Natural Material vs. Manufactured - Which Will Last Longer Outdoors
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Natural Material vs. Manufactured - Which Will Last Longer Outdoors
Natural Material vs. Manufactured - Which Will Last Longer Outdoors
What the majority of people do not realise is that the real-life experience is far more complex than that advertised by manufacturers. Thus, we would like to provide our opinion about both categories of materials and where each of them is better used.
The benefits of manufactured materials
First of all, it would be wrong to deny the advantages of composite and manufactured products. Modern composite decking is far better than its predecessors. Early manufactured products suffered from deterioration due to fading and wear. However, the new generation is much better than before – more stable, better finished and better at withstanding issues typical of old products.
For someone who is not ready to invest some effort into maintaining outdoor materials, composite boards will serve their purpose longer than any softwood decking treated only by the elements.
Concrete and reconstituted stone products offer predictability and consistency. One knows what they are going to receive in terms of dimensions and structure. Variability which natural materials have is reduced due to the manufacturing process.
Why natural materials win
The problem with manufactured products is that their lifespan cannot be said to be confirmed. Any product that claims to last 25 years but has been on the market only for 8 does not have anything else except a projection.
Natural materials are different. Timber such as oak has proven its lifespan for hundreds of years. A good source and correct specification ensure that oak sleeper or beam will easily outlive all people who installed it. Reclaimed hardwood sleepers that have been used previously in railway networks in Europe demonstrate their resistance in the course of decades. This provenance is something no manufactured product can compete with.
Same applies to natural stone, slate, and hardwood like oak and larch – these materials are durable without additional chemical treatment. They not only last but age as well. They develop character which is hard to reproduce in the products made artificially.
The question worth asking
Instead of asking which type of material will last longer, it would be better to ask this question: which material, having been correctly specified and installed, is better suited for this particular application?
For heavy landscaping works, retaining walls and raised structures, natural hardwood timber is still the best option. For surfaces meant to be decorative with high footfall and low maintenance costs, composite products have earned this right.
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