With outdoor living projects growing in popularity and size, decking represents an attractive category for dealers. At the same time, that strength also means plenty of new products and options for dealers to choose from to meet the demands of their market.
Trex foresees continued growth in the decking segment this year, especially on the renovation and remodeling side, says Vice President of Marketing Leslie Adkins. “We think 2019 can be very, very positive going forward, particularly as we go after a newer segment that’s all about converting wood,” Adkins says. “That opportunity has a lot of legs because no matter what the economy does, if you’ve got a wood deck, I can guarantee you it’s degrading every single year and it’s not going to be timed to an economic cycle as to when you have to replace that.”
Deckorators also expects strong performance in the replacement market. “Remodeling is going to remain strong as people are staying in their homes longer,” says Chris Camfferman, managing director of marketing for Deckorators. “Also, there is pent-up demand for outdoor projects based on the volatile weather we had in 2018. We had a short spring and a very hot summer in many parts of the country, both of which are not ideal conditions for building decks.”
Homeowners want more than a simple deck, says Jase DeBoer, senior category marketing manager for Universal Forest Products/ProWood.
“They’re no longer just a simple add-on, people are truly looking at decks as another room on their home,” he says. “So they’re taking time to plan for the way they intend to use the space, whether that be to entertain, to cook, to make it their quiet escape.”
From a design standpoint, builders are becoming more creative.
“Rather than laying deck boards across joists and having the open ends exposed on the sides of the deck, we’re seeing a lot more builders add blocking around the perimeter of the framing so that they can picture frame the deck,” DeBoer says. “Whether the builder uses mitered corners or otherwise, adding a picture frame around deck boards is a beautiful way to add design and a finished look to the deck. On larger decks, they’re even adding the picture frame through the middle of the deck, which adds to the design aesthetic, but also can act as a seam giving a clean look by reducing butt joints.”
YellaWood CMO James Riley agreed with that sentiment.
“They want their decks to be the focal point of a larger outdoor experience,” he says. “They’re incorporating space for movie projectors and using screens to break the space into different ‘rooms’ and other unique ways to make the space uniquely theirs.”
One of the primary drivers of this trend is the growing number of millennials entering the housing market, Riley says. “With young kids at home, this generation places an emphasis on quality family time and the memories that can be made in their own backyard,” he says. “This means creating a playground oasis for the kids and expanding the square footage of their homes with outdoor dining areas and kitchens for entertaining friends and family. In addition, Boomers are choosing to age in place and are often looking to replace existing decks or are searching for new ways to invest in their homes.”
MoistureShield is seeing similar desires from consumers, says Senior Brand Manager Joey Peters.
“We’ve talked to a lot of homeowners who really like that idea of being able to flow in and out and enjoy the space from the inside to the outside,” he says. “Another thing is that it increases the profitability of a home when they’re trying to resell it. Obviously, there have been studies and the Remodeling Index and things like that really indicate that outdoor living spaces and decks are very desirable. I think it just gives a unique differentiation.”
The trend of bringing the feeling and comfort of inside to the outdoor living space continues, says Juliana Rumbaugh, marketing communications manager for Lonza.
“Deck designs are more elaborate including multiple levels, kitchens, water and fire features and all the amenities you’d typically find in an indoor living room and kitchen. Decking color preferences tend to remain neutral but the accessories on the decks have bright, vibrant colors and often reminisce of days at the beach, relaxing on the deck looking over the water,” she says. “There is an ever-growing desire among men and women of all ages to maintain balance and restore inner peace. When you have a comfortable spot to enjoy fresh air and relax, you can achieve that feeling.”
There is a big movement with home-owners and designers wanting to create truly unique outdoor spaces, says Patrick Barnds, AZEK Building Products senior vice president of product management.
“They have been doing it in interior flooring now for years and those same trends continue to move outdoors,” he says. “So, we are seeing much more interest in wide-width products, mixed-widths, patterns and mixed/blended colors. These range from the more subtle (three colors of brown) to the more extreme (charcoal, light gray and white). In addition, curved decks continue to gain in popularity.”
Source: https://bit.ly/2kqBZXb
