In recent years with the spread of environmental awareness, the use of plastic and all plastic products has come to be frowned upon. Many departmental stores have stopped packing sold products in plastic bags and instead go for the more recyclable alternative of paper bags. However, in spite of all the flak that plastic gets the material does have great use as lumber or wood made from recycled plastic.
Plastic lumber is used abundantly to cover deck boards, benches, railings, several kinds of furniture and door and window panes. The material is totally rot free and can be molded into any shape or size, giving it a natural advantage over wood. However, being similar to wood, plastic lumber can be structured and worked upon using conventional wood sculpting tools.
Another great advantage of plastic lumber is that it is produced in a range of vibrant colors and therefore does not require paint. The material is water resistant and stain- proof. The material however is not as strong as wood and is known to lose shape under very high temperatures.
Plastic lumber as compared to the other traditional choices of building materials is relatively new and not yet as popular as the others. However, a great advantage of this new- age material is that is fully recyclable after its primary use. So for example if you bought a reclining chair made of this material, you could recycle it after a while and use it as a door framing.
The materials used in
Plastic lumber include waste plastic like PP, PS, PLA and others. Some people claim that this material is more environment- friendly than wood plastic composites. In fact the material requires next to no maintenance. This malleable lumber can be molded into both solid as well as hollow frames. This material is mostly crack- free. While it looks and feels very similar to timber the two materials are easily distinguishable from one another.
Finally, at a time when we are constantly seeking greener ways of living using recycled plastic to make another recyclable material is highly desirable.
