Material Science
- Wood Properties Density: 25-45 pcf. Moisture content: 12-19%. Bending strength: 1500-7000 psi. Decay resistance: Class 1-4. Treatment retention: 0.25-0.60 pcf.
- Metal Characteristics Tensile strength: 36-80 ksi. Yield point: 25-50 ksi. Elongation: 15-30%. Coating thickness: 1.8-3.0 mils. Hardness: RC 15-30.
- Composite Metrics Flexural modulus: 500-1000 ksi. Water absorption: 0.1-0.5%. UV resistance: 10-20 years. Thermal expansion: 1.5-3.0×10⁻⁵/°F. Impact strength: 2-4 ft·lb/in.
Cost Analysis
- Material Pricing Wood: $2-8/lf. Metal: $8-25/lf. Vinyl: $15-30/lf. Composite: $20-40/lf. Hardware: 10-15% of material. Finish: 5-10% of material.
- Volume Discounts 100-500 lf: 5-10%. 501-1000 lf: 10-15%. 1001-2500 lf: 15-20%. 2501+ lf: 20-25%. Bulk orders: 30-day terms. Early payment: 2/10 net 30.
- Market Factors Seasonal variation: ±15%. Regional differences: ±25%. Transport costs: $0.50-2.00/mile. Storage: $0.25-0.75/ft²/month. Lead time: 2-6 weeks.
Quality Standards
- Material Grades Wood: Select/No.1/No.2. Steel: A36/A500/G90. Aluminum: 6061-T6/6063-T5. PVC: Cell Class 2/3/4. Composite: Type I/II/III.
- Testing Requirements Load capacity: ASTM F2957. Weather resistance: ASTM D1435. Impact resistance: ASTM D256. Salt spray: ASTM B117. UV exposure: ASTM G154.
- Certification Needs Pressure treatment: AWPA UC4A. Galvanization: ASTM A123. Powder coating: AAMA 2604. Fire rating: Class A-C. Environmental: FSC/SFI.
Lifecycle Analysis
- Durability Factors Wood: 15-20 years. Metal: 20-30 years. Vinyl: 25-35 years. Composite: 20-30 years. Hardware: 5-10 years. Finish: 3-7 years.
- Maintenance Costs Cleaning: $0.50-1.00/lf/year. Sealing: $1.00-2.00/lf/2-3 years. Repairs: 2-5% replacement/year. Refinishing: $2-4/lf/5 years.
- Environmental Impact Carbon footprint: 2-15 kg CO₂/lf. Recyclability: 20-95%. VOC emissions: 5-250 g/L. Energy efficiency: 15-45 MJ/lf. Water usage: 2-8 gal/lf.