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://www.timpletcher.com/
7 comments so far
Tim Pletcher
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90 posts in 4534 days
#1 posted 01-18-2010 06:59 PM
FYI: I’m looking for outdoor applications… bird houses? mailbox’s… other ideas???
-- http://www.timpletcher.com/
Fireguy
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132 posts in 4695 days
#2 posted 01-18-2010 07:53 PM
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
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90 posts in 4534 days
#3 posted 01-18-2010 08:30 PM
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://www.timpletcher.com/
Gpops
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248 posts in 4904 days
#4 posted 01-18-2010 08:39 PM
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
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90 posts in 4534 days
#5 posted 01-18-2010 08:43 PM
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://www.timpletcher.com/
Bob Areddy
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193 posts in 4862 days
#6 posted 01-19-2010 01:02 AM
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
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90 posts in 4534 days
#7 posted 01-20-2010 04:11 PM
a little different plastic mix, decking material is a little tougher than HDPE (high density poly Etheline)
-- http://www.timpletcher.com/
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