Enhanced profiled wood decking with superior weather resistance

Decking is a flooring material used outdoors in both residential and non-residential sectors. The decking market is important for Canadian companies who manufacture 300 million lineal feet of decking each year. However, this important market is declining because of the emergence of products made from plastic. These plastic products maintain their appearance better than wood decking when used outdoors and require less maintenance. But wooden decking still resembles commodity lumber and little is done to engineer the surface of deck boards so that they can resist the effects of the weather and maintain their appearance when used outdoors. This situation is quite different to the market for interior flooring which is dominated by engineered products that are visually appealing, hard wearing and easy to install and maintain. Taking our cue from the latter sector and working with our MITACS partner we will optimize a promising micro-grooving technology for reducing surface checking and cupping of selected Canadian wood species that have potential to be used for treated decking. The major deliverable for this project is wood decking made from Canadian species that can compete more effectively in the market place with decking made from plastic.

Faculty Supervisor:

Phil Evans

Student:

Partner:

Brisco Wood Preservers Ltd

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: