he evolution of decks from
utilitarian 10-ft. by 20-ft.
rear-stoops to today's expan-
sive, tiered and intricately de -
signed outdoor living rooms
has been rapid — and has
accelerated in recent years. Tis evolution is
driven by consumers, now exposed to more
ideas and better visuals via home improve-
ment cable shows on HGTV, DIY and other
venues. New trends, ideas and colors now
seemingly arrive overnight.
"If you go back 10 or 15 years, the pres-
sure-treated deck on the back of someone's
house was the Spartan extension of the man
cave," says Doug Morse, CEO of NyloBoard,
a decking-board maker manufacturing its
boards from recycled carpet fber. "Now the
deck is an extension of the decorated space in
the house. And decking needs to step up like
the products we ofer — the design fexibility,
the patterns, the low coefcient of expansion,
and all the colors and trends so you can create
looks that fve years ago were not possible."
Morse has data to back up his assertion.
Reams of consumer research across multiple
sources have come back with the same result:
Aesthetics are the No. 1 driver of decking
preferences, says Chris Camferman, vice
president of marketing for Universal Forest
Aesthetics
Arms Race
PVC, composite and
treated wood decking
suppliers lock in a
continual push for new
looks, new colors and
new design capabilities.
By Patrick L. O'Toole,
Editorial Director and Publisher
FIBERON's Horizon Ipe
shown here is consistent
with the trend toward
tropical hardwood colors
and variegation patterns.
Circle 4 on inquiry card
T
38 June 2015 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com | ForResidentialPros.com
PRODUCT TRENDS: Decking