Decking and Outdoor Living

What makes Latitudes composite decking special is the Strandex technology it employs. Like individual strands of a rope make the rope stronger, Strandex technology makes Latitudes composite decking products stronger. Strandex technology offers superior protection against UV degradation and water absorption, because every “strand” of wood fiber is encased in high-density polyethylene. Latitudes uses Strandex inside, so you can be assured that you’re getting the highest, most consistent quality and strongest composite product available in the industry.

Has Strandex Technology been tested in Saltwater/Marine environments?
Yes. In the late 1990’s the Office of Naval Research sponsored a project to determine the acceptability of wood plastic composites as components of naval piers. One of the areas of concern was possible bio-degradation of the wood plastic composites. Washington State University, in cooperation with Strandex Corporation, supplied composite materials for bio-degradation testing. Some of these materials were made using the formulation that has become the recommended Strandex PE formulation. Bio-degradation testing was carried out using a protocol developed by the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center. Two areas of concern are relevant to wood based composites exposed to a salt water environment. Fungal decay is of concern in parts of structures that are above water because of the moist conditions and periodic wetting.  Marine boring organisms attack wood under water in the marine environment. This is the second area of concern. The recommended Strandex formulation was tested and found resistant to fungal decay in accelerated decay procedures and resistant to attack from marine borers. The marine borer test specimens evaluated after 2 years of exposure did not show any colonization. Because the potential use in piers testing was focused on structural integrity of the composites, aesthetics such as color fade and staining were not addressed by the study.

See Phase 1 Testing/Studies
See Phase 2 Testing/Studies

See blog: Bring Your Boat Dock Back to Life.