We Live In A Material World

Vinyl...plastic... These words may still carry a stigma when used in a construction context. But like it or not, their presence is expanding, and in my opinion for good reasons.

As mentioned in previous postings, some of the materials used on one of our recent projects are vinyl products from Certain Teed. Due to the fact that this homeowner works for the company, it was obviously good PR to use their products! But he was also very interested in using them for longevity and environmental reasons. Let's take a look.

The vinyl decking is textured and colored to resemble wood grain, and actually looks even better in person! It is installed using a "tongue and groove" method using clips that are attached to the floor joists, then the pieces actually snap onto the clips, leaving no exposed nails or screws to pop up as the porch weathers.

The fencing has enough detailing--including the lattice sections and trim--to make it a very attractive alternative to traditional wood fencing. And again, the sections all snap together into clips that come with the fence sections, so there is very little hardware or need for tools.

In addition to having recycled content and being fully recyclable, these materials never require painting, which also adds to their green impact.

There was a time when houses were built from mud and sticks. In the evolution of building methods and materials, perhaps this is the step where the 4-legged creatures started to walk upright!