Residential

Rice-Husk Composite

TruGrain decking, porch flooring, and siding are manufactured from rice husks—an agricultural waste product—along with salt, mineral oil, and plastic polymers. Westech calls the composite “Resysta” and says it was developed in Europe. TruGrain requires minimal maintenance, is weather-resistant and waterproof, is impervious to insects and fungi, and is recyclable, according to the maker. The decking and tongue-and-groove porch flooring come in standard lengths, in a variety of colors. One-inch by 5 1/2-inch decking retails for $5.50 per lineal foot, while 1-inch by 7 1/2-inch decking costs $7.20 per foot. Westech Building Products, westechbp.com

About the Author

Scott Gibson

Scott Gibson is an independent journalist who covers sustainable building, green design, and other topics related to residential construction. He is a contributing writer at GreenBuildingAdvisor and Fine Homebuilding magazines and lives in southern Maine with his wife, Susan.

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