Alternative Plastics - Ideas - Construction Tips and Tricks for Plastic Lumber


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PLASTIC LUMBER Tips & Tricks

CUTTING:
Always use as coarse a blade as possible when using as saw.
For circular saws, we recommend:

7.5" to 8" blades' 8 to 24 teeth

10: blades' 12 to 30 teeth

14", 8", & 16" Blades: 18 to 36 teeth

DRILLING:
Most any kind of sharp drill bit will work nicely.

FILING & SHAPING:
A coarse bastard file works well, avoid using fine files as they will tend to plug-up. Hand planers can be used. Electric planers and jointers can be used. Coarse sand paper can be used to create a fuzzy texture, the paper will not last long as the density of the plastic will plug it up.

USING A LATHE:
Use a live bearing on your end stock to avoid the build-up of heat. If you have a speed adjustment you may want to try various speeds allowing for the cleanest cut possible. High quality turning chisels are recommended.

USING A ROUTER:
Any standard router will work; use an aggressive cutter. The minimum number of cutters possible; 2 are better than 3 to give clean cuts. Carbide is recommended.

USING CHISELS:
Plastic lumber has no grain, it will not break out as in natural wood. When trying to make a notch, we suggest making a number of cuts, about 1/4" to 1/2" apart to full depth with a circular saw. Then use a narrow chisel to break out the material. Good results are accomplished with a 1/4" to 1/2" chisel. Using wider chisels requires more effort.

STAPLES:
Most short, heavy duty staples will work well, however the longer the length, the weaker they are. In agricultural applications for barbed wire fencing, it is recommended to use hardened staples with-out barbs. The holding strength of plastic is high so that staples with barbs are more difficult to pound in, or remove.

NAILS, BRADS:
Most nails can be used with plastic. For increased holding strength use Ardox (twisted spiral) type. Hardened nails with sharp points work best. Plastic has a hard shell for strength and weather resistance so expect to use more driving force to start nails.

SCREWS:
Fine thread screws do NOT work well; Always use a coarse a thread as possible. Coarse drywall or deck screws and lag bolts work very well. Pre-Drilling pilot holes for screws smaller than 1/4" diameter is not required. For speed, screws can be started easier by making a dimple with an awl or punch to 1/8" depth. Pilot holes are recommended only for large screws or lag bolts thicker than 1/4". Your pilot hole should be approximately one half the diameter of the screw.

BOLTS:
All kinds of bolts work well. Anchor fasteners and "T-Nuts" can be convenient in tight places. Our products have high compressive strength, when using washers, you can really torque the bolt. The washers will not sink-in as in natural soft woods.

PAINTING:
Painting is NOT recommended as most common paints will not stick to plastic. Paint will scratch off very quickly in applications where there is a lot of contact with movement. Our products come in an array of permanent colours. Coloured special coatings are available from your dealer.

SEALING & GLUE
High quality sealants such as silicone can be used. However please note that there are very few things that will stick to plastic. Rely on good mechanical retention, e.g.: butt joints must be a very good fit; lap joints and tongue & groove joints will prove to be better to retain a sealant. If you are making a project that will be outdoors, like a fence, picnic table, pier or bench... a dab of sealant can be placed between the boards at the approximate location where your fastener will go. This will seal rain and moisture out, to eliminate fastener corrosion between the joints. Plastic lumber has an "elastic" effect. Fasteners naturally crimp into the plastic - thus sealing out moisture. Small imperfections or cracks can be filled with common automotive body filler or thermal glue. Body filler can be Coloured to match, by adding some lacquer paint to the filler before hardener is added. Adhesives are available. Consult with your dealer.

SUPPORT & STRENGTH:
Our product is a very different material. Don't think of it as wood. Think of it as plastic! It will react differently to projects originally designed for natural wood. Design changes may be required for your project. Consult with your dealer about your application. Application information is available for common project types. Our lumber typically carries less load than natural lumber as it has more flexibility. Over extended periods of time, excessive load over too wide a span may create some breakage, even in winter. Try bending and stressing the material in a test before you start. Being plastic, it expands and contracts slightly due to temperature change. Typical expansion is 1/4" per 8 foot spread at 80 deg Celsius. Use a 1/4" gap between the plastic lumber and a fixed wall. For decking - a 1/4" gap is sufficient between butt joints. If this is of concern in your application please contact us, or your dealer.

In many cases our customers have found that they had to rethink their project design to accommodate the unique properties of Plastic Lumber. The long term benefits of plastics are worth the extra mental effort as plastic will last several lifetimes. If you have any questions or require more detailed information, please do NOT hesitate to ASK US or consult your dealer. He will be happy to provide advice for your project requirements.

