Got Wood?

garrett

garrett

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2004
10,931
5
53
Middleburg, VA
www.blackdogmobility.com
Roverlady said:
Not to get sidetracked, but I'm really interested in green building...

I want these counter tops:
http://www.counterproduction.com/
or
http://www.icestone.biz/new/
Click to expand...

if you want the real deal on sustainable building information this is the place.

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19

LEED is the agency that reviews and classifies all "green designs" in the US. i worked with them on several projects in PA. Penn State has one of the few buildings in the US that is ranked at the highest level.
 
Roverlady

Roverlady

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
7,825
0
45
Shenandoah valley
One of our neighbors did the patterned concrete driveway a few months ago...it's nice, but I don't really like it.

You are probably right, wood would look better.
 
racerwad

racerwad

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2005
840
0
tacoma, wa
i'm so glad people gave the skinny on trex. i hate that crap. and, it burns like it's from hell itself. anyhoo, #2 grade cedar is a nice balance between cost and beauty, if you take the time to sort it yourself. my father in law built a huge deck around his house with it and you couldn't tell it wasn't "the best." ironwood would be sooo cool but on a deck that big, that's a lot of dough. it looks cool now, though, fwiw :D

a
 
KevinNY

KevinNY

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2004
2,789
1
55
Waxhaw,NC
Stamped concrete, rebar reinforced. Mine looks great after 4 years and has not even had a reseal yet. You pic the colors and pattern.
 
Nomar

Nomar

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
6,078
13
Virginia
LOL! It's pretty messy out there in the winter! Of course in the summer, it's littered with Natural Lite cans and Gin bottles...

Garrett, I think your old RR springs are sitting beside the back of the house.

I'm thinking more about concrete/stone.....Hmmmmm.
 
Mike_Rupp

Mike_Rupp

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
3,604
0
Mercer Island, WA
Interesting comments. I'm amazed that the greenies aren't all in favor of plastic lumber. Being in the plastics industry, I've have met a few people that work for Trex that do nothing other than source scrap plastic. They travel all over North America to find plastic that would otherwise end up in a landfill and use it as their base resin.

I'd think greenies would have a warm fuzzy just knowing that their deck saved all of that garbage from being in a landfill.
 
garrett

garrett

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2004
10,931
5
53
Middleburg, VA
www.blackdogmobility.com
Trex, etc is not there yet. the EPA has given it a half way thumbs up and LEED has not given it a recommendation.
the problem is that it does not complete the "cycle". what happens to it when it gets tossed? it's the post consumer problem that the greenies have with it.

i just think the shit is ugly. not to mention real wood is a renewable resource. why i don't like plastic bags at the grocery store either.
 
Last edited:
Nomar

Nomar

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
6,078
13
Virginia
I agree with the plastics theory, but I just dont like it from an aesthetic standpoint. And I wouldn't let my 3 year old and her friends play around on pressure-treated surfaces so that leaves wood, stone , or concrete.

I like some of those stones, Lucas.
 
A

apg

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2004
3,019
0
East Virginia
Nomar said:
Aren't there some newer retaining methods like rails or something underneath the actual decking? So as to avoid all the holes in the surface.
Most of our damage is from the surface nail holes, boards starting to pull up, etc...
Click to expand...

There are quite a few 'systems' for blind nailing - plastic spacers that you screw through to secure the deck board and establish the gap between boards. Try to get a copy of the "Journal of Light Construction" or "Fine Homebuilding". Both mags have lots of ads for innovative deck hardware and materials.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom