I work for a company that creates (extrudes) plastic lumber and builds outdoor furniture from it. We also sell lumber directly to consumers, however I personally am fascinated by our plastic lumber and I really want some good ideas of what to make out of it…
Here’s its benefits and or options available:
...Pro’s:
-Extremely Durable but not rigid
-endures sun / rain / salt water/
-is made from recycled products and is itself infinitely recyclable (ok, so that’s an abstract benefits)
-lots of colors available
-lasts forever
-easy to cut, and work with in general (hard to sand though! no new finish options :)
-not really that expensive (about 2 to 3 times the cost of wood (...ok, so that’s a little expensive))
Cons:
-its really not pretty. just very functional. ...and good looking in a plastic way :)
-- http://plasticlumber.timpletcher.com/
7 comments so far
Tim Pletcher
home | projects | blog
88 posts in 1239 days
#1 posted 1216 days ago
FYI: I’m looking for outdoor applications… bird houses? mailbox’s… other ideas???
-- http://plasticlumber.timpletcher.com/
Fireguy
home | projects | blog
132 posts in 1401 days
#2 posted 1216 days ago
What do you mean by not ridgid? Also what type of sizes are avalible and is the color thru the material or just on the surface?
-- Alex
Tim Pletcher
home | projects | blog
88 posts in 1239 days
#3 posted 1216 days ago
By not rigid I mean that there is considerable “flex” to this material. it isn’t as stiff as wood is :)
The color is solid, all the way through.
-- http://plasticlumber.timpletcher.com/
Gpops
home | projects | blog
235 posts in 1610 days
#4 posted 1216 days ago
Glue together or screw together? Describe considerable flex. I was thinking about a replacing oak bench slats now heavy 1×3 about 4 ft. long. Need support?
Tim Pletcher
home | projects | blog
88 posts in 1239 days
#5 posted 1216 days ago
yes, that would need either a metal reinforcement or center support of some kind. for example the longest of these benches by polywood are reinforced by a steel bar
-- http://plasticlumber.timpletcher.com/
Bob Areddy
home | projects | blog
116 posts in 1568 days
#6 posted 1216 days ago
I don’t know if it’s the same stuff, but I bought fabricated decking material from Home Depot and replaced some slats on a rod iron bench that I garbage picked. The bench just sits on my porch. Perfect use for this stuff.
-- --Bob http://www.areddy.net/wood
Tim Pletcher
home | projects | blog
88 posts in 1239 days
#7 posted 1214 days ago
a little different plastic mix, decking material is a little tougher than HDPE (high density poly Etheline)
-- http://plasticlumber.timpletcher.com/
Have your say...