12th December, 2022

What Makes Structural Plastics the Material of the Future?

Plastic materials are becoming more prominent in construction industries and are considered by many to be the future of the trade. But what makes these structural plastics impressive enough to be considered the material of the future?

In our handy explainer of structural plastics, we answer that question and more!

They’re Environmentally Friendly

One of the primary reasons that structural plastics are the material of the future is because they also help to preserve our environment’s future. Trees are renewable resources, but much effort and time are put into chopping down, replanting, and waiting for trees to mature enough to be cut down.

Plastic structural materials, on the other hand, keep our environment’s trees in the ground and reuse recycled plastic. In the future, it’s in everyone’s best interests to utilize resources and materials that are less disruptive to the environment and ecosystems.

Interesting Fact: Hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic milk jugs are downcycled into material for plastic and composite lumber every year.

They’re Durable

In construction, there’s always value in using tougher, stronger, and more durable materials. Plastic materials, due to their synthetic makeup, are engineered with more strength than typical lumber materials can provide.

Plastic lumber won’t splinter or crack from wear and tear like organic wood or succumb to rot or pest infestation. Poly and composite lumber are completely waterproof and insect-proof so that it can withstand the harshest outdoor challenges.

They Last Longer

Since plastic materials are water and pest-resistant, it also means that they’re capable of lasting longer than organic lumber. On average, plastic lumber can last twice as long as standard wood with minimal maintenance or even longer.

It always pays for construction companies to invest in materials with a longer lifespan—less maintenance, repairs, and an edge over the competition.

They’re Affordable

As beneficial as it is for construction companies to be environmentally friendly and create lasting products—it always comes down to dollars and cents. But plastic materials are also an advantage in cost-benefit analysis because they’re easy to produce and can be done in large quantities.

Since plastic and composite lumber lasts longer than typical lumber, they offer better value to customers and the construction industry. With affordable and simple reproduction and greater longevity, it’s easy to see why plastic materials will play a vital factor in the construction industry’s future.