The growth of commercial and residential decking and railing products over the past few years has been a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy building and remodeling environment. All indications are that this trend will continue, albeit modestly, for the foreseeable future. However, emerging technologies and color trends coupled with builders and homeowners mixing and matching decking and railing materials from different suppliers have impacted how raw material producers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, contractors and remodelers make decisions.

Just in the last decade, the industry has seen rapid growth of solid composites but now that popularity is slipping away to a variety of lower cost hollowed-back composite options, capped composites or synthetic options. Several synthetic deck products produced by a variety of companies look more and more like wood but they continue to escalate in price. Raw material and transportation costs are volatile and a great majority of manufacturers don’t have deep enough pockets to absorb those increases. This emerging trend may ultimately prove to be difficult to plan for at the retail purchasing level. Even the discriminating buyer with an above average income may bypass the trendiest of synthetic products and decide on a high-end genuine exotic hardwood species or move to a more traditional wood deck option such as western red cedar or douglas fir. According to Principia Partners a consulting firm, the wood deck segment which includes pressure treated decking materials still represents roughly 50% of all decking used in the Northeast United States.

Today’s deck and railing buyer demands long-term durability, lower-maintenance, fade resistance, good looks, and accessories to customize. Often times a consumer will mix one brand of decking with a different brand of railing, and then add accessories like lighting and hardscape elements such as deck stones or special solar post caps from yet another manufacturer. Some homeowners are also seeking “green” products in that they contain a high percentage of recycled materials or the Life Cycle Assessment of the given product is in line with their beliefs.  While the “green” attributes of a product usually do not become the sole factor in the purchasing decision, often times they can be the single reason that will sway the buyer over a specific brand or wood specie.  In many markets, it is also realistic to conclude that the professional deck contractor may exert his or her considerable experience and or brand preference to strongly influence the buyer.

With the rapidly changing landscape in the decking and railing category, it is very important to understand how the man-made product is manufactured because ingredients, speed in which products are produced and packaged will directly impact the end users satisfaction. In general, consumers have very high expectations that the decking, fastener, railing and or accessory purchased will perform as promoted (or better).

Whether it is decking and railing or patio hardscapes, the outdoor living space category is a growing market segment. It is important for all channels of the industry to partner with the companies and products that have consistently delivered proven results over an extended period of time. At Boston Cedar, the company has worked diligently since its inception to ensure that the products and programs offered are the best of the best.