WOOD COMPOSITES IN DECKING STRUCTURES BUILDING OF OUTDOOR LIVING AREAS

摘要

The U.S. market for building materials (excluding fasteners, footings, and other hardware) used in decks, verandas, and porches reached 5.3 billion bd-ft, valued at $5.4 billion in 2000. This represents a nearly 6% increase over the 1999 market value. These materials were used to build, repair, or replace an estimated 3.2 million decks, porches, veranda, and balconies in the United States. These decks range from small 3' x 4' landings to sprawling 1,000 SF outdoor living areas. The construction of decks on American homes has grown considerably over the past 5 years due to both the strong economy and the continued trend toward integrating outdoor spaces into homes. Decks are installed on both new and existing houses, and range widely in terms of size, styles, and material preferences. Geographical differences also exist for decking structures due to climate, lot size and topography, size and style of homes, and general lifestyle differences. The size and complexity of a deck typically coincides with the size and cost of the home.