn’t want frequent purposes of harsh cleaners, stains, or sealers.

In the end, essentially the most sustainable decking materials to decide on is the one that may final the longest in your particular local weather and yard.

what’s an eco-friendly materials as a substitute of wooden?

Recycled PVC and composite decking are eco-friendly supplies to contemplate if you happen to’re in search of one thing apart from conventional wooden. These supplies will last more and tolerate larger foot visitors compared to wooden.

That mentioned, not all PVC and composite decking are created equal. For instance, until acknowledged in any other case, a model might use virgin supplies of their PVC decking, which have a better carbon footprint.

TimberTech provides each recycled PVC and composite decking. Right here’s why every of their decking supplies are extra sustainable than alternate options.

recycled pvc decking

Made within the USA from roughly 60% recycled materials, together with post-construction scrap like vinyl siding and trim.
It’s absolutely recyclable on the finish of its helpful life, by means of TimberTech FULL-CIRCLE.
Lasts longer: Decking is very immune to moisture harm like mould and mildew, and it gained’t splinter, crack, warp, peel, or rot.
Much less work, which equals much less harsh cleaners, stains and seals. Simply an occasional scrub and rinse are all that’s wanted.
Protected with a 50-year Fade & Stain Restricted Guarantee and Lifetime Restricted Product Guarantee.

composite decking

TimberTech composite decking is fabricated from a mixture of high-performance and recycled polymers and reclaimed wooden fibers.
Made within the USA from roughly 85% recycled materials together with plastic baggage, milk jugs, and different discarded plastics.
Made to final and gained’t splinter, crack, warp, or peel.
Low upkeep: Simply scrub and rinse.
Protected by Restricted Product and Fade & Stain Warranties that last as long as 30 years

what does eco-friendly decking price?

To get a really feel for what eco-friendly decking prices, TimberTech has a decking cost calculator that can provide you an estimate on how a lot a venture might price.

There are numerous elements that may drive the whole price of the venture up or down, together with the scale and complexity of the deck, your location, the contractor you select, allow charges, the landscaping of your property, and options like railing, stairs, or lighting.

The typical 16×20 foot deck is 320 sq. ft. For this dimension, an estimated general price could be ~$10k to $16k. With railing, it bumps as much as ~$15k to $22k.

Whereas a TimberTech deck might price extra upfront, the financial savings over time are substantial since TimberTech decking gained’t require the identical annual upkeep and repairs as a wooden deck.

Simply do not forget that every venture varies and the easiest way to find out the price of yours is to make use of TimberTech’s price calculator. You may also request a quote or find a contractor simply by means of TimberTech.

TimberTech: an environmentally pleasant deck possibility

Lately, Justin and I moved to Maine and bought an older house that we’ve spent chunk of time restoring. We’re making an attempt to do it as sustainably as doable, all whereas honoring the historical past of the house.

Most all of my furnishings is classic and secondhand. We’re selecting vitality environment friendly updates. sustainable supplies, paint, and making an attempt to decide on timeless decor and design that gained’t should be persistently up to date.

We’re blessed to have a small deck the place we host buddies for bbqs, out of doors film nights, and even simply peacefully studying within the luscious climate. Our present picket deck is in tremendous nice form, however when the time comes to exchange it, TimberTech is on our checklist. I’m drawn to the benefit, upkeep, and I really like supporting corporations who use recycled supplies.

Placing your recycling within the bin is just one a part of the method! Companies really need to have incentive to purchase these uncooked supplies and use them within the creation of their merchandise.

And it’s not restricted to simply their decking. Additionally they supply outdoor furniture and railing created from recycled supplies, plus lighting, to finish your deck house.

However recycled supplies are only the start! Listed below are a number of the reason why TimberTech is an eco-friendly deck possibility.

recycled supplies

Recycled supplies have a decrease carbon footprint than virgin supplies, since you’re not extracting something new from the surroundings, however utilizing what’s already out there.

Along with their mum or dad firm, The AZEK Firm, TimberTech transforms a whole lot of thousands and thousands of kilos of landfill-bound waste and scrap into stunning, low-maintenance, long-lasting merchandise yearly.

In actual fact, their mum or dad firm AZEK is the most important vertically built-in recycler of PVC within the U.S. Their recycling services are owned and operated in Ohio and Michigan the place they course of a whole lot of thousands and thousands of kilos of plastic waste and scrap every year.

TimberTech decking is engineered from 60 to 85% recycled content material. They make the most of landfill and ocean-bound wooden and plastic waste, scrap and trash, like grocery baggage, milk jugs, PVC pipe, building waste, and outdated vinyl siding, to create their decking.

eco aware manufacturing course of

TimberTech’s sustainability doesn’t finish at their merchandise, however carries into the way in which they’re produced.

Their services in Wilmington, OH, Scranton, PA and Boise, ID, make use of a closed-loop water filtration system that reuses and recycles thousands and thousands of gallons of water every day. This protects ~96% of their water use yearly.

On high of this, most of their manufacturing websites supply carbon-free electrical energy and use energy-efficient methods for energy, heating and cooling, water, and LED lighting.

Particular to their Boise, ID location, they’ve put in LED lighting upgrades, environment friendly water-cooled chillers, rainwater harvesting methods, bicycle and electrical car charging stations, and a cutting-edge AZEK College coaching heart.

partnered with thredup

ThredUP is the world’s largest on-line thrift retailer that carries greater than 35,000 identify model objects. The shop additionally accepts clothes on the market – all it’s important to do is request a Clean Out bag and fill it with prime quality name-brand items.

Factor is, ThredUP nonetheless ships their garments in plastic baggage, which aren’t identified for being simple to recycle by way of curbside. However these aren’t going to waste. In actual fact, TimberTech is upcycling them into their composite decking materials.

Via a partnership with ThredUP, TimberTech is responsibly remodeling plastic movie waste into new merchandise. AZEK is amassing 100% of ThredUP’s polyethylene plastic Clear Out Luggage after the contents have been processed.

On high of this, they’re additionally amassing ThredUP’s post-industrial plastic movie waste and transporting them to AZEK’s vertically built-in polyethylene recycling facility in Wilmington, Ohio. There, these supplies are processed and included into TimberTech’s composite decking materials. Discuss an incredible instance of a round financial system!

eco awards

Others are taking discover of TimberTech’s sustainable commitments too.

Along with their mum or dad firm, AZEK, TimberTech has been acknowledged by means of a number of awards showcasing how they’re revolutionizing out of doors dwelling and making a extra sustainable future.

A few of their awards embody: