The benefits of extruded wood polymer composite profiles in construction
As the applications for wood polymer composite (WPC) profiles become more widespread across construction, Reddiplex, a leading extrusion company explains why there is increasing demand for a wide variety of profiles to be extruded in WPC. Such a move takes advantage of the many functional benefits that a durable, highly engineered solution can offer.
“Whilst timber has long been used in construction, its characteristics are widely understood to challenge consistency and longevity in many instances. This is where WPC can truly come to the fore and deliver the look of timber coupled with a dimensionally stable product, whilst ensuring the practical properties and benefits desired by the specifier or construction company,” says Jude Chard, Director and General Manager of Worcestershire based Reddiplex Ltd.
The benefits, Jude explains, are clear to see and can make a significant difference to the functionality and performance of the product over its lifetime: “With the capability to extrude a variety of wood fibre and polymer combinations at Reddiplex, the result is always far more reliable and consistent than a pure timber alternative. Considering window bars and beading for example, WPC profiles absorb far less water, ensuring less susceptibility to moisture change throughout the year. WPC is also self-skinning, resulting in less likelihood of warping, cracking and indeed rotting. Furthermore, extruded WPC profiles can be easily painted or stained to eliminate the need for an additional process – saving time and money. Flexible to work with, our WPC profiles can be cut with standard tools on-site, nailed, screwed or glued.”
With 36 different extrusion lines on-site for a variety of materials, Reddiplex can offer plenty of technical guidance on the best process and material for the end use. The company works closely with its customers, first understanding the nature of the project, and then advising on the most effective route. “WPCs that will be exposed to a greater amount of external weathering would benefit from a different mix to those used internally. Our in-depth experience in this growing market allows us to help our customers make the right choices for their specific task,” says Jude.
With custom tooling on-site, solid and hollow extrusion capability, in-line application of adhesive tape and printing for identification and traceability purposes available, Reddiplex offers the construction industry a comprehensive and reliable WPC extrusion service, whether the project concerns internal products such as window beading and decorative door moulding or external solutions such as window bars.
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