When I was a kid, I went camping with my dad. We camped in the woods by a stream in Virginia. He was an avid dry fly fisherman. He caught trout, and we cooked it over a campfire. It was the 1950’s. His dad had taken his family camping in Canada. And my dad took […]

In 1995, Trex made history by making decking boards of a wood-plastic composite. Trex was followed shortly after by Fiberon and TimberTech.  However, following World War II, there was a boom in plastics.  An inventor/entrepreneur named Irvin Vincent had the idea of recycling plastic waste.  He founded the N.E.W. Plastics company and in 1973 was

When you’re choosing a fire pit, you’re usually deciding between two main types: propane (or natural gas) and wood-burning. Both create a cozy focal point, but they’re very different in cost, convenience, maintenance, and overall experience. Below is a side‑by‑side breakdown, then a deeper look at each category. Quick Comparison Table Feature Propane Fire Pit

Planning a new deck is one of those projects that looks simple from the outside—“just some boards and railings”—but good planning is what separates a beautiful, functional outdoor space from a wobbly platform you regret in two summers. Below is a practical guide you can turn into a blog post (or use as-is) that walks

PHOTO COURTESY OF LUMBEROCK.COM Reading about and studying the. different brands of composite decking is really interesting. Each company, especially the less well known companies, has their own approach and ideas about what would make the best alternative to wood. The big three: Trex, Timbertech, and Fiberon are the best known. Their decking is WPC

Building a deck with composite decking has become a growing trend since Trex first introduced composite decking in 1996. At least a dozen manufacturers are now offering their own versions, and there have been huge improvements in composite decking over the past thirty years. Improvements include making them look more like real wood, making them

Most brands of composite decking involve a Wood-Plastic mix or a Mineral-Plastic mix. Not clear what the minerals are in mineral-plastic composites because that is a company secret, but mineral-plastic composites have some advantages over wood-plastic composites, mostly having to do with being impervious to water. But that is not the whole story of composite

There are as many as twenty companies in the U.S. and Canada producing composite and PVC decking for American homeowners expanding their living space next to their homes. Veka OLP (Outdoor Living Products) is one you may not have heard of, but they are a major player. The company got its start in Germany in

There is something very wrong with this photo. It is an image generated by artificial intelligence that was not intelligent enough to know that a wood burning fire pit like that will destroy the decking underneath. Fire pits radiate heat underneath. That heat can reach 300 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Wood decking will char. Composite

Cowboy Cauldron is a premium line of outdoor fire pits and grills designed around a distinctive suspended steel cauldron and tripod system. Built from heavy-gauge steel and finished to withstand years of high-heat use and weather exposure, these units function as fire features, wood or charcoal grills, and large-format cookers for gatherings. Core Design Product

Is outdoor living a growing trend with homeowners in the U.S. and when did the trend start to take off Yes, outdoor living is a strong and still‑growing trend among U.S. homeowners, and it really began to take off in a noticeable, sustained way in the early‑to‑mid 2000s, then accelerated sharply after 2020. Outdoor Living

Fiberon is a leading U.S. manufacturer of low‑maintenance composite and PVC decking, railing, and related outdoor living products. The company focuses on creating durable, sustainable alternatives to traditional wood, with an emphasis on realistic wood looks, fade resistance, and easy care. Below is a concise overview of the company and its main product categories. Company