WPC Gates

What each material does

A gate is opened and closed every day, so stiffness and a strong bond between fiber and plastic matter most.

• Wood fiber

  Gives WPC the look, feel and stiffness of real wood. It's usually fine wood flour, mixed evenly through the board.

• HDPE (high-density polyethylene)

  The plastic that holds everything together. HDPE doesn't absorb water or rot, and it seals the wood fiber so the board takes on far less moisture than bare wood.

• UV stabilizers

  Slow down fading and surface wear from strong sun — important in South Florida, where boards see UV all year.

• Coupling & anti-fungal agents

  Coupling agents bond the wood fiber and plastic into one solid material, for strength and lower water uptake. Anti-fungal agents help the board resist mold and mildew in humid weather.

• Color pigments

  Give the boards their color. They're mixed into the material during manufacturing, so there's no paint or stain to peel.

What makes WPC a quality material

• The right wood-to-plastic balance

  Enough plastic to fully seal every wood fiber. Too much wood and boards soak up water and swell; too much plastic and they lose the wood look and move more with heat.

• Fiber and plastic properly bonded

  Coupling agents turn wood and plastic into one material instead of wood particles sitting loose in plastic. That's what keeps a board strong and stops water working its way in.

• Protection built in, not painted on

  UV stabilizers, anti-fungal agents and color go into the material itself during manufacturing — so there's nothing to sand, seal or repaint.

• Dense, consistent boards

  Quality boards are even in color and density all the way through, without voids or patchy spots that let moisture in.