Material use in the US deck market: an assessment of the market potential for Alaska yellow cedar

Abstract

The deck-building industry is going through a period of rapid growth and dramatic change with respect to the types of materials available to build decks. A 2001 study by the Freedonia Group estimates that the demand for decking materials will increase by almost 20 percent between 2000 and 2010. To better understand material use and contractor preferences within the deck-building industry, CINTRAFOR, with funding support from the USDA Forest Service Wood Utilization Lab in Sitka, Alaska, recently completed a survey of 205 deck builders and 213 home builders across the United States. In particular, this research project was interested in documenting the current usage of Alaska yellow-cedar (AYC) in residential decking, evaluating builders' perceptions of AYC lumber as a decking material, assessing the potential for expanding the use of AYC in deck building, and developing a set of strategic marketing recommendations to promote the expanded use of AYC in deck building. Refinement of the marketing recommendations should be considered once an accurate supply projection for AYC logs is available.

Citation

Eastin, I.; Ganguly, I.; Shook, S.; Brackley, A. 2005. Material use in the US deck market: an assessment of the market potential for Alaska yellow cedar. Working Paper 98. Seattle, WA: Center for International Trade in Forest Products (CINTRAFOR), University of Washington, College of Forest Resources. 87 p.