A New Look at the Weathering Performance of Solid Wood Decking Materials

摘要

Public awareness of resource scarcity and environmental protection have steadily increased during the past three decades. This awareness has been heightened by the public debate of issues such as global climate change, the impending end of the petroleum era and the responsible management of old growth/ native forest ecosystems. Heightened environmental responsibility has also been driving consumer preferences for building products that present a smaller ecological footprint. One material that has the potential to meet the demand for green building products is plantation grown timber. This material is near carbon-neutral, is easily machined and has aesthetic appeal (CSIRO 2006; Buchanan and Levine 1999; Buchanan and Honey 1994). However, one of the greatest drawbacks associated with wood is poor resistance to weathering when exposed outdoors. Wood is inherently sensitive to ultraviolet light and wet/dry cycling, but the much higher proportions of juvenile wood in the plantation resource exacerbates these problems (Williams 2005; Haygreen and Bowyer 1996).