Evolving consumer preferences for residential decking materials

Major changes are taking place in the residential decking market driven by concerns over wood preservatives and the resulting phase-out of chromated copper arsenic (CCA)-treated wood and recent entry into the marketplace by wood-plastic composites. Using conjoint analysis, this study explores consumer perceptions regarding residential decking materials over two time periods, 2000 and 2003. Type of material and lifetime were the most important decking attributes. Of lesser importance were annual maintenance and price. Major changes took place over the three-year study period with respect to opinions towards treated wood and wood-plastic composites. Consumers became much more negative towards treated wood and wood-plastic composites received nearly equivalent gains. The CCA controversy clearly had an impact in the marketplace and we demonstrate the usefulness of conjoint analysis in capturing this change. Key words: decking, consumer, conjoint analysis, plastic lumber, treated wood, cedar, substitution