Changes on deck

Arsenic-treated pine is being discontinued. Builders are curious about its replacement, an alkaline-treated pine.
By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Homeowners dreaming of a new deck should know that there are some major changes coming to the lumber industry in 2004.
Ralph Dipiero, of Youngstown Contracting Inc., said that the Environmental Protection Agency will soon ban the treated yellow pine commonly used to make decks and other construction projects because the lumber is treated with a chemical that contains arsenic.
"The EPA has come to an agreement with lumber companies that this kind of wood will not be made after the end of this year. In the future, lumber companies will treat yellow pine with an alkaline product that is safer for people and the environment," Dipiero said.
Yellow pine that's treated with arsenic has been around for years and has been the lumber of choice among contractors and do-it-yourselfers because of its durability and affordability.
Poses a threat
Dipiero said the EPA recently determined that the arsenic in the lumber eventually soaks into the ground and can pose a threat to children who play nearby.
"From what I understand, the main concern of the EPA wasn't that the arsenic was going to soak into water systems but that children who play on the ground would be in danger. It's a hand-to-mouth type thing. Children put their hands in the dirt and then put their hands in their mouths," Dipiero said.
The EPA isn't filing any lawsuits, Dipiero said, just discontinuing the product.
"Any arsenic-treated lumber that's on store shelves at the start of 2004 will still be sold, but after it's gone, you won't see it anymore," Dipiero said.
For this reason, contractors and do-it-yourself builders are asking a lot of questions about the new, alkaline-treated pine that's replacing the arsenic-treated pine.
"It's going to be our new, most popular lumber, so we are trying to find out as much as we can about it," he said.
Price and durability
One thing Dipiero knows so far is that the alkaline-treated pine will come with a heftier price tag, but it's uncertain if it will be as durable as its arsenic-treated predecessor.
"The alkaline-treated pine will cost about 20 [percent] to 30 percent more than the arsenic-treated pine did. Manufacturers are still determining its life span, but it's not likely that it will last as long as the arsenic-treated pine," Dipiero said.
The higher cost and shorter life span of the new product might prompt some homeowners to choose vinyl over wood, although Lori Gillepsie, of All Vinyl Fences and Decks in Southington, said most people choose vinyl decks for maintenance reasons.
"A wooden deck needs painted or treated yearly with a water-repellant, but an all-vinyl never deck has to be treated or painted, and it comes with a lifetime warranty. Vinyl decks do cost 30 [percent] to 50 percent more than wooden decks, but many consumers decide that the lack of maintenance makes up for the higher cost," Gillespie said.
Need for a frame
But just because a deck is made of vinyl doesn't mean it won't also need a wooden frame.
"For them to be sound, vinyl decks have to be built with a substructure of treated lumber. However, once the vinyl is installed over the wooden substructure, the vinyl deck will actually hold more weight and be more durable than a plain wooden deck," Gillespie said.
Gillespie said that since the wooden substructure is protected from the elements, it does not need to be treated yearly with a water-repellent.
"The wooden substructure is completely covered with vinyl, so it does not receive the same damage from the elements," Gillespie said.
If you already know that you want a vinyl deck, be careful what kind of vinyl you choose.
Both Gillespie and Dipiero said there are different grades of vinyl.
"What we use at All Vinyl Fences and Decks is 100-percent vinyl, but some of the vinyl used to build decks is actually a composite of recycled plastic and wood fibers," Gillespie said.
Warranty
Dipiero said this composite vinyl can have a warranty of as little as 20 years.
"A 20-year warranty can be less than or equal to the warranty available for a deck made with treated lumber, so it's hard to say whether [the composite] vinyl is really superior to the treated lumber," Dipiero said.
If you already have a wooden deck but you wish it were vinyl, Gillespie said All Vinyl Fences and Decks will come to your home and re-cover your deck in vinyl.
"We leave the wooden substructure and remove the railings and planks and replace those with vinyl railings and planks," she said.
Gillespie said All Vinyl Fences and Decks charges about $27 per square foot to install a vinyl deck.