WPC - wood-plastic composite material with good outdoor resistance

I know, it's not wood and many of you probably don't like it. However, it is wood, even if it is only waste. The fact that wood gets to be used down to the last speck of dust is a good thing, and we should have more and more of these materials that turn waste into useful materials. That's why I'm going to tell you more about Wood Plastic Composite, or WPC: what it is, where it can be used, the advantages of using it and the disadvantages you may encounter.

What is Wood Plastic Composite

It is a hybrid material made from a combination of wood fibers or wood dust (wood waste) and different plastics. Several types of plastics are used, each resulting in materials with different properties. The most commonly used plastics are polyethylene, polypropylene, high or low pressure polyethylene, PVC, etc.

Attempts to combine plastics and wood were almost as old as the plastics industry, but WPC and the development of this branch of industry has taken place over the last 20-25 years. The first notable attempts were made in Italy in 1972 for Fiat car components and in Sweden in 1973, when the first PVC and wood fiber floor panels were obtained.

Being a composite material, WPC combines the qualities of the two materials, but unfortunately also their weaknesses. Interestingly, even at 70% wood in the composition, the properties of the new material are more plastic-like. The product loses some of the strength and rigidity of wood and becomes temperature-dependent, like plastic.

He is now considered the best and most promising replacement for tackle.

How to get it. Properties

The process is simple. The two components are mixed, the temperature is raised so that the plastic becomes soft and easy to process. All this mixture is then processed by extrusion, i.e. it is passed under pressure through a die that gives it a certain shape. The best known of these is the board used in decking that looks like a milled plank of wood.

The new material is much more resistant to moisture and weathering than wood. It is also more resistant to rot, decay and insect attack. Unlike wood it is thermoplastic and can be molded, bent or twisted very easily and without the risk of cracking. Thanks to its built-in additives, it is more fire-resistant than wood, although at higher temperatures it becomes soft (thermoplastic).

It is lighter compared to a piece of solid wood of the same size.

Where to use

Due to its properties it has multiple uses, but it is mostly used for outdoor applications, where resistance to moisture and weathering is very important. WPC panels are used for decking and garden landscaping, making garden furniture, cladding houses, making fences.

The same increased exterior strength has led to its introduction into the door and window. The combination is tougher than plastic or PVC, with the window frames holding up much better over time.

Its ease of processing and the possibility of being obtained in various colors and patterns made it a suitable material for interior floorseven for furniture and interior cladding. Variants with increased mechanical resistance are used for kitchen worktops.

Can be used to make pallets or cable channels.

Advantages and disadvantages

I have attempted a comparison between wood and WPC, even though many of you will say that wood cannot be compared with any derived material. I do not want to contradict you because I like wood very much myself. It is just that there are situations when it is better to use a derivative material, leaving wood for uses that make it stand out much better.

The main advantages of WPC panels are:

• increased resistance to moisture and weathering
• there is no risk of cracking
• highly resistant to attack by insects, algae and marine organisms
• increased fire resistance (some variants are even fire retardant)
• can be easily machined with the same tools and machines as those used for woodworking
• is lighter than wood
• easy to maintain and clean

There are some disadvantages to using them:

• not wood - it lacks the beauty, warmth and originality of wood
• like any plastic, it ages over time. Depending on the plastic used, it will last for a shorter or longer period of time, but at some point it will still lose some of its properties
• its temperature dependence makes it behave like a thermoplastic that becomes soft at high temperatures
• high-strength materials can come at not inconsiderable prices
• after use it becomes a more difficult waste to recover than separate components

I know, wood is perfect. But such materials shouldn't be ignored either

Wood is a great material and that's why it should be used to achieve great things. In addition, we should try to recover all waste and make new materials out of it that can be used, not burned.

WPC is not wood and will never have the warmth and beauty of wood. But it can be used where the difference between it and wood is not so visible. Decks, house cladding, fences weather better if they are made of WPC and a stranger will never see the difference.

In addition, the idea of making a useful product using waste from two sources is commendable. Unfortunately, the new product also comes with the problem of waste recovery, as it is more difficult to recover than each individual component. However, unlike materials such as concrete, it can be reused to make other composite materials based on wood and plastic.

It's also a good idea to consider the use of these derivative materials as a way of protecting the wood and only use it when its uniqueness will not go unnoticed.