Outside laminate park rubber floor

Uses

WPCs are still new materials relative to the long history of natural lumber as a building material. The most widespread use of WPCs is in outdoor deck floors, but it is also used for railings, fences, landscaping timbers, cladding and siding, park benches, molding and trim,window and door frames, and indoor furniture. Wood-plastic composites were first introduced into the decking market in the early 1990s. Manufacturers claim that wood-plastic composite is more environmentally friendly and requires less maintenance than the alternatives of solid wood treated withpreservatives or solid wood of rot-resistant species. These materials can be molded with or without simulated wood grain details.

Production

Wood Plastic Composites (WPCs) are produced by thoroughly mixing ground wood particles and heated thermoplastic resin. The most common method of production is to extrude the material into the desired shape, though injection molding is also used. WPCs may be produced from either virgin or recycled thermoplastics including HDPE, LDPE, PVC, PP, ABS, PS, and PLA. Polyethylene based WPCs are by far the most common. Additives such as colorants, coupling agents, UV stabilizers, blowing agents, foaming agents, and lubricants help tailor the end product to the target area of application. Extruded WPCs are formed into both solid and hollow profiles.