Advantages

Fire Resistance

LumberCon won’t burn, period. Concrete is one of the best materials in the world for resisting fire. It is rated as a Class A non-combustible material.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes No No No Yes Yes Limited

Strength for Span

Our planks only need a joist for support every 6’. Other deck materials need support every 1’ or 18”. That means that you will spend less material and labor to build the support for the deck planks.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Best Good Better Fair Better Better Better

Cost per Sq FT

This is important to know because some planks come in different widths. LumberCon comes in 8” and 12” widths.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
$12-14 $4.75 ??? $7 - $13 $15 - $20 $6 $14 - $20

Cool to Touch on a 90°F Day

Synthetic decks can get very hot and burn your feet. In some cases, we saw synthetic deck planks heat up to almost 120 degrees on a sunny day. LumberCon absorbs heat so that it takes a significant length of time to heat up.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes Yes N/A No Yes No No

Stable Pricing

Most decking is made of wood or plastic, which have price fluctuations. LumberCon is made of concrete which does not under-go significant price fluctuations.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes No No Limited Limited Limited Yes

Splinter Free

Wood has splinters. Concrete does not.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes No No No No No Possible

Freeze Thaw

Some products expand and contract significantly with changes in temperature. LumberCon has been tested in extreme cold and performed well under freeze-thaw conditions. It also has been used as a boat ramp, with planks underwater most of the time. Wood planks used to be replaced every 3-4 years. The LumberCon planks have been in place since 2014.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
No Yes Yes Yes No No Possible

Delaminate / Rot

Wood rots and decays from moisture and contact with termites and other wood boring insects. Laminated products fall apart when the glue that holds it together deteriorates. LumberCon resists this kind of decay. Bugs don’t eat concrete.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
No Possible Possible Possible No No No

Termites / Bugs

Wood rots and decays from moisture and contact with termites and other wood boring insects. Laminated products fall apart when the glue that holds it together deteriorates. LumberCon resists this kind of decay. Bugs don’t eat concrete.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
No Possible Yes No No No Possible

Warp Flexibility

The steel prestressed reinforcement in LumberCon enables the plank to bend slightly when weight is applied to it, but it returns to a flat plane.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
No No Possible Yes No No No

Temperature Transmission

Concrete absorbs heat, so that the surface does not get much hotter than the surrounding temperature. Wood and plastic decking gets much hotter than the surrounding air temperature, especially when it is in the sun.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes

Warranty - Residential / Commercial

Read about our warranty here.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
25 / 10 No Possible 25 / 10 ??? ??? No

Span in US for Decking - Residential / Commercial

LumberCon spans much longer than any deck plank because of its superior strength.  This means that it requires less joists for support and it can cantilever over the end of the deck.  Since 75% of the cost of a new deck comes from the labor and material to build the under carriage of the deck, the under carriage of a LumberCon deck will be less expensive and labor intensive.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
6' - 8' 2' ??? 1.5' ??? ??? 3' - 4'

Sustainable Materials

Concrete is a mixture of sand, stone and cement. Concrete structures last much longer than other materials. When a concrete structure is demolished, it can be crushed into stone for roadways.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No

Bury in Ground, Ground Contact, Or Fresh Water Use

Some products expand and contract significantly with changes in temperature. LumberCon has been tested in extreme cold and performed well under freeze-thaw conditions. It also has been used as a boat ramp, with planks underwater most of the time. Wood planks used to be replaced every 3-4 years. The LumberCon planks have been in place since 2014.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes No No No Yes No No

Colors Can Be Applied or Are Available

LumberCon has three standard finishes; plain gray, gray woodgrain, and natural sandblast. The planks can be stained any color with a concrete stain. We recommend that a sealer be applied after it is stained to protect the color. See this page for some examples with Sherwin Williams Concrete Stain.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Available in Different Textures

LumberCon has three standard finishes; plain gray, gray woodgrain, and natural sandblast. The planks can be stained any color with a concrete stain. We recommend that a sealer be applied after it is stained to protect the color. See this page for some examples with Sherwin Williams Concrete Stain.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes No No Yes Yes Limited No

DIY - Tools

LumberCon planks can we cut using a circular saw with a masonry blade. We do not recommend hammering nails into a LumberCon plank, but the plank can easily be drilled using a masonry bit.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes Yes Yes Yes Maybe Maybe Yes

Life Cycle Maintenance

LumberCon does not require much maintenance. If the planks get dirty over time, they can be power washed or cleaned with a light detergent.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes

Chemical Effects

There is zero chemical leaching from LumberCon planks, unlike other chemically treated products.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes No No Yes No No Maybe

Available Custom Lengths

The standard length for LumberCon is 12’. Shorter lengths can be ordered for an upcharge. Longer lengths can be ordered, but there is a minimum quantity required in addition to the upcharge.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes Yes Yes Limited Limited Limited Limited

Made in USA

100% of LumberCon is made in the USA.

LumberCon PT-Lumber Engineered Wood Trex-Composites Aluminum 2" Steel IPE Lum
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No