Sometimes paws speak louder than barks.
Cincinnati homeowner Chris F. was thinking about a new deck for years, but his dogs Otis and Louie ultimately made the decision for him. Deep scratches on his deck from Otis, a Jack Russell Terrier/Beagle mix and Louie, a Terrier/Chihuahua mix practically spelled, “Replace this wood!”
After many years of recurring maintenance, wear and tear, and indelible dog scratches on his pressure treated wood deck, Chris set out to find the perfect replacement.
“My goals were simple,” explained Chris: “One - build a durable, beautiful, low-maintenance backyard deck that would stand up to extreme Midwest weather. Two – stay within a reasonable budget. Three – and most important, make it dog-proof.”
Chris began exploring wood alternatives to eliminate the potential for rotting and the need for staining or extensive maintenance. He didn’t consider PVC because of concerns about strength and scratch resistance.
When he investigated WPC (wood/plastic composite) alternatives, he didn’t like the idea of wood flour in the composite, fearing that it could be susceptible to issues with mold, mildew, moisture or termites.
“Then I discovered NyloDeck. I was immediately drawn because it looked beautiful and so much like real wood,” said Chris. “When I learned it was made using 100 percent-recycled carpet fiber and contained no wood or PVC, I was intrigued.”
The Torture Tests
Chris was impressed with NyloDeck’s extensive test results, which rate it twice as strong as other leading composites, show the lowest expansion and contraction rates in the industry, and enable the company to offer a 25 Year Limited Residential Fade and Stain Warranty on top of a 25 Year Limited Residential Warranty.
“I was excited about NyloDeck – especially that it could span 24 inches on center, saving me time and money. And it was cost competitive with other leading brands. But I wasn’t going to be convinced until I conducted my own version of torture testing,” he notes. “Will it dent, crack, scratch, or break? I wanted to see for myself.”
With Otis and Louie as assistants, Chris repeatedly dropped 25-pound weights on NyloDeck, hammered at it, soaked and froze samples, scratched it with keys, and challenged the dogs to destroy it. NyloDeck passed the rigors – all with flying colors.
Chris used traditional woodworking tools to build the deck and declared that it was easier to work with than wood. “It was like cutting through butter and it went together so easily,” he said. “I also like that the surface isn’t slippery and I know that the Saddle Rose color will never need to be stained.”
Today Chris and the dogs are enjoying worry-free days lounging on the deck and collecting compliments from envious neighbors and visitors who say they love the color and can’t believe it isn’t real wood.
NyloDeck is available in five popular colors and is compatible with leading fastener systems and railing combinations.
Ohio homeowner chooses NyloDeck for strength, scratch resistance