A technical guide for contractors and specifiers comparing timber and recycled plastic boardwalk materials. It covers long-term performance, maintenance requirements, and lifecycle value of each material type.
This document is a technical guide for contractors and specifiers who need to choose boardwalk materials. It compares timber and recycled plastic systems, focusing on long-term performance, maintenance obligations, and lifecycle value.
The executive summary outlines why timber boardwalks can become costly to maintain over time and where recycled plastic performs best. It also covers how to assess whole-life costs, key installation considerations, and a material comparison checklist.
A section on the challenge of timber boardwalks details durability issues in wet environments, ongoing maintenance costs, and safety risks like splintering. It explains how moisture causes rot, swelling, and warping, and why regular sealing or board replacement increases costs.
The solution section presents recycled plastic boardwalk systems as resistant to rot and moisture, low-maintenance, slip-resistant, and splinter-free. It lists suitable environments: wetlands, coastal areas, woodlands, public parks, holiday parks, and local authority projects.
A comparison table shows timber vs recycled plastic on moisture resistance, rot resistance, splinter-free surface, maintenance requirements, material consistency, insect resistance, service life, and sustainability. The guide also includes design options with and without handrails, available colours, and component quantity tables for various boardwalk widths.