Durability and carpet don’t always go hand in hand. Fabric has a nasty tendency to collect dirt and grime no matter how its treated, making the replacement period much shorter than hard surface materials. When we look at sustainable products, their durability is just as important as their material makeup. A product can be made from the greenest of substances, but if it has to be replaced constantly, the benefit of eco-friendly materials is lost. Recycled content in carpet is becoming more common, but the end result is still carpet.

NyloDeck. Designed by Nyloboard.

Nyloboard

, a six-year-old company located in the carpet capital of the world (Covington, Georgia), is putting used carpet to work in a series of durable, outdoor products. NyloDeck was unveiled to the green building community at West Coast Green earlier this month after its initial launch at DeckExpo 2010 in mid-September. NyloDeck is made from nylon extracted from post-industrial recycled carpet with a goal to contain 100% recycled content by the end of 2010. The nylon is bound with a VOC-free binder, unlike typical exterior wood decking which is pressure-treated with harmful chemicals.

NyloDeck is the ultimate material in exterior decking, with an ability to resist moisture, termites, mold, and mildew. It is essentially impervious to decay, with a termite resistance rating of 10-out-of-10, a mold resistance rating of 10-out-of-10, and “no decay” when subjected to fungus. NyloDeck has the appearance of wood, with a three-dimensional wood-grain texture that comes in three natural colors. The decking can also be painted or stained to fit an even wider variety of applications.

via Building Green