preferred material. It should also be
noted that even a synthetic deck uses
wood for all the supports.”
WATERBORNE FORMULATIONS
AND DIYERS DRIVE GROWTH
The increased use of waterborne formulations, coupled with an increased interest by consumers in taking on DIY projects has provided much-needed buoyancy in a lagging market.
“We have been very successful in
introducing waterborne products that
offer superior performance,” said
Minchew. “With the introduction of our
Aura exterior portfolio and our proprietary Gennex Color System we now offer
a high build exterior with superior protection and longevity. We are now setting
the standard in exterior stains with the
introduction of Arborcoat. It consists of
our opacities and a protective clear coat
that is part of a transparent and semi-transparent deck system. The product
incorporates a unique blend of a water
reducible alkyd and acrylic resin. All
products can be used for both decks and
siding and are tinted with our Gennex
zero VOC tint system.”
Photo: Benjamin Moore
The DIY segment is a key market for
wood coating manufacturers. “The mar-
ket for deck care products is primarily
driven by DIYers,” said Kozlowski. “It’s
an inexpensive way for homeowners to
protect and beautify their investment.
A project like making over a deck or
staining fence also is one of the most
achievable DIY projects, even for peo-
ple with very little experience. Many
projects don’t require any special tools
or equipment—just the products, a
scrub brush, garden hose and applica-
tor. That’s not to say that there isn’t a
professional market for deck coatings.
The Thompson’s Company does offer a
Certified Contractors Program that
offers professionals training and sup-
port specially in cleaning and water-
proofing exterior wood.”
“DIYers will be one of the key markets
driving the market for wood coatings,”
said Moon. “Construction is generally
slower to come around during an eco-
nomic recovery, so expectations are for
DIYers to be the growth engine in wood
coatings initially. Reclamation projects
are expected to be more popular while
category was probably one of the best
performers for many hardware retail-
ers,” said Mike Kozlowski, director of
marketing for Thompson’s Water Seal.
“A deck makeover is not an expensive
project. In fact, the average-size deck
can be cleaned and coated for approxi-
mately $100-150, depending on how
many supplies you have to buy. With
people spending more time at home, it’s
a great investment not only in terms of
protecting your deck, but also for mak-
ing your whole backyard look better. We
think the category will continue to have
positive growth in 2010.”
Addressing the issue of composite
materials replacing wood in certain
applications, Carl Minchew, director of
product development at Benjamin
Moore said, “Although we continue to
lose exterior wood substrates to alterna-
tive materials, it still remains the num-
ber one substrate for residential exteri-
ors. The exterior sales in 2008 and 2009
have pretty much mirrored interior
sales. In 2010 we hope to see improve-
ment. The residential building market is
starting to rebound, as is the deck busi-
ness. Many new decks are being built
with synthetic material but wood is the
