Sedro Woolley
Researcher: Dr. Karl Englund, Washington State University Wood Materials and Engineering Lab
Year project began: 2003
Wood plastic composites (WPCs) continue to be an attractive alternative to chemically treated wood and plastic lumber due to their dimensional stability and resistance to biodeterioration. However, current WPCs are heavy, which has prompted the development of hollow-foamed composites to reduce the weight. Dr. Englund and his colleagues at WSU's Wood Materials and Engineering Lab (WMEL) have worked to develop such structural and foamed WPC products. Shoreline Industries, a manufacturer of vinyl-based composite lumber, is using WMEL's resources to develop and test new composites and extrusion methods for PVC/wood flour foamed composites, specifically for the residential decking industry.
Labels: District_39, Northwest, RTD_Grant_Program_L-Z, Sedro_Woolley, WSU