THINK SAFETY, WORK SAFELY !

CUTTING:	Always use as coarse a blade as possible when using as saw. For circular saws, we recommend: 7.5" to 8" blades' 8 to 24 teeth 10: blades' 12 to 30 teeth 14", 8", & 16" Blades: 18 to 36 teeth
DRILLING:	Most any kind of sharp drill bit will work nicely.
FILING & SHAPING:	A coarse bastard file works well, avoid using fine files as they will tend to plug-up. Hand planers can be used. Electric planers and jointers can be used. Coarse sand paper can be used to create a fuzzy texture, the paper will not last long as the density of the plastic will plug it up.
USING A LATHE:	Use a live bearing on your end stock to avoid the build-up of heat. If you have a speed adjustment you may want to try various speeds allowing for the cleanest cut possible. High quality turning chisels are recommended.
USING A ROUTER:	Any standard router will work; use an aggressive cutter. The minimum number of cutters possible; 2 are better than 3 to give clean cuts. Carbide is recommended.
USING CHISELS:	Plastic lumber has no grain, it will not break out as in natural wood. When trying to make a notch, we suggest making a number of cuts, about 1/4" to 1/2" apart to full depth with a circular saw. Then use a narrow chisel to break out the material. Good results are accomplished with a 1/4" to 1/2" chisel. Using wider chisels requires more effort.
STAPLES:	Most short, heavy duty staples will work well, however the longer the length, the weaker they are. In agricultural applications for barbed wire fencing, it is recommended to use hardened staples with-out barbs. The holding strength of plastic is high so that staples with barbs are more difficult to pound in, or remove.
NAILS, BRADS:	Most nails can be used with plastic. For increased holding strength use Ardox (twisted spiral) type. Hardened nails with sharp points work best. Plastic has a hard shell for strength and weather resistance so expect to use more driving force to start nails.
SCREWS:	Fine thread screws do NOT work well; Always use a coarse a thread as possible. Coarse drywall or deck screws and lag bolts work very well. Pre-Drilling pilot holes for screws smaller than 1/4" diameter is not required. For speed, screws can be started easier by making a dimple with an awl or punch to 1/8" depth. Pilot holes are recommended only for large screws or lag bolts thicker than 1/4". Your pilot hole should be approximately one half the diameter of the screw.
BOLTS:	All kinds of bolts work well. Anchor fasteners and "T-Nuts" can be convenient in tight places. Our products have high compressive strength, when using washers, you can really torque the bolt. The washers will not sink-in as in natural soft woods.
PAINTING:	Painting is NOT recommended as most common paints will not stick to plastic. Paint will scratch off very quickly in applications where there is a lot of contact with movement. Our products come in an array of permanent colours. Coloured special coatings are available from your dealer.
SEALING & GLUE	High quality sealants such as silicone can be used. However please note that there are very few things that will stick to plastic. Rely on good mechanical retention, e.g.: butt joints must be a very good fit; lap joints and tongue & groove joints will prove to be better to retain a sealant. If you are making a project that will be outdoors, like a fence, picnic table, pier or bench... a dab of sealant can be placed between the boards at the approximate location where your fastener will go. This will seal rain and moisture out, to eliminate fastener corrosion between the joints. Plastic lumber has an "elastic" effect. Fasteners naturally crimp into the plastic - thus sealing out moisture. Small imperfections or cracks can be filled with common automotive body filler or thermal glue. Body filler can be Coloured to match, by adding some lacquer paint to the filler before hardener is added. Adhesives are available. Consult with your dealer.
SUPPORT & STRENGTH:	Our product is a very different material. Don't think of it as wood. Think of it as plastic! It will react differently to projects originally designed for natural wood. Design changes may be required for your project. Consult with your dealer about your application. Application information is available for common project types. Our lumber typically carries less load than natural lumber as it has more flexibility. Over extended periods of time, excessive load over too wide a span may create some breakage, even in winter. Try bending and stressing the material in a test before you start. Being plastic, it expands and contracts slightly due to temperature change. Typical expansion is 1/4" per 8 foot spread at 80 deg Celsius. Use a 1/4" gap between the plastic lumber and a fixed wall. For decking - a 1/4" gap is sufficient between butt joints. If this is of concern in your application please contact us, or your dealer.
In many cases our customers have found that they had to rethink their project design to accommodate the unique properties of Plastic Lumber. The long term benefits of plastics are worth the extra mental effort as plastic will last several lifetimes. If you have any questions or require more detailed information, please do NOT hesitate to *ASK US* or consult your dealer. He will be happy to provide advice for your project requirements.