I’m designing a deck in California’s Wine Country and I have a client who is interested in using an “environmentally responsible” decking materials. I’m not real hot on Trex and the related products but I also must confess a real ignorance about the subtleties of the different wood composite products that are out there. Any recommendations on other wood products? Anybody had any positive experience with one in parrticular that separates it from the others? Basically my decking vocabulary involves Cedar, Redwood and the thinner Ironwood product. There is an overhead trellis that obviously can’t be made out of a wood composite – at least not that i know of – but the possibility of painting everything is something the client is open to so we could use a composite on the deck while painting the other wood to match. It would be a shame to paint the redwood
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I don't think there is anything more environmentally friendly than IPE` ( Ironwoods) It is harvested from ecologically manageed forests and provides work to otherwise hungry slash and burn farmers in a subsistence way of life. Instead of burning the wood, they are selling it to us, making money doing so, and there is less CO polluting the atmosphere, so it is a double whammy. Good both economically, and ecologically.
And it sure is beautiful
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As usual, thanks for the good advice. I'll cite you as my source to the client. I just spoke to a recycled lumberyard up here in Ukiah and he takes a similar line to you. He knows a guy up in Crescent City that harvests wind blown and dead standing redwood. It may very well come down to the relative costs and the grocery list of sizes I need for the trellis work. Thanks again.
-Mike