Wood plastic composite material, referred to as WPC, is a new type of environmentally friendly material made by combining plastic and wood fiber through a specific process. It combines the water resistance and corrosion resistance of plastic with the natural texture and processing performance of wood, and WPC is therefore widely used in outdoor architecture, decoration, gardening and other fields. The price range of WPC materials in the current market is relatively wide, ranging from relatively economical low-end products to high-end customized products. The price difference is mainly affected by the cost of raw materials, the complexity of the production process and the influence of the brand.
We do not recommend customers to use or import too cheap WPC materials from China；There are reasons for this.
In terms of raw materials, in order to reduce costs, some manufacturers may use lower-quality recycled plastics or wood fibers, which may not be as durable and aging-resistant as high-quality raw materials, resulting in insufficient strength and durability of the final product. In addition, low-quality raw materials may also affect the color stability of the product, making it easy to fade during use.
The raw materials of WPC are produced by fully mixing and extruding wood powder, plastic particles and functional additives. Wood powder provides a wood-like texture and strength, while plastic gives the Decking waterproof and corrosion-resistant properties.
Wood powder is an important layer of raw materials, and each company may have different standards for the texture, type, humidity, and fineness of wood powder. Good wood powder will use 80~100μm poplar wood powder, while relatively low-priced products may use 40-60μm wood powder to save costs, and they may add more calcium powder to make the decking hard, but it will make the floor brittle and very easy to break during use.
The formula makes WPC cheap. In order to make their own WPC cheaper, some manufacturers use more wood flour in the formula because wood flour is cheaper than plastic. Some Chinese manufacturers only use 20% plastic. Such a formula will completely mask the characteristics of plastic particles and greatly reduce the strength and durability of the WPC.This is why some WPCs on the market only have a service life of 3 years.
Manufacturers who focus on quality have very strict control over the selection of raw materials. Wood powder generally uses high-quality 80μm-100μm wood powder, which is dry enough and has a relatively low moisture content to avoid excessive water absorption by wood powder in humid outdoor weather, causing the WPC board to mold, and to prevent the wood-plastic floor from absorbing water and expanding when used outdoors, causing cracks, etc.
Outdoor products are not immune to the curse of fading. Basically all outdoor products will fade. Low-quality and cheap WPC has low requirements for anti-oxidation and anti-ultraviolet. The selected additives are not very stable or no antioxidants are added. As a result, the WPC will fade significantly within 3 year after laying, which is very ugly.
High-quality WPC has strict requirements on the addition of additives, and antioxidants and anti-UV are added during production to ensure that the wpc does not become mottled or faded under outdoor ultraviolet rays as much as possible.
By changing the mold to reduce the wall thickness of the product, the material used in the product is reduced, and the price is inevitably lower.For the same size, specification and color, some manufacturers use molds to reduce the wall thickness of WPC products, but the specifications remain the same. However, thin-walled products use less material, so the price is naturally cheaper, but the result is that they are not durable.
Importance of consideration when choosing WPC materials. Importers should not make decisions based solely on price, but should consider the product’s performance and long-term use costs.
Although high-quality WPC materials have a higher initial investment, they are actually a more economical choice in the long run due to their better durability and lower maintenance requirements. Therefore, when purchasing WPC materials, consumers are advised to pay attention to the comprehensive performance indicators of the product.in this way, the extra costs and troubles caused by choosing low-quality materials can be effectively avoided.
When choosing WPC materials, consumers should consider price, quality, brand background, certification and other aspects.
Can we buy WPC that is too cheap in China? | Be cautious when buying WPC materials that are too cheap
