Building materials manufacturer NyloBoard, LLC, announced it has received its Code Compliance Research Report (CCRR) 0183 from Architectural Testing Inc. for NyloPorch, its new tongue and groove (T&G) porch board developed for porch floor applications. NyloBoard's composite building materials products are made using 100% recycled carpet fiber and contain no wood or PVC.
The company, which was started in 2000 in Covington, GA, by two partners who wanted to find a way to recycle carpet fibers, has a variety of products including its original NyloSheet, NyloSheet Ultra, NyloDeck and now its NyloPorch, introduced a year ago. The CCRR confirms NyloPorch's compliance with ICCES Acceptance Criteria, AC-174 and ASTM D 7032. Receiving the CCRR demonstrates that NyloPorch has met the rigorous requirements set forth by the International Code Council (ICC), which ensures the safety and reliability of building products and provides safeguards for people at home, at school and in the workplace.
"With its strength, durability and natural wood appearance, NyloPorch's proven material properties are unmatched in today's marketplace. And with NyloPorch and NyloDeck decking product, you can design a smooth transition from porch to deck with the same attractive look and colors," said Stuart Dimery, NyloPorch national product manager at NyloBoard.
Because the company is located near Dalton, GA, commonly known as the carpet manufacturing capital of the United States, the company is able to obtain plenty of carpet fiber feedstock using post industrial carpet, explained Craig Jacks, vice president of sales and marketing for the company.
In 2002, the founders of NyloBoard designed equipment necessary to separate the carpet fibers from the backing to make a board that would replace plywood, called NyloSheet. Using the nearly indestructible carpet fibers meant that the product has a very long life. Jacks noted that the NyloSheet, which comes in ½" to 1" thickness, is used for RV repair, boats construction, and tractor-trailer repair, adding that it provides excellent screw retention.
The makeup of the carpet fibers tends to be a variety of materials that includes nylon, but also polypropylene and other polymer fibers. "The bottom line is that we're diverting product that would normally end up in a land fill," Jacks said. "We get most of our material from recycling companies and it is largely post-industrial because of the quality of the material. We also get carpet from the manufacturers."
Jacks said that the process involves using a polymer system that binds the carpet fibers together, but the products are 80-90% recycled carpet. The resulting products are tough, completely impervious to moisture, lightweight and have a very low expansion and contraction rate which makes them ideal for the outdoor uses in porches and decking.
According to the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), there are four basic polymer types used to manufacture carpet (both broadloom and tile): nylon 6, nylon 6/6, polyester (PET) and polypropylene (PP). The national carpet recycling infrastructure has become successful solely based on the value of nylon face fibers, according to information on CARE's website. The recycling industry, manufacturers and entrepreneurs have developed technically and financially viable businesses based on the high value of nylon engineered resins and fibers. However, PP has entered the picture and the value of PP is much less than that of nylon, so it isn't able to form the sole basis of a successful recycling business. The other major face fiber is PET, and presently there are very few outlets for this recycled polymer. CARE's data shows that in 2007, PET comprised only 4% of the post-consumer stream collection. In 2013, the percentage of PET in the collection stream was estimated to be 30% and growing. NyloBoard's patented technical process solves much of that problem by being able to use a variety of carpet fibers in the polymer system.
In August, NyloPorch was named one of the 100 Best New Products 2014 by Professional Remodeler magazine, a leading business resource for the remodeling and home improvement market. "NyloPorch offers features that contractors and homeowners enjoy with the company's successful NyloDeck decking product," said Dimery. "Its unique material composition using recycled carpet fiber means that NyloPorch is impervious to moisture, mold, mildew and termites. It eliminates concerns about swelling and shrinking due to moisture, as well as splitting and cupping that can occur with wood. NyloPorch also possesses the best expansion and contraction rate of all composites."Â
